I've been tasked by my manager to deploy over 200 applications through our Company Portal for about 1,000 users. The challenge is that most of these applications only have an EXE file and end up making registry changes that makes validation pretty tricky. It often takes me 9 to 10 attempts to test deploy a single app on a test machine before it finally works. And once I get it running, I just hope it doesn't need updates anytime soon, or I'm back at square one. Some apps require .NET 8 and several hotfixes before they can even run—I've had no success with that so far. I'm feeling overwhelmed as this is my first major project, and I really don't want to mess it up due to inexperience. I should have set clearer boundaries at the start, but I was eager to take on more responsibilities than just help desk tasks. Can anyone offer advice or share their experiences?
8 Answers
As others have mentioned, using PMPC or a similar tool is key. Managing so many applications is a big task for one person. Especially if you standardize remaining packages with PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit, it can optimize your process and reduce testing overhead.
Using a package manager like PatchMyPC means you won't have to wrap apps yourself since they do it for you. Plus, it integrates easily with Intune, so once it's set up, it’s just a matter of clicks in the admin portal. I usually use PowerShell App Deployment Toolkit to manage the manually wrapped apps, which works well for me.
Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely take a look at this tomorrow.
For testing, set up a clean virtual machine based on your company’s standard image. Keep a snapshot of it to roll back easily if things go wrong during the testing phase. It’s really just about practice and getting familiar with the deployment process. Also, writing uninstall scripts early on can save you a lot of hassle later.
You might want to consider tools like PDQ Deploy, NinjaOne, or even Winget. Are you working with custom applications or mainly consumer software? Knowing that could help narrow down the right approach.
Are you deploying through Intune, or do users need to install the apps themselves? Depending on what you need, custom Win32 apps might be the solution to ensure everything installs smoothly and checks for prerequisites. You can write scripts to control the installation order, which can simplify things down the line.
Using a custom detection script to check the installed executable and validate it can save you a lot of headache. Just validate based on minimum version numbers and you’ll be good to go!
I've been doing that and it makes deployment so much simpler! Just a quick edit on the first two lines of the script.
The IntuneApp system is free and relatively straightforward. It lets you publish Win32 apps with .ps1 wrappers, and it's actually quite user-friendly. Plus, you can deploy apps outside of Intune simply by running the command launcher.
You should definitely check out PatchMyPC. It simplifies the process since they maintain an app catalog and handle the necessary scripts for installation and uninstallation. You just install their utility, select the apps you want, and it automates the updates for you. Trust me, it saves a ton of time!
I’m considering that too, it could help with a good chunk of our apps. It could be a real win for the deployment process.
+1 for PatchMyPC, it’s super worth the cost and it makes deployments a breeze!
Right? My last workplace had over 400 apps, and it took a whole team just to manage app packaging and deployment.