1

Hi,
We’re looking for a system that we can use to keep software updated on our servers. PDQ Deploy was recommended to me by a couple people so I’m taking a look. I’m mainly looking at the difference between using PDQ Deploy & Inventory vs using PDQ Deploy with something like Spiceworks Inventory since it’s double the license fees to use both PDQ products.
Can anyone talk about how they integrate and what they can and can’t do? I’d be looking at updating normal software like 7-zip, browsers, notepad++, etc. I’d also be interested in using it for Windows patching.
I’d need to be able to see which computers have old versions of software and then be able to deploy updated versions. I also need to be able to do the same thing with Windows Updates to know which machines need which patches and deploy them out.
One specific question I have is when I choose to deploy Windows Updates, select my machines, and click Go, does it (or can it) install instantly or is there a delay?
Thanks!

4 Spice ups
2

PDQ Inventory does a better job in my opinion. You can however run the free version of it with the paid version of PDQ Deploy.

1 Spice up
3

pqd deploy is a great deployment tools you can deploy software from list , from ad ,

it is possible to deploy immediatly or based on scheduling plus you have full reporting of ANY installation.

and if you buy FULL version the software try to redeploy on failed pc.

it’s not needed in my opinion to get both just run spiceworks for the inventory (free) and then use the data gathered from it build a txt list of the pc you need to install the update and go.

but if you have some money both pqd deploy and invetory works great togheter.

you can launch the deply from the report of inventory and it is fully automated.

another plus is the ready to use packet that you can download directly from the gui.

for the patch mhh is not the right product but with some little works you can do it

1 Spice up
4

PDQ Deploy and Inventory will be the best $500.00 bucks a year you can spend. The Spiceworks Inventory is well, let’s just say not optimal. I don’t even use spiceworks inventory anymore

2 Spice ups
5

Except it’d be the best $1,000 I spend since each program is $500. That’s why I was investigating alternatives. We have 3 or 4 people who would be users so that’s up to $3000 - $4000.

However, from one video I just watched, it looks like the only integration is that PDQ can deploy to Spiceworks Groups but it doesn’t bring in the inventory information? So if I want to push out 7-zip to all machines that have an old version, I first have to go into SW and create a group called 7-Zip old and then configure that to show any machines with 7-zip older than x.x? Then once that updates, I can then go into PDQ and deploy to it? Versus if I use PDQ it already knows which machines have which software and I can just pick it right from the list?

Is that right?

I never though of using Paid Deploy and free Inventory though. Not sure if that would work just as well or not.

6

Yes, you can use PDQ to deploy to PDQ inventory groups that do not have the current software. You can make custom made inventory groups or use the ones that have made already if you use that software. You can deploy just about anything with this software. I have been using it for years and it keeps getting better and the support is AMAZING!!! I am not sure what the demo videos show but there is a lot of info on their youtube channel also

@PDQ

@shawn-pdq

1 Spice up
7

Hi Kelemvor,

One great feature in the paid version PDQ Inventory is the Collection Library. Similar to the Package Library the Collection Library is kept up-to-date so you can, at a glance, see which computers don’t have the latest version of an application (such as 7-Zip, Chrome, Java, etc) or a Windows Update.

Here is a video explaining the Collection Library. A common practice is to have PDQ Deploy use scheduled deployments with Auto Download (this way you get the latest version of the application(s) you are deploying) against the respective collections in the Collection Library. Kind of a “set it and forget it” scenario for keeping your computers up-to-date.

Here is a video about the Collection Library

Here is a video about the Auto Download feature in the Package Library

If you want to use the free version of Inventory you’d need to build and maintain the collections for your deployments.

Hope this helps,

Shane

8

The one major limitation of PDQ Inventory that I can think of is that it’s really only designed for Windows machines. You can manually add Linux devices, Macs, printers, etc., but you won’t get any scan data from them.

PDQ Inventory is also much more tightly integrated with Deploy- for example, a deployment can kick off a scan in PDQ Inventory to automatically update the scan profile and remove the newly updated machine from your out-of-date collections.

And the Collection Library working in tandem with the Package Library in Deploy for Auto Deployments…it’s awesome.

IMHO, PDQ Inventory does work much better than Spiceworks Inventory. It’s worth the extra money.

4 Spice ups
9

give a look also at Lansweeper.

:wink:

10

I just started using inventory with deploy a couple of months ago. I would definitely highly recommend both. Use WSUS for windows updates so can’t comment on that part. I believe you need the paid version of inventory for it to work directly with deploy which is when you get the best benefits.

11

Is it possible to get multiple licenses of Deploy but only one license of Inventory? We have one person who would configure and manage everything and a couple other people who would only use the Deploy program for pushing out updates.

12

Yes it is possible to do that

13

I’d like to advice our tool Action1 which will help you to deploy software on multiple computers or execute software or hardware invenory but much more cheaper than PDQ.