Deploy Apps During Operating System Deployment

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Applies To: Windows 8.1

When you deploy apps in your educational organization during operating system deployment, you can use the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT), command-line utilities, or a combination of both of these methods.

You can deploy apps during Windows 8.1 operating system deployment by using MDT, command-line utilities, or a combination of these methods. Each deployment scenario is discussed in further detail in a subsequent section. For information about deploying apps after operating system deployment, see Deploy Apps After Operating System Deployment in this guide.

Table 7 lists the high-level steps for deploying apps during operating system deployment and the user persona for each. These steps are similar to those for deploying apps after operating system deployment.

Note

In addition to deploying apps during operating system installation by using tools like MDT, you can deploy apps after operating system deployment. For more information, see Deploy Apps After Operating System Deployment in this guide.

Table 7. High-Level Steps for Deploying Apps During Operating System Deployment

Step Description Performed by

1

Obtain the app package files. Obtain the app package files from the app developer.

IT pros and faculty

2

Configure the appropriate method for performing sideloading. For each sideloading deployment method selected in the section “Plan for app sideloading” earlier in this guide, configure the method to perform app sideloading. This task includes activities such as creating System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager applications and deployment types, creating MDT applications, creating task sequences, or writing Windows PowerShell scripts.

IT pros

3

Ensure that devices are properly configured for sideloading. Configure devices for sideloading based on the sideloading prerequisites discussed in the section “Plan for app sideloading” earlier in this guide. The preparation for sideloading depends on device ownership.

IT pros

4

Manage access to the Windows Store. If all apps are to be sideloaded, use the Turn off the Store application Group Policy setting to disable access to the Windows Store. If deploying apps by using both the Windows Store and sideloading, see the section “Use both the Windows Store and sideloading” earlier in this guide.

IT pros

5

Deploy Windows 8 and the apps to the devices. The deployment of Windows 8 apps during operating system deployment is integral for MDT and System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager. You can deploy Windows 8 apps manually from the command line, but deployment typically requires some level of automation, as well, to provide consistency in the deployment process.

IT pros

Mark and Amy decide to deploy apps during operating system deployment by using System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager integrated with MDT. Mark will create standard deployment images and add the apps to be sideloaded to System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager.

Use MDT

Use MDT to manage the deployment of apps during operating system deployment. MDT supports the deployment technologies listed in Table 8, which you can use for different deployment infrastructures and scenarios.

Table 8. MDT Deployment Technologies

Technology Description

Lite Touch Installation (LTI)

  • Requires minimal infrastructure and uses a wizard-driven UI to manage and perform deployments

  • Allows you to specify configuration settings in advance or at the time of deployment

Zero Touch Installation

  • Requires a System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager infrastructure to deploy and manage Windows 8.1

  • Requires that you specify all configuration settings in advance of deployment

User-Driven Installation (UDI)

  • Requires a System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager infrastructure to deploy and manage Windows 8.1

  • Allows you to specify configuration settings in advance or at the time of deployment

MDT also includes a centralized configuration database (called the MDT database [MDT DB]), which you can use to provide configuration settings during the deployment process. You can use the MDT DB instead of providing configuration settings interactively during the deployment process (for LTI and UDI) or in the CustomSettings.ini file (for all MDT deployment technologies).

MDT allows you to create custom queries to return configuration settings as desired. For example, you could query the MDT DB for configuration settings that are associated with the media access control address of a specific device. In a classroom setting, this would allow you to fully automate all the deployment configuration settings for a specific device.

Resources for using MDT to deploy apps during operating system deployment are listed in the “Additional resources” section below.

Using the command line

You can use DISM and the Add-AppxProvisionedPackage Windows PowerShell cmdlet to install Windows Apps during operating system deployment. You can also install Windows 8.1 apps during operating system deployment by using these command-line tools with an ESD system. Although it is possible to perform these tasks manually, Microsoft recommends that you use highly automated deployments of the operating system and Windows 8.1 apps.

Resources for using DISM and the Add-AppxProvisionedPackage Windows PowerShell cmdlet to deploy apps during operating system deployment are listed in the “Additional resources” section below.

Additional resources

The following resources will help you deploy apps during operating system deployment:

See also