Software Distribution in Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager v.Next: Part 2

Agenda Simple apps. More complex rules −Detection methods −Global Conditions −Advanced Requirement Rule Authoring Deployment Types in detail. More complex applications −MSI −App-V −Windows Mobile −Script Advanced applications – tying it together with multiple DT’s Revision Management Content, Applications and OSD

Application Model Diagram

Detection methods enable systems to determine whether or not an application is already present on a system (Discovery) In Software Updates world, this is known as IsInstalled Many system attributes play into presence of an application on a system (registry, file versions, MSI database, WMI, etc) Detection is the key to any state based software distribution system

Detection Methods In ConfigMgr v.Next Beta 1, available detection methods are: −MSI Product Code or Script detection for exe or MSI-based installers −App-V and Mobile CAB – built-in In Beta 2, looking at adding additional detection method options for MSI/Script DT −Registry −File −WMI

Script Detection in Beta 1 Option Explicit Dim sKey On Error Resume Next sKey = ReadReg("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\WinZip\Publisher") If IsEmpty(sKey) Then 'Do Nothing Else WScript.Echo sKey End If Function ReadReg(RegPath) Dim objRegistry, Key Set objRegistry = CreateObject("WScript.shell") Key = objRegistry.RegRead(RegPath) ReadReg = Key End Function Return any value and the detection is considered true Return nothing and the detection is considered false Return 0 always to indicate successful completion of the script

Global Conditions in v.Next Foundation of conditional delivery rules Properties of users and/or devices that makes delivering software appropriate Global conditions are system artifacts −Global condition = Machine is Laptop −“Machine is Laptop” maps to a system attribute (WMI class property for example)

Global Conditions and Requirement Rules If Laptop = TrueMachine is Laptop Machine is a laptop if the WMI property Win32_SystemEnclosure.SystemChassis is 8 (Portable), 9 (Laptop), or 10 (Notebook) System Attribute Global Condition Requirement Rule

Global Conditions – Out of the box TypeGlobal Condition Name MachineMachine OS and Architecture Machine OS Language Total Physical Memory Free disk space (system, admin defined partitions or any) Machine AD Organizational Unit (OU) Machine AD Site ConfigMgr Assigned Site CPU clockspeed/frequency # of processors Screen resolution User Primary Device CustomCreate new Simple conditions Complex conditions (expressions)

Global Expressions Enables the app author or admin to create logical groupings of global conditions and assign values. These expressions can be reused for applications Example: −“Standard Company Desktop” −Memory = 1 gig −and Free Disk Space = 500 MB −and System Manufacturer = American Megatrends Inc. −and Operating System = Windows 7

Application Evaluation Flow

Evaluation Based on Deployment Intent Required deployments −At activation, ConfigMgr client will −Evaluate and download −At deadline, ConfigMgr client will −Evaluate, download (if necessary), and install all in one action Available deployments −User-Initiated and the ConfigMgr client will −Evaluate, download and install all in one action

Wizard pre-populates the app model with specific MSI properties: −Name −Manufacturer −Version −MSI Product Code (used for detection) −Install Behavior (ALLUSERS field) Creates the correct command-line for MSI install (admin can modify this)

Add Deployment Type wizard enables app author to import an App-V package into the app model: −Selective publishing enables configuration of the package apps −Automatic detection rules based on the App-V package properties −Automatic requirement rules imported from the application OSD files −No command line needed, ConfigMgr client has built in App-V publishing capability −Delivery options −Streaming −Download and Execute

App-V in CM v.Next: What’s changing? Integration requires App-V 4.6 client New Application Model, User-centric features −Enable support for application dependencies −Improved update behaviors −Selective publishing of components −Dynamic Suite Support −Instant icon gratification for unlock events −Integration with Remote Desktop Services (TS) Content Improvements −Streaming improvements −Reduce virtual app footprint when using Download and Execute

Enables a app author to define any script or executable as a deployment type −Think of it like the “Any Command-Line” DT −Defines the installer, command-line, detection method, return codes, etc −Very flexible −Requires manual definition of all properties, no auto- import like other deployment types

Benefits of Multiple DT’s Flexible way to deliver different installation formats based on conditions No restrictions on the number and types of DT’s −5 of the same type of DT could be added to an application each representing a different flavor or transform −App-V or TS app might go to a guest logged into a kiosk, full MSI to a users primary desktop machine

App Import/Export Applications and all of their contents and dependencies can be exported and imported from the CM v.Next console Export format is still being worked out −Currently exports metadata to a.zip file −Content is exported to related folders

Application Objects – Retiring and Revision History Retiring an application when it is decommissioned −Select ‘Retire Application’ action −Existing deployments continue to work −No new deployments can be created −An application can come out of retirement by reactivating it Revision history −View revision history of an application object −Delete revisions −View individual revisions −Revert back to a previous revision

Content Distribution DP Groups −Improved functionality and workflow −Can be linked to Collections for workflow optimization −Automatic distribution of content for added distribution points Single Instance Storage – Files will be stored once, even if they are used across multiple applications Distribution Point Throttling – Customize time and bandwidth utilization on Distribution Points Enhanced views for content that has been distributed −From a distribution point or group, the ability deployed content −From application, package, etc… the ability to see the Distribution Points or Groups

Applications and Task Sequences Use Applications for complex software installation in place of the task sequence −Applications are optimized for user targeting, task sequences are still machine based −Optimized for conditional delivery, dependencies and version management −Not preventing the use of task sequence, however Application will cover almost all scenarios! Application guidance for operating system deployment −“Install Application” is an integrated task sequence action. −Application will evaluate at run time during the task sequence −Assesses applicability for deployment type based on rules and processes the dependencies at run time −Operating system deployment process guidance −Only install Applications that require state restore (USMT Settings) as part of a task sequence −UDA/pre-deploy will complete the install of user targeted applications immediately after the task sequence completes

Summary Outlined the new feature set for software distribution in v.Next Illustrated how the tasks you do today will be executed with this feature set Outlined the benefits of this new feature set