How to deploy Windows-8 Enterprise Apps to other users?

Question

Windows-8 (Metro) Apps can be installed using "sideloading", bypassing the Windows store in enterprise environments.

In principle this is easy: Once you enabled sideloading (which is automatically done when a Win8-machine joins a domain), you can install a signed appx-Package through PowerShell with the "Add-AppxPackage" command. But there is a catch: The App is only installed for the user who executes the command and there is no "-Credentials" parameter!

I can probably solve that problem in my specific scenario, where I deploy a self-developed app through TFS build to a virtual machine with a fixed demo user (by using remote powershell in combination with "Add-Job", which does take a credential parameter and because I know the given username and the password).

But that is not true in an enterprise environment, where I want to distribute my App to thousands of users. Cracking all their passwords seems a bit over the top, so what would be the "correct" way to do this? I can't find any useful information from Microsoft about this, but maybe one of you already ran into this problem and solved it?

Answer 1

It is still early days but the options you have so far are:

1. Deploy with System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2012 SP1 (currently in beta due early 2013). See:
   • http://blogs.technet.com/b/server-cloud/archive/2012/09/10/system-center-2012-configuration-manager-sp1-beta-and-windows-intune-update.aspx
2. Deploy with Windows Intune cloud service (version 4, due early 2013) as an alternative to using SCCM. See:
   • http://blogs.technet.com/b/server-cloud/archive/2012/09/10/system-center-2012-configuration-manager-sp1-beta-and-windows-intune-update.aspx
3. Use PowerShell cmdlets. These could be used in a login script to deploy applications to a user. See:
   • http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh852635.aspx
4. Wrap the .appx in a MSI for side loading and deploy via GPO. I have only seen the InstallShield one, but presumably all the MSI packing vendors will provide options in the future. See:
   • http://blogs.flexerasoftware.com/installtalk/2012/10/delivering-windows-8-apps-to-the-enterprisepart-2-by-debbie-urman-in-delivering-windows-8-apps-to-the-enterprisepart-1.html
5. Use Windows Image servicing to deploy the apps into an image. See:
   • http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824882.aspx

Also as general reference see these:

• http://blogs.msdn.com/b/windowsstore/archive/2012/04/25/deploying-metro-style-apps-to-businesses.aspx
• http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/04/19/managing-quot-byo-quot-pcs-in-the-enterprise-including-woa.aspx

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

System Center Configuration Manager 2012 will support Windows 8 when SP1 ships (it's currently in CTP, due for release early 2013), and apparently will allow distribution of Windows 8 apps.