Installing Python on Windows Network

Question

I am running a local installation of Anaconda + bunch of 3rd party tools (Mosek) + inhouse modules I wrote...

I understand I could wrap that all up using virtualenv (or conda) to make it a neat environment.

The company runs on a Win 8 network.

I think there are two fundamental approaches

1) I could install all of this on a network drive (does Python need write access for it's pyc files?). Is it enough if I dump it in a read-only folder? Is it enough if people only modify their path? What about the registry (and the related issues)?

2) People copy over the environment and install it locally. (Maybe with some sort of installer?). This way they can add further modules without bothering me to modify the one and only central Python.

I am calling the experts here...

Thomas

Answer 1

conda already supports doing your option 2 automatically. Just add the network drive Anaconda to the PATH and use conda to create a new environment conda create. If conda detects that Anaconda is read-only, it will write things locally. If you are looking for ways to automate this more smoothly, you should look at Anaconda Server.

Regarding the registry, it is important if you want Windows applications to be able to find the Python automatically.

Regarding the read-only question, as far as I know, Python works just fine when run from a read-only installation. I can't guarantee you that all libraries you use will, but they should.