Managing applications
There are five types of Shopping applications:
Non-Configuration Manager applications – Basic Shopping applications i.e. those without a direct deployment mechanism - such as Configuration Manager, Intune, or Tachyon - are also commonly referred to as non-ConfigMgr applications. They are free-form holders that allow you to hook any type of request into the Shopping Web and approval process. For example, you can create an application that is a request for additional RAM – this hardware cannot be supplied via Configuration Manager or the other deployment options.
The application appears in the Shopping Web interface for users and when requested can use an approval process and other Shopping features. Active Directory changes might be made as part of the application and that might indirectly trigger a deployment or needed security or configuration changes. Or you might use a manual process to track such requests or integrate Shopping with ServiceNow or similar systems.
Configuration Manager applications – Configuration Manager Applications in Shopping are used to publish Configuration Manager Packages and Programs, Applications or Task Sequences to the Shopping portal. To create these applications the appropriate Configuration Manager Package and Program, Application or Task Sequence must already be created.
Mobile applications – You can create officially sanction apps for your iOS, Android and Windows mobile users – they can shop for these on their mobile devices from the Shopping Web. Shopping acts as a pass-through to the app stores for the particular OS used when browsing to the Shopping Web. Mobile applications cannot be defined with approval. If the user requests a mobile app, they will receive it without any further interaction with Shopping.
OS deployments – OSD Applications enable self-service OS Deployment that includes a web-based OSD Wizard. An administrator creates an OSD Application in the Shopping Admin Console that is associated with a specific Configuration Manager OS Deployment Task Sequence. Unlike other Applications in Shopping, OSD Applications are made available in the Shopping portal using a banner. Rather than request the application, the user clicks a Launch button on the banner to launch the OSD Wizard, which walks them through a few steps and allows the user to schedule the deployment. Shopping deploys the Task Sequence to the target machine at the scheduled time.
Windows Servicing Assistant Deployments – Similar to OS Deployment Applications, Windows Servicing Assistant Deployment applications are used to execute Configuration Manager Task Sequences to automate various OS deployment scenarios. It is a client-based wizard that is implemented with the Shopping client module in the 1E Client.
Within these five types there are various configurations in terms of the types of Shopping applications you can create.
These are (but are not restricted to) applications:
Visible to specific users or groups and those available to everyone
With or without the need for approvals
That vary approvers depending on the computer it is installed on
With or without licensing
Administered centrally or at a branch
That determine AD membership.