Deploying and managing applications

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Deploying and managing applications

• Using the Windows interface

• Using command-line tools

Using the Windows interface

The following table lists some of the most common tasks for deploying and managing applications, and the tools you can use to perform them. For more information, click the corresponding link under Tool or Feature.

Task	Tool or feature
Create a specific desktop configuration of installed applications for a group of users; manage desktop configurations for a group of users.	Group Policy (pre-GPMC)
Set up and manage an Internet Information Services (IIS) server to host Web applications and services.	Internet Information Services
Track and maintain software licenses.	Administering and tracking licenses
Create, save, and open administrative tools (in the form of snap-ins) that manage hardware, software and network components of a local or remote computer, or multiple computers.	Microsoft Management Console
Set up remote computers with installation images, without requiring the installation compact disc.	Remote Installation Services
Install and remove software; modify, repair, and advertise existing applications.	Windows Installer
Download and install updates on your computer, such as security fixes, critical updates, the latest Help files, and device drivers.	Windows Update

For more information about deploying applications to servers and client computers, see "Planning Server Deployments" at the Microsoft Windows Resource Kits Web site.

For more information about automating and customizing installations, see "Automating and Customizing Installations" at the Microsoft Windows Resource Kits Web site.

For more information about software installation tools, see "Part Two: Change and Configuration Management" at the Microsoft Windows Resource Kits Web site.

Using command-line tools

The following table lists some of the most common tasks for deploying and managing applications, and the command-line tools you can use to perform them. For more information, click the corresponding link under Command-line tool.

Task	Command-line tool
Create and manage backup copies of the Internet Information Services (IIS) configuration (metabase and schema) of a remote or local computer.	Iisback.vbs: IIS backup management script
Import or export all or selected elements of an Internet Information Services (IIS) metabase on a local or remote computer.	Iiscnfg.vbs: IIS configuration script
Create, delete, list, start, stop, or pause FTP sites on local or remote servers running Windows Server 2003 with Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0.	Iisftp.vbs: IIS FTP site management script
Create, delete, or display virtual directories on FTP sites of servers running Windows Server 2003 with Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0.	IISFtpdr.vbs: IIS FTP directory script
Create or delete virtual directories of Web sites on servers running Windows Server 2003 with Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0.	Iisvdir.vbs: IIS virtual directory script
Create, delete, list, start, stop, or pause Web sites on servers running Windows Server 2003 with Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0.	Iisweb.vbs: IIS Web site management script
Install, modify, and perform operations in conjunction with Windows Installer.	Msiexec (command-line options)
Manage Remote Installation Services on a server.	Risetup
Communicate with the Service Controller and installed services; retrieve or set control information about services.	SC

For more information about the command shell, see Command shell overview. For information about tools used to manage the command-prompt window, see Manage the command-prompt window. For an alphabetical list of all of the command-line tools, see Command-line reference A-Z.