Silverlight Deployment Testing

One issue that needs to be taken into careful consideration is group policy. No matter whether you are a small to moderate sized organization, or even a global enterprise, having a group policy will provide you with the flexibility that is necessary for the distribution of Silverlight to large or small groups of users.

Prior to deploying Silverlight to users, it will be necessary for you to set up and process a pilot program. The good thing about Silverlight is that its installation can be tested in a lab prior to trying it out in the real world.

By using a limited number of individuals during this test, you will have the time to alter and enhance your deployment strategies. After the deployment plans have been validated, you will be sure that you are ready for total deployment.

When testing Silverlight in the lab environment, you will want to install it on the test computers in the same manner that you would install it on the computers of the users. In some situations, it may be necessary to set up the location for the network installation through the server, and then installing it on the lab computers via the server.

To lower the cost of migration, it would be a wise idea to automate the installation. You also have the option processing the installation from the beginning to the end without allowing the users to interfere.

If you choose to install Silverlight via the server, you will not have to worry about configuring the computers individually. The automation should be completed in the lab prior to carrying out the pilot program.

Once you have successfully installed Silverlight on the computers in your lab, you will next need to verify that the program runs properly, and to do this, you will want to visit this URL: http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow".

The site will transform into an animation, and if this occurs, this means that Silverlight has been properly installed. If you so desire, you can also test both external and internal websites that are important to your business, and which will be frequently accessed by your browser.

As you test the installation, it is also important to make sure you keep a record of all the issues. The records will allow you to come up with solutions that can correct any problems which you encounter. As you encounter problems, you can test the solutions within the lab.

Once you have successfully tested deployment of Silverlight within the lab, you will next need to plan the pilot program.

The pilot program can basically be thought of as the scaled down version of the full deployment. The goal of the pilot program is to continue installation testing to continually refine deployment methods in standard use with a small number of users.

To properly use the pilot program, you will want to pick a small group of participants, and begin preparing them for the program.

Pick a group which correctly matches the diversity of your users. If your organization has a large group of users, who have various computing needs, then it may be necessary to have multiple pilot teams.

Once you have successfully put together your team, you will next need to generate a document or database which can be used to track the progress of the program, recording issues that may need to be addressed further.

Once the above issues have been successfully addressed, it will next be necessary for you to deploy Silverlight fully.

Next Page: Silverlight Deployment