I'm a Linux admin now tasked with supporting some non-standard engineering software for users in a large organization. While our operations are compliant with policy, we primarily provide software that isn't included in the enterprise's IT offerings. Currently, we're distributing installs through USB drives, which isn't ideal, especially since the previous admin had some unconventional methods like using Desktop Windows as a server.
I'm looking for an open source solution that allows users to connect to a server through their browser, select the software they need to install, and automatically fetch and install that software in the background on their PCs without any UAC prompts. The solution must also be budget-friendly, as we've got no funds for infrastructure software and need to focus our spending on the applications we support. Does anyone know of a tool that meets these requirements?
4 Answers
Have you considered using Chocolatey? It's open source and allows you to create and manage your own software packages, plus there are community packages available. You can set it up for GUI or CLI installations, making it flexible. It's definitely worth a look, especially since its core is FOSS under the Apache 2.0 license! Check out their feature comparison page for more details.
Intune can actually deploy apps to specific groups, so it might be best to collaborate with the IT team that manages it. Just because a subset of users require certain apps doesn't mean they're outside IT's scope. They could help you deploy these approved apps properly, avoiding the hassle of sidestepping established tools.
If you're open to it, PDQ Deploy has a free version and is reliable for managing software installations across multiple endpoints. Action1 is another option that is free for up to 200 devices and can handle software deployments as well.
You could potentially use Winget or set up a private repository for your team's use. It’s not straightforward out of the box, but with some coding, you could create a simple webpage or app to execute the install scripts you need. It would take some effort to keep it updated, but it might be a flexible solution if you’re willing to tinker with it.
That sounds like a fun project! Just make sure you keep a good backup strategy for your scripts.