[chef] Web Application Deployment: Package vs Cookbook

[Dan Powell < >]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone had opinions on the correct way to deploy web applications when using chef, specifically i'm interested in your opinion on deploying web applications (to Windows unfortunately) via a package manager like Chocolatey or using a deployment cookbook like the artifact-cookbook by RiotGames. 

I ask this because I am currently involved in an exercise where we are developing a deployment tool chain to deploy our in house developed web applications. 

My current thinking is that deploying software through a cookbook like the artifact-cookbook is better for the following reasons.

1. All deployment and configuration steps are contained within a cookbook, no need to jump out to another tool eg chocolatey and write some powershell script to deploy my web app.

2. It removes the dependency on another cog in the deployment tool chain wheel.

3. By having all deployment steps executed by chef I can leverage notifies and subscribes events etc

4. The artifact-cookbook computes a checksum of all deployed files and redeploys the web application if these drift from their desired state whereas chocolatey won't.

Does anyone have an opinion as to why using a package manager like chocolatey would be better then using the artifact-cookbook for deploying web apps? Or would using the cookbook be the better option.

Thanks in Advance

Dan