Windows 10 App Store over Network

[CommodoreS]

Is there a way to use and manage the Windows 10 App Store to multiple computers connected to a network?

 

Any links to videos or guides would be useful if it can be done.

[sted]

what do you mean use and manage?

 

if you want say users to be able to install (to pick at random) minecraft you can set up the windows store for business add that to the users / groups you want to have it then use gpo to force the windows store to the business store.

 

if you mean can i fire out minecraft to 20 pcs without getting up my experience says no (it doable manually but ive never got it working scripted)

[CommodoreS]

Pretty much the best way to set up and use with Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10 on shared laptops and PCs with as little user interaction as possible. From what I read it required Windows Azure accounts, but I need to get up to speed on it so a online training or howto video to watch would be useful.

[bondbill2k2]

Pretty much the best way to set up and use with Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10 on shared laptops and PCs with as little user interaction as possible. From what I read it required Windows Azure accounts, but I need to get up to speed on it so a online training or howto video to watch would be useful.

 

I think Windows InTune and Windows 10S is what you're describing, not seen any proper guides out there for it just promo style videos from Microsoft like the ones here

[Arthur]

From what I read it required Windows Azure accounts, but I need to get up to speed on it so a online training or howto video to watch would be useful.

The following articles might help get you started...

 

Note. I haven't tried any of this myself.

 

Setting up the Windows Store for Business

 

At a high level, the process to configure the WSfB is as follows:

 

1. Create a Microsoft Azure tenant
   
2. Configure a domain
   
3. Optionally, configure AD Connect (or ADFS)
   
4. Create or enable a Global Administrator in Azure AD
   
5. Sign up for the Windows Store for Business
   
6. Configure the App Inventory
   

I’m not going to cover these in detail but I will cover the key steps and provide links to additional reading. If you already have an Azure tenant configured with a custom domain and AD Connect/ADFS, you can, of course, skip to the Windows Store for Business configuration. All that’s required is user accounts synchronised or federated to Azure AD.

 

If you don’t have any on-premises identities, then you can create an Azure tenant for Azure AD functionality and skip the steps on configuring AD Connect/ADFS.

 

Assigning Apps

Applications can be assigned to people (and licenses managed) from the Window Store for Business. However, this is largely not scaleable as only individual users can be selected.

 

From a user experience perspective, apps are also not automatically assigned, instead the user will receive an email with a link to the apps which opens in the Store, or assigned apps can be viewed and installed from the My Library section in the Store app.

 

A better approach will be to use a management tool that enables automatic deployment (or removal) of apps to users or devices, which I’ll cover in upcoming articles.

 

Managing Universal Apps with Microsoft Intune

 

I am excited about the opportunities that managing Windows 10 devices with Azure AD Join and MDM (i.e. modern management) provides for both users and admins. In this article, I’ll cover deploying and managing modern applications (Universal apps) on a modern platform with a modern device management solution – Microsoft Intune standalone for managing Universal apps.

 

Consider that with Windows 10, an organisation can provision and manage Windows 10 PCs without a custom SOE and with a fully cloud-based authentication and management solution, requiring no infrastructure (other than networking) on-premises. This approach comes with some caveats today, of course, but PC and application lifecycle can be achieved without exhaustive architectural consideration or deployment of complex management solutions.

 

Using Intune to manage Windows 10 PCs (and Windows 10 mobile devices) along with the Windows Store for Business will enable you to manage Universal apps on these devices. With Intune, you can deploy and remove apps by targeting users or devices.

 

You should also be able to integrate the Windows Store for Business with SCCM. The only major problem at the moment is that you still can't distribute paid apps.

 

Windows Store for Business integration with SCCM is a new feature of SCCM 1606 and it’s a great addition.

 

This new feature offers the possibility for an enterprise to distribute and manage apps for Windows 10 devices while using similar methods for standard 32-bits applications.

 

Key Features

• Manage Volume-Purchased apps
  
• Synchronize the list of purchased apps
  
• Apps that are synchronized appear in SCCM Console
  
• Easy creation of apps from the Windows Store for Business using the Application model
  
• Same distribution and deployment methods as standard applications
  
• Review licensing information in the SCCM console
  

Limitations

Supports only free apps. Paid apps can’t be managed with the integration for now.

For hierarchy with a central administration site and at least one primary site, deployment of offline Windows Store for Business apps to devices managed by Intune

 

This post will detail how to integrate the Windows Store for Business with SCCM 1606 and how to deploy a Business App to a Windows 10 computer.

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/publish/distribute-lob-apps-to-enterprises

 

At this time, only free apps can be distributed exclusively to enterprises via Microsoft Store for Business or Microsoft Store for Education. If you submit a paid app as LOB, it will not be available to the enterprise at this time.

 

In theory Minecraft: Education Edition should be distributable via SCCM since it shows up in the Windows Store for Business as a "free" app.

Edited June 29, 2017 by Arthur