SharePoint Hand Book
In which server SharePoint solutions needs to be deployed? Add-SPSolution will move your solution to SP Admin database Install SP-Solution will create a timer job to push all feature files to 14/15 hive DLL's to GAC Web.Config changes etc to the Front end servers where you have "SP Web Application service" running. So it doesnot matter which server you are using to deploy your WSP. Since the solution functionalities will be always executed on your front end server, your app server doesnot need the WSP artifacts.