Creating a Group Policy
Scenario: your company has just employed a temporary worker who is tasked with editing xml documents. He requires an xml editor to be installed on his workstation. This is a large project and may require further editors to be employed. To ease the administration of the software deployment, you decide to create a group policy to automatically install the software for all users in the Tempworkers group.
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Wait- not all the users in the Tempworkers group require this editor, far better to create a group for the xml editors. Create a group inside the Tempworkers OU called xml_users, the group policy can then be focused on this group only.
Select Start>Administrative Tools>Group Policy Management. Expand the domain. Right click the OU and select Create a GPO in this domain and link it here. Type in a name for the new GPO and click OK. Right click the new GPO and select Edit. Expand User Configurations>Policies. Right click Software Settings. Select New>Package. Select the software package MSI file. Ensure that the package is selected with a network accessible path. I.E. \\Server\share. Click Open. Select Assigned and then OK. Deployment options explained in next slide. Select Assigned and then OK.
| Publish (User only) | Assign (User) | Assign (Computer) | |
| After deployment of the GPO, the software is available for installation: | The next time a user logs on. |
The next time a user logs on. |
The next time the computer starts. |
| Typically, the user installs the software from: | The Control Panel Add Or Remove Programs (Windows XP) or Programs And Features (Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista) applications. |
Start menu or desktop shortcut. An application can also be configured to install automatically at logon. |
The software is installed automatically when the computer starts up. |
| If the software is not installed and the user opens a file associated with the software, does the software install? |
Yes (if auto-install is enabled). |
YES | Does not apply; the software is already installed. |
| Can the user remove the software by using Control Panel? |
Yes, and the user can choose to install it again from Control Panel. |
Yes, and the software is available for installation again from the Start menu shortcuts or file associations. |
No. Only a local administrator can remove the software; a user can run a repair on the software. |
| Supported installation files: |
Windows Installer packages (.msi files), .zap files. |
Windows Installer packages (.msi files) |
Windows Installer packages (.msi files) |
Right click the new package. Select Properties. Select Deployment tab. Ensure Install the application at logon is checked. Ensure Uninstall this application when it falls out of the scope of management is checked. Click OK. Close the Editor. Select the policy. You need focus this group policy for the xml_users group only. In Security Filtering highlight the Authenticated Users and click Remove. Click OK to confirm the deletion.. Click Add. Locate xml_users and click OK. The focus of this group policy is set to xml_users group only.
Upgrading a software package
After deploying the software the manufacturer advises you there has been an updated software release. You have evaluated the new release and decide to upgrade the existing software. Again to ease the administration you will implement the upgrade via a group policy.
Right click the software package and select Edit. Expand User Configuration>Policies>Software Settings. Right click Software installation and select New>Package. Select the software package MSI file. Ensure that the package is selected with a network accessible path. I.E. \\Server\share. Select Advanced then click OK. Select Upgrades tab. Click Add. Select the package to be upgraded and click OK. Click OK. Close Editor. Xml Editor installed.
