Deploying Modern Business Applications for Windows 8 Using System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and Windows Intune

Hello everyone,

In this blog post I will walk you through the process of deploying modern applications for Windows 8 using System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and Windows Intune, including step by step documentation with screenshots.

Enabling Windows Remote Management (WinRM)

To begin you will need to enable WinRM on a machine that has the Source Application that you wish to install.  You do this by running the following from an elevated cmd prompt:

Installing Source Application

The next step is to ensure that you have the application you want to deploy installed on the source computer.  For this example we will use Skype for Windows 8 and Windows RT

On the Windows 8 or Windows RT device open the Windows Store and Search for Skype and Click  on the Skype icon:

This will bring you to the Skype Application in the Windows Store.  Once the Skype Application screen is up proceed and Click Install to perform the installation:

Now that we have installed Skype on our source computer we need to go to our System Center Configuration Manager 2012 SP1 server and create the Application Package that will be deployed using Windows Intune and linking to the Windows Store.

On your SCCM Server take the following actions.

1.  Go to Software Library and Create Application
2.  Click Create Application
3.  Select “Automatically detect information about this application from installation files:” and then select the type: Windows app package (in the Windows Store)
4.  Click Browse
5.  Enter the Source Computer Name and then Click Connect
6.  Locate the Skype Application named Microsoft.SkypeApp

7.  Click OK
8.  This will then populate the location to look similar to the below

9.    Click Next
10.  Click Next
11.  In the Specify Information about this application enter the information you want to be listed.

12.  Click Next
13.  At the Summary Click Next
14.  At the Completion Click Close

The next step that we have to accomplish for performing this task is to deploy the application to Windows Intune.  To do this we would follow the below steps:

1. Change the Deployment Type to Support All Windows 8 OS’s
   1. Under Software Library/Applications Locate the Application that you want to deploy and highlight it.
   2. On the bottom of the screen where it states Summary/Deployment Types/Deployments Select Deployment Types
   3. Select Properties
   4. In the Windows App Package (in the Windows Store) Properties box select Requirements
   5. Highlight Operating System and Click Edit

f.  Select the Operating Systems this Application is Compatible with.  In this case we will select Windows 8 (All Windows RT, All Windows 8 (64-bit), All Windows 8 (32-bit))

g.  Click OK
h.  Click OK

2.  The next step of this process is to actually Perform the Deployment.  To do this perform the following:

a.  Right-click on the App you want to deploy
b.  Select Deploy
c.  Select the Collection you want the Application to be available to (Example: All Users)

d.  Add the Distribution Point for Windows Intune by Clicking Add and then Distribution Point

e.  Select MANAGE.MICROSOFT.COM (Type Cloud) for the Windows Intune Cloud Distribution Point

f.  Click Next until the Deployment is Complete

Now that we have taking the steps to create and deploy an application package using a Source Computer where a specific application has been installed it is now time to install that application on a Windows Intune enrolled PC or Modern Device.  On a device where you want to install the application the following steps should be performed:

1.  Launch the Company Portal Application from your Modern Start Menu
2.  Select Skype in the List of Applications that are Available to Install

 

3.  Click View in Windows Store

4.  Once the Windows Store Launches Click Install

 
5.  The Store will now say Installing Skype in upper right hand corner of the Store
6.  Skype will now be installed on the Device and located in the Start Menu

Now that you have seen an example of performing this type of Deployment for your Windows Apps through the Windows Store I hope that you enjoy the experience, play with it, and let us know how it goes. 

Keep an eye out as more blogs will be coming.

Until next time.

Frank