Welcome
Software Distribution
Use the BigFix Software Distribution applications to deploy software to endpoints across your network from a single location. Maintain control and visibility into software delivery and installation. Device owners can use the Self Service Application to manage software and other BigFix actions that are deployed to them as offers.
Software Distribution for BigFix UI
Software Distribution for BigFix UI enables administrators to create, manage, and deploy software packages to endpoints directly from the BigFix UI — without using the legacy BigFix Console or WebUI.
Key Concepts
BigFix Software Distribution on the BigFix UI introduces several foundational concepts — Package, Software, access control, and legacy compatibility — that define how software is organized, secured, and deployed across your endpoint estate.
Software
In the BigFix UI, a Software entity is a logical, version-agnostic grouping of one or more Packages that represent different versions, flavors, architectures, or operating systems of the same application — providing a unified view of all deployment options for a given software title.

BigFix Documentation Homepage
BigFix 11 Lifecycle Documentation
Welcome to the BigFix Lifecycle documentation, where you can find information about how to install, maintain, and use BigFix Lifecycle.
BigFix Platform
BigFix Query
Lifecycle overview
BigFix Lifecycle is single-agent, single-console technology that provides near real-time visibility into the state of endpoints.
Lifecycle guides in PDF format
Following is a list of links to the BigFix Lifecycle guides in PDF format:
Software Distribution
Use the BigFix Software Distribution applications to deploy software to endpoints across your network from a single location. Maintain control and visibility into software delivery and installation. Device owners can use the Self Service Application to manage software and other BigFix actions that are deployed to them as offers.
- Self Service Application
- Software Distribution for BigFix Console
  BigFix Software Distribution is a part of the Lifecycle Management suite, provides a consolidated, comprehensive solution to quickly deploy software throughout a network from a single, centralized location. This solution delivers cost-effective operational control and visibility to your software delivery and installation process.
- Software Distribution for BigFix UI
  Software Distribution for BigFix UI enables administrators to create, manage, and deploy software packages to endpoints directly from the BigFix UI — without using the legacy BigFix Console or WebUI.
  - Overview
    BigFix Software Distribution (SWD) on the BigFix UI (BFUI) is a centralized, enterprise-grade solution for deploying and managing software across all endpoints in your network — providing full control and end-user self-service through a modernized web interface.
  - Getting Started
    BigFix Software Distribution on the BigFix UI (BFUI) lets administrators deploy software to endpoints from a centralized browser interface — this section walks you through the three core steps: creating a Package, uploading the installer files, and deploying the task to target endpoints.
  - Key Concepts
    BigFix Software Distribution on the BigFix UI introduces several foundational concepts — Package, Software, access control, and legacy compatibility — that define how software is organized, secured, and deployed across your endpoint estate.
    - Package
      A Package is the fundamental unit of software in BigFix Software Distribution on the BigFix UI — an entity that bundles all installer files and BigFix Tasks needed to deploy, configure, or remove a specific software application on target endpoints.
    - Software
      In the BigFix UI, a Software entity is a logical, version-agnostic grouping of one or more Packages that represent different versions, flavors, architectures, or operating systems of the same application — providing a unified view of all deployment options for a given software title.
    - BFUI File Server
      The BFUI File Server is the binary storage and distribution component of BigFix Software Distribution — it stores installer files uploaded to Packages and serves them to BigFix agents on target endpoints during deployment.
    - Access Control
      Access to Software Distribution packages and tasks in the BigFix UI is governed by the BigFix Custom Site permission model — users who have access to a Custom Site automatically have access to all Packages and Tasks stored within that site, with no additional SWD-specific permission layer.
    - Limitations
      Packages created in the legacy BigFix SWD Dashboard (Console) or legacy BigFix WebUI are not visible in the new BigFix UI, and packages created in the new BigFix UI cannot be imported back into legacy tools — migration is one-directional and requires an explicit export-and-import process.
  - Using Software Distribution
    This section covers the day-to-day administrative tasks for BigFix Software Distribution on the BigFix UI — navigating the Software Explorer, adding and deleting software, managing package files and deployment tasks, and configuring the Self Service Application for end users.
  - Notices
OS Deployment
BigFix OS Deployment, which is part of the BigFix Lifecycle Management suite, provides a consolidated, comprehensive solution to quickly deploy new workstations and servers throughout a network from a single, centralized location. This solution saves time and money, enforces a standardized and approved image, and reduces risks associated with non-compliant or insecure configurations.
Remote Control
BigFix Remote Control application helps to communicate between different components, clients, and endpoints within BigFix environment.
Power Management
Use Power Management to control, monitor, and manage conservation policies in your deployment.
Application Control
BigFix Application Control 2.x lets IT administrators centrally manage and enforce application allowlisting on Windows endpoints using Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC). Built on BigFix, it delivers kernel-level execution control, deny-by-default policy enforcement, TPM-backed code signing, and compliance-ready audit reporting across the enterprise.
Server Automation
Server Automation provides powerful automation. You can use it to sequence automation actions in steps across multiple endpoints.
Virtual Endpoint Manager
HCL BigFix Virtual Endpoint Manager (VEM) enhances BigFix with centralized, unified endpoint management for hybrid cloud and data center environments, spanning virtual machines and physical endpoints. VEM delivers real-time endpoint visibility, policy-driven automation for configuration and compliance remediation, and consistent security controls to streamline IT operations, reduce risk, and strengthen regulatory compliance.
Profile Management
Profile Management is a WebUI-based feature of BigFix Lifecycle. It provides Security Administrators the capability to define and deploy security policies to Windows 10 and macOS devices.
Workflow Builder
Workflow Builder is an application within the BigFix UI that lets you automate multi-step device tasks in a drag-and-drop visual editor, without writing a complete Fixlet or Task.
BigFix Remediate
BigFix MCM

Understanding the BigFix Software Distribution Software Entity

In the BigFix UI, a Software entity is a logical, version-agnostic grouping of one or more Packages that represent different versions, flavors, architectures, or operating systems of the same application — providing a unified view of all deployment options for a given software title.

The Software entity is a concept introduced in the BigFix UI that has no direct equivalent in the legacy BigFix Console or WebUI. It acts as a higher-level organizational container above the Package, allowing administrators to manage multiple deployment variants of the same application from a single location.

A single Software entry can contain multiple Packages to accommodate:

Different versions of the same application — for example, version 2.3 and version 2.4 of the same product.
Different editions or flavors — for example, Standard and Enterprise editions.
Different operating systems — for example, a Windows package and a macOS package for the same application title.
Different processor architectures — for example, x64 and ARM builds.

Software as a Virtual Container

Unlike a Package, there is no discrete platform object in the BigFix Platform that represents a Software entity. Software exists exclusively as a conceptual grouping within the BigFix UI. The attributes and characteristics of a Software entry are entirely defined by the Packages it contains.

Warning:

Deleting a Software entry is a cascade operation. It permanently deletes all Packages contained within it, including all associated Files and Tasks. This action cannot be undone. Use the Delete Software action with care.

Software-to-Package Relationship Example

The following example illustrates how a single Software entry can span multiple Packages:

Software: NewsPaperCreator
- Package: NewsPaperCreator v2.3 — Windows x64
- Package: NewsPaperCreator v2.4 — Windows x64
- Package: NewsPaperCreator v2.4 — macOS

Each Package is independent and contains its own set of Files and Tasks. Administrators can deploy any individual Package from within the shared Software entry.