Software
Deployment
Through Group
Policy
You can use Group Policy to distribute computer programs by using the following
methods:
Assigning software
You can assign a program distribution to users or computers. If you assign the program to a user, it's
installed when the user logs on to the computer. When the user first runs the program, the installation is
completed. If you assign the program to a computer, it's installed when the computer starts, and it's
available to all users who log on to the computer. When a user first runs the program, the installation is
completed.
Publishing software
You can publish a program distribution to users. When the user logs on to the computer, the published
program is displayed in the Add or Remove Programs dialog box, and it can be installed from there.
Create a distribution point
To publish or assign a computer program, create a distribution point on the publishing
server by following these steps:
1. Log on to the server as an administrator.
2. Create a shared network folder where you'll put the Windows Installer package (.msi file)
that you want to distribute.
3. Set permissions on the share to allow access to the distribution package.
4. Copy or install the package to the distribution point. For example, to distribute a .msi file,
run the administrative installation ([Link] /a) to copy the files to the distribution point.
Create a Group Policy Object
To create a Group Policy Object (GPO) to use to distribute the software package, follow
these steps:
1. Start the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in by clicking Start, pointing to
Administrative Tools, and then clicking Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. In the console tree, right-click your domain, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Group Policy tab, and then click New.
4. Type a name for this new policy, and then press Enter.
5. Click Properties, and then click the Security tab.
6. Clear the Apply Group Policy check box for the security groups that you don't want this
policy to apply to.
7. Select the Apply Group Policy check box for the groups that you want this policy to apply
to.
8. When you're finished, click OK.
Assign a package
To assign a program to computers that are running Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, or Windows
XP Professional, or to users who are logging on to one of these workstations, follow these steps:
1. Start the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in by clicking Start, pointing to Administrative Tools,
and then clicking Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. In the console tree, right-click your domain, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Group Policy tab, select the policy that you want, and then click Edit.
4. Under Computer Configuration, expand Software Settings.
5. Right-click Software installation, point to New, and then click Package.
6. In the Open dialog box, type the full Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path of the shared installer
package that you want. For example, \\<file server>\<share>\<file name>.msi.
7. Click Open.
8. Click Assigned, and then click OK. The package is listed in the right-pane of the Group Policy window.
9. Close the Group Policy snap-in, click OK, and then close the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-
in.
10. When the client computer starts, the managed software package is automatically installed.
Publish a package
To publish a package to computer users and make it available for installation
from the Add or Remove Programs list in Control Panel, follow these steps:
1. Start the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in by clicking Start, pointing to
Administrative Tools, and then clicking Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. In the console tree, right-click your domain, and then click Properties.
3. Click the Group Policy tab, click the policy that you want, and then click Edit.
4. Under User Configuration, expand Software Settings.
5. Right-click Software installation, point to New, and then click Package.
6. In the Open dialog box, type the full UNC path of the shared installer package that you want. For
example, \\file server\share\file [Link].
7. Click Open.
8. Click Publish, and then click OK.
9. The package is listed in the right-pane of the Group Policy window.
10. Close the Group Policy snap-in, click OK, and then close the Active Directory Users and
Computers snap-in.
11. Test the package.
Because there are several versions of Windows, the following
steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your
product documentation to complete these steps.
a. Log on to a workstation that is running Windows 2000
Professional or Windows XP Professional by using an account that
you published the package to.
b. In Windows XP, click Start, and then click Control Panel.
c. Double-click Add or Remove Programs, and then click Add New
Programs.
d. In the Add programs from your network list, click the program
that you published, and then click Add. The program is installed.
e. Click OK, and then click Close.
Troubleshoot
Published packages are displayed on a client computer
after you use a Group Policy to remove them.
This situation can occur when a user has installed the
program but hasn't used it. When the user first starts the
published program, the installation is finished. Group
Policy then removes the program.
THANK YOU!
