Rochester Institute of Technology's Automated Package Deployment with Advanced Installer
A top-ranked university that has earned its reputation through technology, innovation and hands-on learning.
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, New York is a regarded university that has earned its reputation through technology, innovation and hands-on learning.
The institution has many different programs and it is also home to a large student population, thus requiring efficient IT solutions especially when dealing with software management as well as deployment across multiple student labs.
Challenges
Managing the software deployment within the student labs became an issue for RIT due to their extensive footprint needing frequent updates and maintenance.
The primary issues included:
Packaging software complexity was not intended for automated deployment.
Rapid lab preparation for classes and quick recovery from failures were needed.
High volumes of service desk tickets and technician time spent on manual software installations and configurations.
The Solution
RIT has selected to use Advanced Installer Architect so as to make its software deployment process more effective. This solution has several advantages that resolved their main issues:
- Automated Deployment of Complex Software: RIT had complex software packaged using Advanced Installer Architect even though such applications were not originally built for any automated deployments; a feature that made lab installations free from errors and human efforts.
- Rapid Lab Preparation and Recovery: With ability to package software efficiently, labs could be prepped quickly for upcoming classes or swiftly recovered in case of failures, minimizing downtime and disruption to academic activities.
- Self-Service Packages: As a result of this answer, RIT was able to get self-service packages via their distribution service. Consequently, technicians did not have to utilize valuable time on user support issues that could easily be handled by the consumers themselves hence enabling them to focus on other vital tasks such as system maintenance which requires a high level of technical expertise.
- Customized Software Packages: The overall user experience was improved by giving flexibility of tailoring individual software packages with specific settings for various classes/ departments (Advanced Installer Technologies).
There is huge demand in the area we support, which are student labs. We need a method for creating software packages designed specifically for automatic installation. What Advanced Installer also provides are ways to package complicated pieces of software that do not generally work well with automated installation systems, lab setup and recovery can happen very fast, we can create self-service packages through our distribution service to managed machines avoiding service desk tickets and technician time and finally it allows us to customize the packaged software with specific settings.
Greg Miller
IT Manager at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), https://rit.edu
Results
Ever since implementing Advanced Installer Architect within RIT, there has been significant improvement in their process of deploying software. Some notable ones include:
- Faster lab setups and recoveries.
- Reduction in service desk workload significantly
- Efficiency enhancement and productivity boost among IT staff.
- Reliable and available software resources resulting in increased satisfaction of students and faculty members.
Conclusion
Without any doubts, through Advanced Installer Architect, RIT has been able to handle its huge software deployment demand more efficiently.
By providing a robust and flexible solution that meets their unique challenges, it continues to foster an excellent environment for learning that is not only technologically advanced but also academically outstanding.
For more information about Rochester Institute of Technology, visit their website.