Software Deployment Methods Compared

I'm sure you'll realize at some point that this is subjective and anecdotal, but caveated (I made up that word) it is based on twenty-some years of experience with deploying crap to thousands of computers.

Manual Installation

Good: Usually works

Bad: Sucks when you have to install 500 or 1,000 within 24 hours

Group Policy

Good: Pretty Simple

Bad: Only works with MSI installers, MSP patches, and ZAP wrapped packages.  No phased deployments.  No status monitoring capability.  No bandwidth throttling.  No automated distribution management (regional/local server shares)

Scripting

Good: Customizable, Flexible.

Bad: Requires some knowledge and experience.  More work required to implement monitoring, phasing, and distribution automation management.  Difficult to manage remote/mobile clients

SCCM

Good: Usually works. Customizable, Flexible. Status monitoring.  Phased deployments. Automated distribution management.  Manages remote/mobile clients and provided automated bandwidth throttling.

Bad: Additional cost.  Additional learning curve.

Snapshot Imaging (Ghost, etc.)

Good: Provides a consistent result for all newly-imaged computers

Bad: Breaks quite a few applications due to replicated information.  Increases imaging process time.  Increases base image build and update time.

Sequential Imaging (SCCM task sequence + OSD)

Good: Provides a consistent result for all newly-imaged computers. Usually eliminates problems incurred with duplicate identification issues commonly encountered with snapshot imaging techniques.  Can often employ existing SCCM packages without the need to repackage twice.

Bad: Requires some learning. Increases imaging process time.

Application Virtualization (App-V, ThinApp, etc.)

Good: Provides encapsulation and portability.  Provides isolation and prevents resource and version conflicts

Bad: Often costly to implement.  Additional learning curve.  Not all products work well with it (most do).

Server Hosted / Terminal Emulation (Remote Desktop, Remote App, Citrix, etc.)

Good: Shared from a single installation.  One target to maintain and upgrade.

Bad: Costly to implement.  Single point of failure*.  Some vendors prohibit this option in their license terms. (* even with clustering and load balancing, this is similar to the risks of cloud services)