Enterprise Plus - update everything as a ConfigMgr app?

[rejohnson]

Just getting started with PMPC and we're not clear on when to use ConfigMgr apps and when to use SUP for 3rd party updates.  With Enterprise Plus, we can make everything an app and deploy basically the same way we've always deployed apps.  Is that best practice?  PMPC adds a ton of value by getting us the new bits and automatically creating/updating the application packages.  But that method doesn't seem as slick as deploying with software updates.

Thanks,
RJ

[Spencer (Patch My PC)]

Hey RJ,

Thanks for reaching out!

I'll do my best to explain the main differences here but please feel free to reach back out if you need more clarification!

ConfigMgr Apps
- Provides the base installation package of the application which is Published under the Applications node in the ConfigMgr Console.
- Applications can be deployed using all 3 Intent methods (Required, Available, and Uninstall)
- If deployed as REQUIRED the application will forcibly install (If not installed) or update (If detected as installed) on the targeted client devices.
- Applications can also be used in Task Sequences for OSD. We can also update the Application package in place, providing you with the latest version that gets installed during that deployment.

Software Updates
- Provides the update .CAB file for the product which is first Published into your WSUS Database then synced over to the SCCM SUP during a SUP Sync.
- Update packages have Applicability rules defined in WSUS allowing them to only be installed if the client has the application installed and if that application version is older than what is being installed.
- Deployments of Updates can be automated by configuring Auto-Deployment Rules or ADR's within SCCM. https://patchmypc.com/how-to-use-automatic-deployment-rules-adrs-with-patch-my-pc

Overall, it's really up to you as an admin how you would like to handle deployments. I personally would recommend setting applications as available deployments (Required applications can be deployed as well to make sure they're installed) in Software Center and allowing your userbase to install any new apps that are needed. Then going forward, you can publish the update packages for those apps and deploy them during a certain period to update those Available applications. This process can then be Automated to using those ADRs mentioned above.


Just as a side note here that some products are only supported to be Published in certain ways as listed on our Supported Products page: https://patchmypc.com/supported-products

For example, some products can only be published as an Update Package (No application package is available) and vice versa. The Application Package is supported however, the update package is not.

Again, please let us know if you have further questions or reach out to our support email for further assistance!

[email protected]