Adding Windows Installer Packages to the GPO and Selecting Package Deployment Method
In this step, you specify the software applications you want to deploy by adding Windows Installer packages to the GPO. Then you specify how the package is deployed (either assigned or published).
The procedures in this step assume that you have chosen the Display The Deploy Software Dialog Box option (the default option that allows you to choose whether to assign or publish the application) in the software deployment properties for the GPO.
To modify or update the software application, any modifications must be associated with the Windows Installer package at deployment time rather than when the Windows Installer is actually using the package. Transform (.mst) and patch (.msp) files are applied to Windows Installer packages (which have the .msi extension) in an order specified by the administrator. This order must be determined before the appli?cation is assigned or published.
To add Windows Installer packages to the GPO and select package deployment method, complete the following steps:
1.Open the GPO console for the software deployment. In the Computer Configuration or User Configuration node, open Software Settings.
2.Right-click the Software Installation node, click New, and then click Package.
3.In the Open dialog box, in the File Name list, type the UNC path to the SDP for the Windows Installer packages (.msi files),
and then click Open.
Be sure to enter the UNC path to the SDP in the File Name list. If you merely browse and select the Windows Installer package to be added to the GPO, you have entered only the local path and clients will not be able to find the Windows Installer package.
4.In the Deploy Software dialog box (shown in Figure 12-5), click one of the following:
Q Published, to publish the Windows Installer package to users without apply?ing modifications to the package.
Assigned, to assign the Windows Installer package to users or computers without applying modifications to the package.
Q Advanced, to set properties for the Windows Installer package, including published or assigned options and modifications.
Note If this is an application under the Computer Configuration node of the Group Policy Object Editor console, the Published option is unavailable, because packages can only be assigned to computers, not published.
Click OK. If you selected Published or Assigned, the Windows Installer package has been successfully added to the GPO and appears in the details pane. If you selected Advanced, the Properties dialog box for the Windows Installer package opens, where you can set properties for the Windows Installer package, such as deployment options and modifications. Setting Windows Installer package properties is covered in the next section.
