Note: This article is just a part of www.Helpline4IT.com online study guides for Microsoft Windows 2003 .To review the complete features of these Helpline4IT online study guides, click here.   

Purpose:

The purpose of this article is to teach you how to install softwares through software installation extension in GPO.

Software Installation Using GPO:

The Software Installation extension, a software management feature of Windows 2000 and Windows 2003, is the administrator's primary tool for managing software within an organization. Managing software using Software Installation provides users with immediate access to the software they need to perform their jobs and ensures that users have an easy and consistent experience when working with software throughout its life cycle. Users no longer need to look for a network share, use a CD-ROM, or install, fix and upgrade software themselves.

You must understand some basic terms regarding to software deployment before beginning the process:

Assigning Applications:

Assign an application when you want everyone to have the application on his or her computer. An application can be assigned to both computers and users. The assigned applications are installed on the first reboot of the computer or when the user logs on.

Publishing Applications:

Publish an application when you want the application to be available to people managed by the GPO, should they want the application. With published applications it is up to each person to decide whether or not to install the published application. An application can only be published to users.

To install softwares through GPO

Follow these four steps in order to accomplish the task

1.      Creating the Software Distribution Point (SDP).

2.      Setting Software Installation properties.

3.       Creating New Package for softwares.

4.       Setting Software Package Properties.

1.    To specify software distribution point

1.       Open the Group Policy snap-in, then in Computer or User Configuration open Software Settings.

3. In the General tab of the Software Installation Properties dialog box type the path to the default SDP for packages (.msi files) in the Default Package Location box and click OK.

2.    To set software installation properties

1.         Open the Group Policy snap-in, then in Computer or User Configuration open Software Settings.

2.         Right-click the Software Installation node, then click Properties.

3.         On the General tab you will find the following information.

§       Display the Deploy Software Dialog Box: to specify that when you add a new package, the Deploy Software dialog box will display, allowing you to assign, publish, or configure package properties.

§       Publish: to specify that when you add a new package, by default you want it published with standard package properties. Packages can only be published to users, not computers. If this is an installation under the Computer Configuration node of the Group Policy snap-in, the Publish choice appears dimmed.

§       Assign: to specify that when you add a new package by default, you want it assigned with standard package properties. Packages can be assigned to users and computers.

§       Advanced: to specify that when you add a new package, the Configure Package Properties form should appear.

§       Basic: to provide only a basic display of the install process to users.

§       Maximum: to provide all installation messages and screens during the package installation to users.

To set automatic installation options based on file name extension from the File Extensions tab.

1.       Open the Group Policy snap-in, then, in Computer or User Configuration, open Software Settings.

2. Right-click the Software Installation node, then click Properties.
3. In the File Extensions tab of the Software Installation Properties dialog box select the file extension for which you want to specify an automatic software installation from the Select file extension list.

4. In the Application Precedence list box, move the application with the highest precedence by default to the top of the list using the Up or Down buttons. The application at the top of the list is automatically installed if a document with the selected file name extension is invoked before the application has been installed.
5. Click OK.

Specifying application categories from the Categories tab

You must associate applications with existing categories. Categories you set generally pertain to published applications only, as assigned applications do not appear in Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel. The application appears in the selected categories in Add/Remove Programs in Add New Programs, which the user can use to install the application.

To specify application categories for Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel

1.       Open the Group Policy snap-in, then, in Computer or User Configuration, open Software Settings.

2. Right-click the Software Installation node, then click Properties.

3. Click on the Categories tab and click Add to add categories to the software installation.
4. Type the category name and click OK.

3.    To create New Packages of softwares to deploy

1.       Open the Group Policy snap-in, then, in Computer or User Configuration, open Software Settings.

2. Right-click the Software Installation node, click New and click Package. The File Name list in the Open dialog box shows those Windows Installer packages located at the SDP you specified as the default. If the Windows Installer package is located on a different network share, you can browse to find the SDP for the package.

3. In the File Name list in the Open dialog box, select the Windows Installer package to be deployed and then click Open.

4.    To set software package properties

1. Right click the software package that you made and click Properties.

2. The General tab gives you some general information about the package.
3. In the Deployment tab, click on the appropriate deployment type (Publish or Assigned) and then click OK. You can also set some other deployment options from here. If this is an application under the Computer Configuration node of the Group Policy snap-in, the Published choice appears dimmed, because packages can only be assigned to computers, not published.
4. You can check the Uninstall this application when it falls out of the scope of management check box to specify that the package should be removed when the GPO no longer applies to users or computers.
5. You can set the option Auto-install this application by file extension activation to use the application precedence for the file name extension as determined in the File Extensions tab of the Software Installation Properties dialog box. If this is an application under the Computer Configuration node of the Group.
6. The Do not display this package in The Add/Remove Programs control panel option is used to specify that this package should not be displayed in Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel.

7. On the Upgrade tab you can add the package to be upgraded for this package.
8.  In the Categories tab of the Properties dialog box for the application, click the category you want to specify for this software from the Available Categories list, then click Select.

9. The Modifications tab lists the modifications (that is, transforms) to be applied to the package. Click the modification that you want. Modifications are applied in order from the top to the bottom of the list. If there is a conflict, modifications applied later take precedence because they overwrite earlier modifications.
10. On the Security tab you can set security for this package. Make sure that all the users that this GPO is applying on must have Read access on the package.

Summary:

You can centrally manage the installation of software on a client computer by assigning applications to users or computers or by publishing applications for users. The Software Installation extension uses Windows Installer technology to systematically maintain software. The Windows Installer package is a file that contains explicit instructions on installing and removing specific applications. There will be times when software is totally retired from use in the enterprise or a specific application or suite of applications are replace by another vendors brand.

To remove softwares from being applied on the GPO

Follow these steps in order to accomplish the task

1.    Select the Software Installation node in the Software Settings under either Computer or User Configuration, (depending on where it is being installed from) in the Group Policy Object.

2.    In the details pane, right-click the application you want to remove, click All Tasks and then click Remove.

3.    The Remove Software dialog box appears and allows you to select one of the following removal options:

§           Immediately uninstall the software from users and computers: Removes the application the next time a user logs on or restarts the computer.

§           Allow users to continue to use the software, but prevent new installations: Allows users that already have the software installed to continue to use it. If they remove it, it will not be redeployed through the Group Policy.

Note: This article is just a part of www.Helpline4IT.com online study guides for Microsoft Windows 2003 .To review the complete features of these Helpline4IT online study guides, click here.