[ms office - 2019] Office 2019 deployment questions

[ADMaster]

I am moving us to Office 2019 this summer as the local college we partner with is updating their curriculum to 2019.

I recall when it was first released several threads on what a PITA it is to deploy and a complete changes of how it has worked in the past. I’m looking to avoid most of those by learning from you that have gone before me.

I think the two questions I have after reading documentation and threads are;

Use the CDN or some other update method?

How do I license / Activate?

 

I have an o365 subscription but don’t think I have many licenses assigned. It was forced on us with the license renew so I just use a few Azure / Intune features. Our email and most productivity is done in GSuite.

I have SCCM updated to the latest version 2002 and I also use PDQ. My normal update / image process is to install the base image and tweaks with SCCM, then call PDQ for the application set.

 

I looked through the online config tool, however when I got to the license setting it had shared and device license grayed out. I’ve seen threads on here that said set device license to 1 in the xml,I’ll want to use AD Activation.

The MS article deploy office 2019 for IT Pros says I can use a configuration wizard in the office 365 section to deploy 2019. The articles says 1710 is the minimum and 1806 is required. Am I overlooking the obvious, I have a 365 management section, but not install and I’m not finding anything in the management that will allow me to install it.

 

How do I handle updates or keep the install source updated. Back on office 2013/2016 I had a script that pulled the updates into a folder then when the installer was run, it installed all those updates at the same time. Can I just run the setup /download configxml to update the local install folder before a reimage project?

If I deploy from a folder, can SCCM handle the updates or should I go back to the CDN for updates?

I have a cachebox, so bandwidth shouldn’t be an issue, but I’m sure local would be faster when imaging a lab

 

Thank you

[Norphy]

If you've got the CB of SCCM, you can create an Office 2019 installer by going to the Software Library workspace, Office 365 Client Management then clicking on the (+) Office 365 Installer button. Put in a path where you want to store the installer files, click next. Click on the "Go to Office Customization Tool Button" button and choose Office 2019 in the Office Suites dropdown.

 

It will go away and download the Office 2019 installer and create an application for you. You'll then be able to deploy it like you would any other application.

[ADMaster]

Thanks the resolution was a bit off over rdp and I had to scroll to find it. However device based license is still grayed, the only option I have is to use user licensing.

Is there something different I need to select in the wizard for those to become available?

[ADMaster]

I’m not having any luck with this office 2019 stuff. I created a config file with SCCM, but it failed to download the app. I created a config with the online OCT and I think it downloads, I’ve not found a way to verify. The folder is 1.91 GB. I watched the PDQ video on deploying 2019 as well.

Deploying with PDQ it returns code 17003, the logs show this;

06/11/2020 09:26:14.283              SETUP (0x19e8) 0x1700                  Nexus Transport               92tyn     Monitorable                MsoGetRemoteHostNetworkStatusWithUrlType failed {"RemoteHost": "https://nexus.officeapps.live.com"} 

And this

"Failed to get AuthHandler from IRequestSettings"

I’m not seeing anything blocked in the filter and I can access that url from a browser.

I changed the xml display mode to full and am running it again. However it appears to have hung. Its been running for 30 minutes and the tool tip shows 3%. However the log shows the last entry was within a minute ago.

I tried leaving the path blank in the xml and running the download and configure steps locally. I’ve also put in share and log paths.

My cachebox shows I’ve pulled 2.16 GB from officecdn.microsoft.com:80 today and 11.5 GB for the week. Also another 3.5 GB from officecdn.microsoft.com.edgesuite.net:80

 

Any ideas.