Deploying Store for Business

[SHimmer45]

Hi all,

looking for a bit of advice, we are getting increasing numbers of Windows based devices which in the past we have setup on our domain and then linked a microsoft account to (which was created with an email alias username@schoolemailaddress, which give them access to Windows Store for the specific application that they have been brought for.

 

This has been fine however recently Windows 8 and 10 prevent you from registering new accounts with "a business or education address" which is a move to force the use of O365 etc.

 

We already use O365 to provide licenses for software for staff and students but nothing else as email is provided via exchange

 

Doing some reading around the issue it looks like our problems would be solved by Using Windows Store for business / education, my rough idea of how this works is

 

Local AD selected Users --> Azure AD -->O365 --> Store

 

The process they describe on the Site for it all looks nice and straight forward but we dont have any infrastructure in the cloud as such at the moment

 

advice & pointers welcome

[xlandhenry]

Only Azure AD Accounts are needed, O365 email is actually optional.

[SHimmer45]

so just signing up for an Azure account is all that is required and then create accounts for people to login to the store

[abaxter2]

Have a look at these links below:

 

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/itpro/windows/manage/windows-store-for-business-overview

 

https://technet.microsoft.com/itpro/windows/manage/sign-up-windows-store-for-business

 

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/mt622668.aspx?OCID=WIP_r_11_Body_WinStoreforBus

 

If you are running Windows 10 version 1607 you can also set a gpo to only show the private store: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/itpro/windows/manage/stop-employees-from-using-the-windows-store you will of course also need the latest admx templates: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53430

 

Just a heads up if you do only show the private store via GPO I have found that a week ago all was ok but now seeing with this gpo in place does crash the store - I am still looking into why and keeping an eye open for the fix.

 

Also I have my network locked down - domain users cannot install apps but as I can see you allow users to install apps this should not be a problem.

 

I am finding the private store to be good and you can even get offline installs so that you can include some apps in your base image

Edited December 14, 2016 by abaxter2