Hey guys! Today, we're diving into how to deploy Company Portal using SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager). If you're managing devices in a corporate environment, you know how crucial it is to provide users with easy access to approved applications and resources. Company Portal is the key, and SCCM makes deploying it a breeze. Let's get started!

What is Company Portal?

Before we jump into the deployment process, let's quickly recap what Company Portal actually is. Company Portal is essentially a one-stop shop for your users to access company resources, such as applications, Wi-Fi profiles, VPN settings, and more. Think of it as an internal app store, customized for your organization. Users can browse, install, and update applications that you've made available to them. It enhances user experience and simplifies app management, ensuring everyone has the tools they need while adhering to company policies.

Key benefits of using Company Portal include:

• Simplified App Distribution: Easily deploy and manage applications across your organization.
• Self-Service: Users can install apps themselves, reducing the burden on IT support.
• Compliance: Ensure devices meet security requirements before accessing resources.
• Customization: Tailor the look and feel of the portal to match your company branding.
• Centralized Access: Provide a single point of access to all necessary resources.

Prerequisites

Before we start deploying Company Portal, make sure you've got these prerequisites covered:

• SCCM Infrastructure: You need a working SCCM environment. This includes a configured SCCM server, distribution points, and client settings.
• Intune Integration (Optional but Recommended): While not strictly required, integrating SCCM with Microsoft Intune unlocks additional features and provides a more seamless experience, especially for mobile device management (MDM).
• Company Portal Package: You'll need the Company Portal installation package. This can typically be found in the Microsoft Store for Business or Education.
• Permissions: Ensure you have the necessary permissions within SCCM to create applications, deploy software, and manage collections.

Step-by-Step Guide to Deploying Company Portal via SCCM

Alright, let's get to the fun part! Here’s a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to deploy Company Portal using SCCM.

Step 1: Download the Company Portal Package

First things first, you need to obtain the Company Portal package. The easiest way to do this is through the Microsoft Store for Business or Education.

1. Access the Microsoft Store for Business/Education: Go to the Microsoft Store for Business or Education portal. You'll need an account with appropriate permissions to access this.
2. Search for Company Portal: Use the search bar to find "Company Portal."
3. Download the Offline License: Select the Company Portal app and choose the option to download an offline license. This will give you the necessary files to deploy the app without requiring users to connect to the Microsoft Store.
4. Download the App Package: Download the app package (.appx or .appxbundle) and any associated dependency files. Make sure to store these files in a location accessible by your SCCM server.

Step 2: Create an Application in SCCM

Now that you have the Company Portal package, it’s time to create an application in SCCM.

1. Open the SCCM Console: Launch the SCCM console on your SCCM server.

2. Navigate to Application Management: Go to Software Library > Application Management > Applications.

3. Create a New Application: Right-click in the Applications pane and select Create Application.

4. Specify Application Information:

   • On the General tab, choose Manually specify the application information and click Next.
   • Enter the name of the application (e.g., "Company Portal"), publisher, and version information. Fill in any other relevant details.
   • Click Next.

5. Software Center:

   • Customize the application's appearance in Software Center by providing an icon. This helps users easily identify the Company Portal.
   • Click Next.

6. Deployment Types:

   • Click Add to create a new deployment type.
   • In the General tab of the Create Deployment Type Wizard, select Script Installer from the Type dropdown menu.
   • Click Next.

7. Specify Deployment Type Information:

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   • Enter a name for the deployment type (e.g., "Company Portal Deployment").
   • Click Next.

8. Specify Content:

   • Content Location: Browse to the folder where you stored the Company Portal app package and dependency files.
   • Installation Program: This is a crucial step. You need to create a command line that installs the .appx or .appxbundle file. Here’s an example:

   PowerShell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "& {Add-AppxPackage -Path '.\[YourAppxPackageName].appx' -DependencyPath '.\[Dependency1].appx', '.\[Dependency2].appx'}"
   

   • Replace [YourAppxPackageName].appx with the actual name of your Company Portal app package.
   • Replace [Dependency1].appx and [Dependency2].appx with the names of any dependency files, separating them with commas.
   • Uninstallation Program: Provide a command to uninstall the Company Portal. This can typically be done using PowerShell as well. Example:

   PowerShell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "& {Remove-AppxPackage -Package '[YourPackageFullName]'}"
   

   • You'll need to find the Package Full Name for the Company Portal app. You can get this by running Get-AppxPackage -Name *companyportal* in PowerShell on a machine where the app is installed.
   • Click Next.

9. Detection Method:

   • Add a detection method to verify that the Company Portal is installed. A common method is to use a File detection rule.
   • Setting Type: File System
   • Path: C:\Program Files\WindowsApps
   • File or Folder Name: The name of the Company Portal folder (you can find this by looking in the C:\Program Files\WindowsApps directory on a machine where Company Portal is installed).
   • This file or folder must exist: Check this box.
   • Click Next.

10. User Experience:

    • Installation Behavior: Choose whether to install for the user or the system. For Company Portal, Install for user is generally the best option.
    • Logon Requirement: Only when a user is logged on
    • Installation Program Visibility: Normal to show the installation progress to the user, or Hidden to run the installation silently.
    • Click Next.

11. Requirements:

    • Specify any requirements for the application, such as operating system versions or available disk space.
    • Click Next.

12. Dependencies:

    • If your Company Portal app has any dependencies, specify them here.
    • Click Next.

13. Summary:

    • Review your settings and click Next.

14. Completion:

    • Click Close to finish creating the deployment type.

15. Complete Application Creation:

    • Back in the Create Application Wizard, review all your settings and click Next.
    • Click Close to finish creating the application.

Step 3: Distribute the Application to Distribution Points

Now that you've created the application, you need to distribute it to your distribution points so that clients can access it.

1. Distribute Content: Right-click on the Company Portal application in the SCCM console and select Distribute Content.
2. Select Distribution Points: Choose the distribution points you want to distribute the application to. Make sure to select distribution points that are accessible to your target users.
3. Complete the Wizard: Follow the prompts in the Distribute Content Wizard to complete the distribution process.

Step 4: Deploy the Application to a Collection

The final step is to deploy the application to a collection of users or devices.

1. Deploy Application: Right-click on the Company Portal application in the SCCM console and select Deploy.
2. Specify Deployment Settings:
   • Collection: Choose the collection of users or devices you want to deploy the Company Portal to. Make sure to select a collection that contains your target users.
   • Deployment Settings:
     • Action: Install
     • Purpose: Available if you want users to be able to install the Company Portal on their own, or Required if you want to force the installation.
   • Scheduling: Configure when the application should be available for installation.
   • User Experience: Customize the user experience settings, such as whether to show notifications and allow users to restart their devices.
   • Alerts: Configure alerts to monitor the deployment status.
   • Summary: Review your settings and click Next.
3. Complete Deployment: Click Close to finish the deployment process.

Monitoring the Deployment

After deploying the Company Portal, it’s important to monitor the deployment status to ensure that it’s being installed successfully.

• SCCM Console: Use the SCCM console to monitor the deployment status. You can view reports and check the status of individual devices.
• Software Center: On client devices, users can check the installation status in Software Center.

Troubleshooting Tips

Sometimes, things don’t go as planned. Here are a few troubleshooting tips to help you resolve common issues:

• Check the Logs: Examine the SCCM client logs on the target devices for any errors or warnings. These logs can provide valuable information about why the installation failed.
• Verify Distribution Point Status: Ensure that the application content has been successfully distributed to the distribution points.
• Firewall Issues: Make sure that firewalls are not blocking communication between the client devices and the distribution points.
• Permissions: Double-check that the user accounts have the necessary permissions to install the application.
• Appx Installation Errors: If you encounter errors during the Appx installation, ensure that all dependency files are present and that the command line is correctly formatted.

Conclusion

Alright, there you have it! Deploying Company Portal via SCCM is a straightforward process, but it requires careful planning and attention to detail. By following these steps, you can ensure that your users have easy access to the applications and resources they need, while maintaining control and security over your IT environment. Good luck, and happy deploying!