Meet the founders of PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit
Introduction
The transcript introduces the Powershell app deployment toolkit founders and their backgrounds.
Introducing the Founders
- Mo, Dan, and Sean are introduced as the founders of the Powershell app deployment toolkit.
- They each have a background in endpoint management and have worked in various industries.
- The idea for building a strong foundation for application deployment came from their experience with using VP script and white scripts for standardization.
Launching the Initial Version
This section discusses the initial launch of the Powershell app deployment toolkit.
Launching in 2013
- The initial version of the Powershell app deployment toolkit was launched in August 2013.
- Prior to this, there were other installers available such as Amazon with this installer which was quite robust.
Introducing Dan and Sean
This section provides more information about Dan and Sean's backgrounds.
Dan's Background
- Dan is based in Toronto, Canada, but is originally from Ireland.
- He has worked in financial services and security consultancy before returning to endpoint management.
Sean's Background
- Sean is based out of Houston, Texas, and has mainly worked in financial services throughout his career.
- His current focus is on InTune and Windows 365 but always with PowerShell in the background.
Building a Strong Foundation for Application Deployment
This section discusses how they built a standardized workflow with logging using PowerShell to provide a standardized app deployment framework.
Solving Common Challenges
- Application wrapping is something that is required in many scenarios to solve different challenges.
- There was very little standardization or reusable code available at that time.
Creating Standardized Workflow
- They saw an opportunity with PowerShell to create a standardized app deployment framework.
- The framework would provide a standardized workflow with logging and solve common challenges such as messaging prompts to interact with users during installation, closing running applications, citing registry keys, finding old software to uninstall, and old versions.
The Story of the Toolkit
In this section, the speakers discuss how the toolkit came to be and why it was necessary.
Evolution of the Toolkit
- The toolkit evolved from a solution to common problems faced by professionals in the industry.
- It resonated with many people in the community who were having similar issues.
- The toolkit provided a solution to these problems.
Adoption of the Toolkit
- Prominent people in the community endorsed the toolkit, including Microsoft MVPs.
- People blogged about it and talked about it at conferences.
- This helped with its adoption.
Need for Quick Solutions
- There were many OS migration projects going on at that time, and thousands of applications needed to be migrated quickly.
- Repackaging all those applications using MSI's was not feasible or efficient.
- The toolkit provided a quick and easy solution for this problem.
Powershell as a Tool for Building Templates
In this section, the speakers discuss why they chose Powershell as their scripting language and how it has changed IT management.
Advantages of Powershell
- Powershell made API calls and complicated tasks easier to perform than other tools like DB script or Wisecrip templates.
- Its syntax is sublime, making it an excellent tool for building templates.
- It has become essential for managing services and infrastructure.
Development of Powershell
- Powershell continues to develop and extend its features over time.
- It is currently in version 7.
Developing the Toolkit
In this section, the speakers discuss how much time they spent developing the toolkit and how they fit it into their everyday lives.
Time Spent Developing the Toolkit
- The first few months and years required a lot of personal time to develop the toolkit.
- As their careers changed, they spent less time on it.
- However, there are still opportunities to use it for other configuration management purposes.
Perseverance and Passion
- It took a lot of perseverance and passion to overcome the challenges of developing the toolkit.
- Having a vision is one thing, but making it a reality requires dedication.
Introduction
The speakers discuss their experience with the PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit and how it has evolved over time.
Evolution of the PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit
- The toolkit required a significant time investment initially, but is now stable and requires less time to use.
- External contributions have added additional tooling to the project, such as an automatic application repackaging solution.
Additional Tooling
The speakers discuss additional tooling that has been added to the PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit.
Automatic Application Repackaging Solution
- An external tool builds on the toolkit and allows for automatic application repackaging by dragging and dropping an ID into it.
Favorite Features
The speakers discuss their favorite features of the PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit.
Adding Current User Keys into Registry Hive
- One speaker's favorite feature is the ability to add stuff into all users' current user hive in the registry. This was previously difficult to do in MSI packages.
- Another speaker's favorite feature is
Invoke-HKCURegistrySettingsForAllUsers, which allows for setting HKCU registry settings for all users on a machine.
Self-healing Functionality
- Self-healing functionality was previously difficult to manage across multiple users in MSI packages, but is made easier with this function in the PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit.
Conclusion
The speakers discussed their experiences with using and contributing to the PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit, as well as their favorite features of the toolkit. They highlighted its stability and ease of use compared to its initial release, as well as additional tooling that has been developed around it. They also discussed the difficulties of managing self-healing functionality across multiple users in MSI packages and how the PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit has made it easier.
Active Setup and Commercial Products
The speakers discuss the limitations of Active Setup and how it is not a supported feature by Microsoft. They also mention commercial products that use the App Deployment Toolkit, but express their disappointment with some companies who use the free tool without providing support.
Active Setup Limitations
- Internet Explorer may not be installed on European builds of Windows.
- Active Setup works for Internet Explorer, but is not recommended by Microsoft.
- Logging out and logging back in is required for changes to take effect.
Commercial Products Using App Deployment Toolkit
- Flexera bundles the toolkit as part of Admin Studio for application repackaging.
- Scatman uses PSADT to patch third-party apps.
- Companies using the free toolkit should participate in community support forums.
Expectations for Companies Using Free Tools
The speakers express their expectations for companies using free tools like the App Deployment Toolkit, including attribution and participation in community support forums.
Expectations for Companies Using Free Tools
- Companies should keep attribution when building on open source projects.
- Community participation would be beneficial, especially regarding support issues.
- Some commercial products have deferred support back to the creators of free tools, which can be frustrating.
Open Source Software and Commercial Products
The speakers discuss the relationship between open source software and commercial products, and how companies can give back to the open source community.
Giving Back to Open Source
- Companies that use open source software in their commercial products should give something back to the project. This could be testing releases, development support, or a donation.
- It is important for commercial products to support the open source projects they leverage.
Commercializing an Open Source Product
- The speakers discuss plans to commercialize their product while maintaining its free status. They do not want to suddenly introduce a paid version of the product as it goes against their ethos.
- One potential business case is offering enterprise support where companies can receive help with issues they encounter or additional services such as repackaging or producing internal tools.
Popularity of PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit
The speakers discuss the popularity of PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit and its impact on job requirements and industry standards.
Measuring Popularity
- Job descriptions that require knowledge of PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit are a good metric for measuring its popularity.
- The product has become a de facto standard in the space and has been referenced by big software packaging companies like Flexera.
Industry Adoption
- Packaging factories are adopting PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit as a standard with their clients. Even Admin Studio recommends using it over Wise Script if customers are still using it.
Is the Partial Up Toolkit Dead?
The developers discuss the current state of the Partial Up Toolkit and address concerns about its development.
Current State of Development
- The toolkit is not dead, but it has been two years since the last release.
- There have been delays due to personal and professional changes in the developers' lives.
- The team is aware that more features are needed and they plan to recommit to the project with a new release (3.9).
- Development for version 4 is active, but there is no clear roadmap yet.
Future Plans
- The team sees potential for more innovation with the toolkit and wants to be more agnostic in terms of platform integration.
- They have put effort into completing certain features related to specific vendors like InTune, Tanium, Auto Max, and Workspace One.
- They plan to allow for migration between platforms.
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Conclusion
The Partial Up Toolkit is not dead, but development has been delayed due to personal and professional changes. The team plans to recommit to the project with a new release (3.9), which includes completed features related to specific vendors like InTune, Tanium, Auto Max, and Workspace One. They also plan on being more agnostic in terms of platform integration and allowing for migration between platforms. Development for version 4 is active, but there is no clear roadmap yet.
Introduction
In this section, the speaker talks about the Powershell performance toolkit and its robust installations. He also mentions that it works on Windows 11 and can be easily upgraded.
Features of Powershell Performance Toolkit
- Robust installations in Powershell performance toolkit.
- The likelihood for this to work on the next level.
- Integration with InTune and zero trust principles.
- Remediation features for device compliance.
Gratitude and Contributions
In this section, the speaker expresses gratitude towards the creators of the Powershell app deployment toolkit. He also talks about ways to contribute to the project.
Ways to Contribute
- Donations and enterprise support options.
- Providing enough information with an issue on GitHub.
- Community contributions such as code fixes, blog posts, or videos.
Appreciation for Community Support
In this section, the speakers express their appreciation for community support in spreading awareness about the Powershell app deployment toolkit.
Community Support
- Appreciation for community users who write blog posts or make videos about the toolkit.
- There are many ways to contribute and help spread awareness about the project.