Supporting iTunes in Campus Labs

Question

We have an issue which we are in dire need of a solution concerning iTunes updates. We use LiveState desktop management software to manage all of the PC's in our computer labs. We use one account on each station to install software. When we push a script to install iTunes on multiple stations at one time, one station runs, but the rest of the stations get an "executable locked" error. We need a standalone executable for pc's that can be run on multiple stations at one time. Is there an automated solution for keeping labs up to date?

Answer 1

Perhaps the biggest part of this problem is the way Microsoft has chosen to develop and deploy Internet Explorer.  Generally one could easily solve a problem like this by having multiple versions of the software available.  IE is the only browser on the market that makes it extremely challenging to run multiple versions on the same machine.  (Having multiple Firefox versions on the same machine is easy as each version maintains its own resource stack.)
Ironically, the biggest factor in this for our campus deployment is likely to be our (non-SAP) higher education ERP package.  The version currently in use only has plug-ins for IE7, but if that is upgraded we'll likely have to move all machines to IE8.  (And that decision is made state-wide by the Board of Regents for all state universities.  This is an instance where the current budget situation may indirectly help here.)
I still haven't heard a definitive answer on what will happen in our campus labs, but there are 2 solutions I have contemplated.  One would involve running IE7 through a virtual PC.  The other would involve having students remote desktop to a server that is running IE7.  (This latter option can even be done by using a resource such as Amazon's cloud so that universities have no additional resource demands or costs in light of Amazon's academic grant program.)  I've prototyped both of these solutions, and they work. 
If any other campuses face this issue and solve it in this way or others, I'd love to learn what is being done and how it is working.