System Center Configuration Manager 2012

The application model in real life

Kim OppalfensSenior consultant | InovativCo-Founder System Center user group Belgium

Disclaimers

1. NOT an overview session2. NOT a sales pitch3. No, I do NOT have an answer to all scenarios (yet).

Agenda

• Vision behind the app model• The app model overview in record time• User device affinity• Content library• Application Supersedence• Application Uninstalls• Challenges and potential workarounds• Troubleshooting & Monitoring• Questions?

Vision behind the app model

• Install• Upgrade• Uninstall• Retire• Versioning and history

Lifecycle manageme

nt

• Deliver applications to users not computersUser centric deployment

New Application

Update Application

Replace ApplicationRetire Application

Remove Application

Application Installation

Application Revision

Application Retirement

Application Supersedence

Application Uninstall

Vision behind the app model

The app model overview

Admin Properties

Deployment TypeRequirement

RulesDependencies

Detection Method

End User Metadata

Content

Install Command

The “friendly” information for your users

Keep your apps organized and managed

Workhorse for application

Can/Cannot install app

Source files for the app

Is app installed?

Command line and options

Apps that must be present

Requirement Rules in 2012State-based Application Management

Properties of users and/or devices that

makes delivering software

appropriate

Rules are per deployment type

Evaluated in real-time on the client

Evaluated before content is

downloaded to the client

Re-evaluated on a schedule

Detection MethodsState-based Application ManagementDetection is the key to any state based software distribution system

Detection methods enable systems to determine

whether or not an application is already present on a system (Discovery)

Detection methods are also used to determine the success or failure of a deployment

Important to get these right!

Application evaluation flow

Requirements met?

New Policy App Install Schedule

Dependencies installed?

Yes

Install dependencies enabled?No

No

Yes

Install Application

Is installed?

No

Yes

Dependencies installed

Next Deployment type

No

Application Supersedence

Definition: The ability for the admin to create a

relationship and declare one application newer than another previous

application.

This ultimately results in the newer application

replacing the older application for a user on

a device

But, Allows admins to test\pilot newer

application, prior to production release.

While permitting the older application to

continue to exist for the majority of users

Supersedence and the end-user UX

User only sees latest application version in Software Catalog (by

default)

Required applications are always the enterprise’s latest version.

When the user or computer receives a policy that targets it

with BOTH policies

Available Applications installed by user can be automatically

updated

Supersedence examples (1) SimpleScenario and Assumptions 2 applications:

Adobe Reader X supersedes Adobe Reader 9

Both applications deployed to same device

If client has Adobe Reader 9 already installed assuming requirements are met for

Reader X, Reader 9 will be replaced with Reader X (either uninstalled or updated)

If client has Adobe Reader X already installed evaluates both 9 and X detection

methods, X is present, 9 is not – but since X supersedes, it doesn’t try to install 9

If neither are installed, only Adobe Reader X will be installed

Supersedence examples (2) Conflict 2 applications: Adobe Reader X supersedes Adobe Reader 9

Accounting App (AA1) depends on Reader 9

Case 1: Client receives all policies No applications have been previously installed Assuming requirements for all Deployment Types are met, Reader X will

be installed on device AA1 is not installed on client, and conflict requirements not met message

Case 2: AA1 policy received prior to supersedence relationship defined. AA1 and Reader 9 will be installed (assuming requirements are met), When Reader X is deployed, a conflict for Reader X will be provided to

user and admin

Application Uninstalls

• Uninstall is a deployment action• The App Model defines an uninstall method for each

Deployment Type of an Application.

Admin creates an Uninstall Deployment

An admin defines a specific collection to target the Uninstall Deployment to (either users or

machines)

If a user or device is the recipient of both an install and

uninstall policy, then install wins and the app will not be removed

Troubleshooting & monitoring

What logfiles?

The deployment monitoring

tool

Sharing our experiences / challenges

Applications installed during a

tasksequence generate an install

policy

User targeted installs and

computer targeted uninstalls

Roaming user logging in to my

workstation

Application Uninstalls do not

validate the requirements

Challenges and potential workarounds

Required app to user on primary device, available on non-primary

Required appv with roaming

profiles

Automatically upgrade available

applications

Uninstall an application from a machine that is still targetted

to users

Questions?