Книга: Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage, Security, & Networking Pocket Consultant

Deploying software through Group Policy

Group Policy includes basic functionality, called Software Installation policy, for deploying software. Although Software Installation policy is not designed to replace enterprise solutions such as System Center 2012 R2, you can use it to automate the deployment and maintenance of software in just about any size organization if your computers are running the Windows operating system.

In Group Policy, you can deploy software on a per-computer or per-user basis. Per-computer applications are available to all users of a computer and configured under Computer ConfigurationPoliciesSoftware SettingsSoftware Installation. Per-user applications are available to individual users and configured under User ConfigurationPoliciesSoftware SettingsSoftware Installation.

You deploy software in three key ways:

? Computer assignment Assigns the software to client computers so that it is installed when the computer starts. This technique requires no user intervention, but it does require a restart to install the software. Installed software is then available to all users on the computer.

? User assignment Assigns the software to users so that it is installed when a user logs on. This technique requires no user intervention, but it does require the user to log on to install or advertise the software. The software is associated with the user only and not the computer.

? User publishing Publishes the software so that users can install it manually through Programs And Features. This technique requires the user to explicitly install software or activate installation. The software is associated with the user only.

When you use user assignment or user publishing, you can advertise the software so that a computer can install the software when it is first used. With advertisements, the software can be installed automatically in the following situations:

? When a user accesses a document that requires the software

? When a user opens a shortcut to the application

? When another application requires a component of the software

When you configure Software Installation policy, you should generally not use existing GPOs. Instead, you should create GPOs that configure software installation, and then link those GPOs to the appropriate containers in Group Policy. When you use this approach, it’s much easier to redeploy software and apply updates.

After you create a GPO for your software deployment, you should set up a distribution point. A distribution point is a shared folder that is available to the computers and users to which you are deploying software. With basic applications, you prepare the distribution point by copying the installer package file and all required application files to the share and configuring permissions so that these files can be accessed. With other applications, you may need to prepare the distribution point by performing an administrative installation to the share. The advantage of an administrative installation is that the software can be updated and redeployed through Software Installation policy.

You can update applications deployed through Software Installation policy by using an update or service pack or by deploying a new version of the application. Each task is performed in a slightly different way.

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