Software deployment to multiple computing devices

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• receiving an application to be installed in a remote computing device, the application having a manifest file and a parameters file associated, wherein the manifest file identifies components of the application while the parameters file identifies configuration settings of the application;
• transmitting the components of the application identified by the manifest file to be installed on the remote computing device in accordance with the configuration settings in the parameter file;
• receiving and storing in the data store, parameter values from the remote computing device, the parameter values (i) being received from a user at the remote computing device during an initial installation of the application on the remote computing device and (ii) identifying destination-dependent configuration settings related to configuration of the initial installation of the application at the remote computing device;
• and
• upon detecting a change in the application,
• generating a pre-configured application by configuring the application with the detected change based on the parameter values received from the user during the initial installation of the application on the remote computing device and stored in the data store;
• and
• re-publishing the application by transmitting the generated pre-configured application to be installed in the remote computing device.

A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

• receive a software deployment package at a destination computing device from a source computing device, wherein the software deployment package includes an application, a manifest file identifying components of the application and a parameters file identifying one or more destination-dependent configuration settings of the application;
• in response to the received software deployment package,
• prompt a user for parameter values identifying one or more destination-dependent configuration settings applicable for performing an initial installation of the application on the destination computing device;
• receive, from the user, the parameter values identifying the one or more destination-dependent configuration settings that are related to configuration of installing the application on the destination computing device and specific to the destination computing device;
• install the application at the destination computing device in accordance with the received parameter values;
• transmit the received parameter values from the user and specific to the destination computing device to the source computing device;
• and
• subsequently, receive and install a re-published application at the destination computing device, the re-published application comprising a pre-configured application configured based on the transmitted parameter values from the destination computing device to the source computing device and are specific to the destination computing device.

A computer system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
• receive a software deployment package, wherein the software deployment package includes an application, a manifest file identifying components of the application and a parameters file identifying one or more destination-dependent configuration settings of the application;
• store the manifest file and the parameters file at a data store;
• transmitting the components of the application identified by the manifest file along with the parameter file to be installed in a plurality of remote computing devices;
• receive and store parameter values from each of the plurality of remote computing devices, the parameter values (i) being received from a user at each of the remote computing devices and (ii) identifying destination-dependent configuration settings applicable to configuration of installation of the application at each of the remote computing devices;
• and
• upon detecting a change in the application,
• generate pre-configured versions of the application for each of the plurality of the remote computing devices by configuring the application with the change based on at least one stored parameter value associated with and specific to each of the remote computing devices;
• and
• re-publish the pre-configured versions of the application to the plurality of remote computing devices.