Windows Phone 8 – Part 1: How to deploy by Configuration Manager 2012 SP1 & #Windows Intune #sysctr

Application Deployment

In order to deploy Apps to Windows 8, Windows RT or Windows Phone 8 devices through Windows Intune or Configuration Manager 2012 SP1, there are some general steps that you must follow. In this blog a walkthrough to the required steps; acquire a company account, enroll devices, and distribute apps to their enrolled devices.

Windows Phone Dev Center subscription

First step is to acquire a Windows Phone Dev center subscription, this account is mandatory in order to publish apps in the Windows Store. The subscription includes useful tools and code samples. Make sure you’re register as company and no as individual! The Symantec ID provided on your Windows Phone Dev account is required to acquire a code signing certificate in the next step. An annual subscription will cost $99.

Code signing Certificate

In order to publish apps in both public Windows Store or corporate Company Portal they must be signed by your company code signing certificate. This code signing certificate can be acquired at Symantec through the following url: https://products.websecurity.symantec.com/orders/enrollment/microsoftCert.do The registration and validation process can take a few days. To speed up this process you can contact the Symantec Contact Support online by chat. When your request is approved it will take another few days when your Windows Phone Dev account status has changed to Active. A code signing certificate will cost $299 (1 year valid). Microsoft has confirmed there were working on a trail certificate so purchase will no longer necessary for trail purpose in near future.

UPDATE: Microsoft provides a long awaited tool which enables you to try out Windows Phone 8 software distribution scenarios during a Windows Intune Trail subscription without the need of acquire a Windows Phone Dev account and purchasing a code signing certificate! This tool facilitates Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager admins to try out Windows Phone 8 software distribution scenarios during the Trial period.

The support tool for Windows Intune Trial Management of Window Phone 8 can be download here

Signing Company Portal app

Next step is to download the Company Portal app which can be downloaded here for Windows Phone 8. In order to deploy the Company Portal app to your Windows Phone 8 device you must sign it with your company code signing certificate.

In order to trust your code signing certificate the Windows Phone Private Enterprise Root and Intermediate certificate, must be installed to your organization in order to trust your code signing certificate. This process can be found here.

The process of how to sign the Company Portal app is described in this great post from Richard Harrison.

A few imported notes of signing the Company Portal app:

• Make sure you’re using Visual Studio 2012 (any edition). There are known issues using a lower version of Visual Studio 2012 signing the Company Portal app.
• Export the code signing certificate (PFX) with the entire certificate chain, if not the Company Portal ends-up in smaller size (323 KB).

After successfully signed your Company Portal app you can upload it to Windows Intune directly (Management Authority: Windows Intune) or in Configuration Manager 2012 SP1 (Management Authority: Configuration Manager)

App deployment

Finally you’re able to deploy apps to your Windows Phone 8 devices. For iOS devices you’ll use the mobile web based Company App portal which can be reached at you iOS device by https://m.manage.microsoft.com Final steps to deploy apps to your mobile devices are:

• Company develops or license app(s)
• Company deploys apps
• Company manages the apps

How to deploy your apps to the various devices can be read in a previous post here.