WIN32 software distribution architecture

A system, comprising:

• at least one computing device;
• and
• a management application executable by the at least one computing device, the management application configured to cause the at least one computing device to at least:
• receive a first specification of a Win32 application, a plurality of deployment options, and an application transformation that enables or disables a functionality of the Win32 application;
• receive a second specification of a plurality of target client devices;
• direct, based on the first specification and the second specification, respective management agents executed in individual ones of the plurality of target client devices to determine an application type of the Win32 application to be installed on the plurality of target client devices based at least in part on a file extension of the Win32 Application, wherein the determination of the application type further comprises causing the at least one computing device to at least:
• determine if the application type is a Microsoft Installer (MSI) application,
• if the application type is not the MSI application, determine if the application type is a self-extracting executable (EXE) application,
• if the application type is not the self-extracting EXE application, determine if the application type is a zipped archive application;
• install the Win32 application according to the plurality of deployment options and the application type that is determined;
• receive status information from the respective management agents indicating installation success or failure of the Win32 application;
• execute the application transformation to enable or disable the functionality of the Win32 application based on the Win32 application being successfully installed;
• and
• generate a report based at least in part on the status information.

A method, comprising:

• receiving a first specification of a Win32 application, a plurality of deployment options, and an application transformation that enables or disables a functionality of the Win32 application;
• receiving a second specification of a plurality of target client devices;
• directing, based on the first specification and the second specification, respective management agents executed in individual ones of the plurality of target client devices to determine an application type of the Win32 application to be installed on the plurality of target client devices based at least in part on a file extension of the Win32 Application, wherein determination of the application type further comprises:
• determine if the application type is a Microsoft Installer (MSI) application,
• if the application type is not the MSI application, determine if the application type is a self-extracting executable (EXE) application,
• if the application type is not the self-extracting EXE application, determine if the application type is a zipped archive application;
• installing the Win32 application according to the plurality of deployment options and the application type that is determined;
• receiving status information from the respective management agents indicating installation success or failure of the Win32 application;
• executing the application transformation to enable or disable the functionality of the Win32 application based on the Win32 application being successfully installed;
• and
• generating a report based at least in part on the status information.