Windows 10 App Store Management

[m25man]

I came across this thread recently it tackles the questions that many admins have when implementing Windows 8/8.1 and 10 and control of Microsoft ID's and tablet apps.

 

I know its been a challenge and many have just fudged around the issues by running effectively in desktop mode Win 7 style on Windows machines.

These guys seem to voice most of the concerns I've heard regarding these management issues.

 

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windows/en-US/5f31d1e8-67ee-4183-8130-7421e58daf7f/app-store-management

 

Seeing that Edugeek members face far more complex political and technical challenges than most corporate admins Im keen to hear how others have addressed the issues of App Store management, side-loading and adding Store Apps for all users into their builds.

 

Most importantly what the plans are for Windows 10 roll outs.

 

Are we going to see better Store control policies? Is Windows 10 for Education going to provide a solution better suited to campus needs?

[free780]

Huge thread. SCCM can "deploy" apps. Though the user has to install it. A Microsoft account is required. How do others get around this? I keep reading about side loading. Can you side load a store app?

[m25man]

SCCM seems to be the only way forward which is fine for those that have the time, resources and skills to implement it and most schools with a decent sized team will probably have it already.

 

For some however it will seem like proverbial Sledgehammer/Nut scenario.

[free780]

If the app is set to required why doesn't it just install it?

[spc-rocket]

Geoff,

 

I think the main problem is that the apps are per user, not only is the pain to deploy this but also the provision of them per user on each system(device) they logon to. This makes logon times longer than they need to be and uses so much space on their local profiles on each workstation say. I think someone was stating that with windows 10 that apps are provisioned after the logon which does not eat into the logon time, we'll see how this goes.

 

This is all because the apps are per user which really they should not be.

 

Ash.

[Simcfc73]

Really hoped that M$ would get this right so they could sprint away from Apple in the corporate/edu sector but looks like they have dropped the ball. Do they all think that kids all have personal devices that they carry around like that lovely M$ advert.

[m25man]

If the app is set to required why doesn't it just install it?

 

I think that's half the problem, unlike installing desktop applications from MSI etc.. you effectively publish the Store App as a requirement and the user installs it on the fly and its assigned to their Live ID.

Lets face it, APPS are never free if they don't have "In App Purchase Requirements" they will carry a plethora of ad's or other unwanted intrusions and as such have no real place on a school device but I was hoping that M$ would be offering a bit more in the way of managing their store but this seems to be more geared towards consumers.

 

In schools

1). The APP Store is probably blocked

2). Not everyone has a Live ID linked to their AD account

3). Do we want everyone installing Apps on anything anytime they like.

4). What is the impact on Profiles and Login times.

5). Assuming all of the above are addressed what if an app is installed and its a bandwidth hog, eg FilmOn and others.

 

I don't have an issue with my own devices or those staff that have been configured to use 8.1 on handhelds or laptops they use all of the time but we are back to the same old problems when dealing with multiple users and shared devices.

 

I think I read somewhere that one Admin Live ID in an Edu environment can install an App on up to 81 devices??? Why 81??

 

Maybe we are just better of disabling the store completely and sticking with Web and Desktop apps.

[Arthur]

Really hoped that MS would get this right so they could sprint away from Appl€ in the corporate/edu sector but looks like they have dropped the ball.

$imcfc73. I'm not sure why you think Microsoft have dropped the ball? Deploying apps with Windows 10 will be vastly better than it was with Windows 8.1 and certainly better than Apple's solution for iPads.

 

Overview of Windows 10 for Education

 

http://vgy.me/4T9LTK.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/a2IeDF.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/pcuFu2.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/XKlLf4.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/brz1MC.jpg

 

 

 

Using the Business Store Portal with Windows 10 Devices

 

http://vgy.me/aJpfs7.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/RNrMCz.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/ese6z7.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/B5QNUX.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/cPOr4L.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/xKm57i.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/ZGOBfp.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/xSOgmH.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/vecF0U.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/l5XFpS.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/ea0AxV.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/JER4nl.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/9SGiLA.jpg

 

http://vgy.me/CVQVkP.jpg

 

I was hoping that MS would be offering a bit more in the way of managing their store but this seems to be more geared towards consumers.

Watch the videos I linked to above to see what Microsoft are planning with Windows 10 regarding app deployment. It will all make sense then.

 

Consumers certainly aren't going to be using the Windows Store for Business or Education.

Edited June 4, 2015 by Arthur

[Simcfc73]

Windows 8 should have had this, if we wait for the first SP of Windows 10 that could be another 12 months away. I am sure the video is lovely

[Arthur]

Windows 8 should have had this

You're right, it should have but for whatever reason Windows 8 didn't. Better late than never, eh?

 

What I don't understand is why does Microsoft get a bad rap, yet Google escapes criticism for the exact same thing? Android has had an app store since the very first version of the OS was released six years ago, but it wasn't until Google Play for Education was made available in the UK at the start of this year that schools have finally been able to distribute apps to Android devices - and even then only free apps and to a limited number of tablets? It doesn't make any sense?

 

if we wait for the first SP of Windows 10 that could be another 12 months away.

You'll be waiting a very long time since Microsoft don't do service packs anymore. New features will be released whenever they are ready.

[m25man]

@Arthur What can I say, this is the reason why this forum is so respected because it's contributors go out of their way to answer questions that even the vendors don't know how to deliver properly...

 

You are the man!

[Arthur]

According to the blog post below the Windows Store for Education and Business will be available in the autumn.

 

Windows 10 updates for Office 365 admins

 

In this week’s Office Mechanics, we describe three areas where IT admins can benefit from Windows, Office and Azure Active Directory integration:

 

• Joining Windows 10 to Azure Active Directory for single sign-on (SSO) to Office 365 and other services.
  
• Using the Business Store portal in Windows Store to deliver Office apps.
  
• Adding Windows 10 devices to Mobile Device Management for Office 365.
  

 

[BOOT]

7 years later and there's still no way to install a Microsoft Store app....

[clareq]

I found this the other day: https://code.adonline.id.au/install-apps-on-windows-without-microsoft-store/ If you download the appxbundle, and any dependencies and create a SCCM application, there is an option on the application to "install for all users"

[BOOT]

Unfortunately, that method no longer works.

[psydii]

7 years later and there's still no way to install a Microsoft Store app....

 

Well for the next six months or so you should be able to link SCCM/MEMCM to the education store, and deploy them as Applications.

https://katystech.blog/configmgr/deploying-apps-from-the-windows-store

 

Apparently after that, it's back to the dark ages for a Debian c1999-like experience with scripting and winget.

https://www.anoopcnair.com/install-app-windows-package-manager-winget-sccm/

 

 

Ooh this just popped up in my feed. Perhaps the future? (Powershell was designed by people who understood what system administrators need to do to)

Edited May 20, 2022 by psydii

[clareq]

Unfortunately, that method no longer works.

 

It worked for me on Wednesday 😊