Re: Office 2003 Deployment

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

From: Susan Ramlet (susan_at_mvps-dot-org)
Date: 02/11/05 

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 13:12:38 -0600

Good luck! Post back with your results, if you have the time. 

-- 
Susan Ramlet
MVP - Office
Please reply to the newsgroups where others may benefit.
"Sabo, Eric" <SaboEric@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1FC93B97-9A67-4B54-93F6-1ED6E384EC19@microsoft.com...
> Susan,
>     Thanks for the information it has been really helpful.    Yes, we have
> have a windows 2003 domain and SMS 2003 SP1 already in place.    So with
> entSetup.exe, we could deploy the local files first then run setup from
the
> local machine that seems like the way to go.
>
> "Susan Ramlet" wrote:
>
> > Again, as far as the push goes, I don't know whether GPO or SMS is
better in
> > your situation.  You have to evaluate the pros and cons in your own
> > environment.  One thing to note:
> >
> > "Note   Group Policy bypasses Office Setup.exe and Setup.ini, so
although
> > you can use Group Policy to deploy Office from a compressed CD image,
you
> > cannot take advantage of new Setup functionality to create a local
> > installation source on users' computers."
> >
> > I don't know if you can then subsequently create an LIS for use; you may
> > need to test that.  See "Enabling the local installation source" in
> > http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011402361033.aspx for
more
> > information.
> >
> > Another thing that may help:
> >
> > "A new enhanced version of the Office 2003 Setup program (entsetup.exe)
is
> > available as a download. Setup.exe version 11.0.6176.0 helps ensure that
> > every desktop in the organization gets and keeps a complete local
> > installation source. The new Setup also allows administrators to deploy
the
> > local installation source first, and then launch the installation of
Office
> > 2003."
> >
> > See Microsoft Office Assistance: New Setup.exe Fine Tunes Local Caching:
> > http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011402451033.aspx
> >
> > for more details.
> >
> > The only other recommendation reference I can find from Microsoft is
this:
> >
> > For large or complex organizations, Microsoft Systems Management Server
> > offers more sophisticated functionality, including inventory,
scheduling,
> > and reporting features. However, using Group Policy to deploy Office
2003
> > can be a good choice in the following settings:
> > - Small- or medium-sized organizations that have already deployed and
> > configured the Active DirectoryŽ directory service.
> > - Organizations or departments that comprise a single geographic area.
> > - Organizations with consistent hardware and software configurations on
both
> > clients and servers.
> > If you are managing large numbers of clients in a complex or rapidly
> > changing environment, consider using Microsoft Systems Management Server
to
> > install and maintain Office 2003.
> >
> > That's from here:
> >
> > Microsoft Office Assistance: Using Group Policy to Deploy Office:
> > http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011402011033.aspx
> >
> > Do you already use AD and SMS?  That might be another factor, if you
have to
> > implement one or the other for Office deployments.
> > -- 
> > Susan Ramlet
> > MVP - Office
> >
> > Please reply to the newsgroups where others may benefit.
> >
> >
> > "Sabo, Eric" <SaboEric@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:FECFAF72-1A39-4B96-96AA-EC90170D512F@microsoft.com...
> > > Susan,
> > >    Yes, I think we want to go with the LIS method but in the past it
> > seemed
> > > when we setup out adminstration sharepoint it never seemed to work on
the
> > > patching.   But what we want to accomplish is to have every single
> > instance
> > > of Office 2003 the same.   Do you think we should use Active Directory
or
> > SMS
> > > 2003 to push this installation out to our client?   We try to keep our
> > > environment as simple as possible.    But we really want to avoid what
we
> > > currently have now, that is patching is a problem for us and we also
have
> > > different configuration out there.
> > >
> > >
> > > "Susan Ramlet" wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi, Eric,
> > > >
> > > > I wouldn't be too bright if I tried to make a specific
recommendation
> > > > without having a much more intimate understanding of your company
and
> > its
> > > > operations--both on the business side and on the IT side.  There are
> > many
> > > > issues to consider, such as percentage of laptops, how people use
Office
> > and
> > > > their computers, how the OS is deployed, how Office and Windows are
> > updated,
> > > > how your IT staff operates, how many users, and a variety of other
> > issues.
> > > > Also, Microsoft won't make a specific recommendation for you, but
they
> > try
> > > > to provide as much information as they can to help you make the
right
> > > > decision in your environment.
> > > >
> > > > Did you happen to see this article?
> > > >
> > > > Microsoft Office Assistance: Distributing Office 2003 Product
Updates:
> > > > http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011402381033.aspx
> > > >
> > > > It helps you understand better what the options for updating Office
are,
> > > > based on your deployment method.  It sounds like updating is one of
your
> > > > biggest pains.
> > > >
> > > > If you are expecting or allowing users to do their own updates, then
you
> > > > probably want the LIS on the local workstation.  If you plan to push
the
> > > > updates yourself to keep the workstations at the same level, then
you
> > will
> > > > want more control over the installation and may want to use the
> > uncompressed
> > > > administrative image, patching it as you go.  However, if you have
lots
> > of
> > > > remote or laptop users, they will be unable to get the updates
without
> > an
> > > > LIS or a network connection.
> > > >
> > > > If it helps, keep in mind that the Office Update functionality is
> > planned to
> > > > be combined into the Windows Update utility at some point in the
future.
> > I
> > > > don't know when, or what the specific functionality will be, but it
will
> > be
> > > > a one-stop shop for updating.  So, if you are deploying Windows
Updates
> > from
> > > > a corporate server, you may want to plan for deploying Office
Updates
> > from
> > > > there, also, and to have more control over them.
> > > >
> > > > Hope that helps some--
> > > >
> > > > -- 
> > > > Susan Ramlet
> > > > MVP - Office
> > > >
> > > > Please reply to the newsgroups where others may benefit.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "Sabo, Eric" <SaboEric@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > > > news:369497F7-950D-4843-99DD-DD82833F570C@microsoft.com...
> > > > > Susan,
> > > > >     What do you recommend?   It looks like we want to go with the
> > local
> > > > > install with the source file on the PC.    I looked at the
Resource
> > Kit
> > > > but I
> > > > > was more looking to what Microsoft recommends to do.
> > > > >
> > > > > "Sabo, Eric" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > We are debating whether to use Active Directory or SMS to deploy
> > Office
> > > > 2003.
> > > > > >   The problem we had while deploying Office XP, was that every
> > > > configuration
> > > > > > was different and now we have a hard time when we go to patch
Office
> > XP.
> > > > We
> > > > > > want to deploy Office 2003 correctly so we don't run into this
> > problem
> > > > again.
> > > > > >   We are looking for whitepapers or technet articles that might
help
> > us
> > > > to
> > > > > > avoid this pitfalls in our environment.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Thanks,
> > > > > > Eric Sabo
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> >
> >