Alex Huntington
Considering the problem space for Managed Apps
Understanding where Microsoft Store Apps fit into the application packaging landscape is a good place to start. The Microsoft Store provides access to an abundance of applications for download and installation on Windows devices, but when it comes to enterprise environments, many organisations prefer other methods over Microsoft Store apps for managing and deploying applications.
1) Limited Selection
One of the primary limitations of Microsoft Store apps is their limited selection compared to their distribution methods. While the Microsoft Store offers an array of applications, its selection often fails to meet enterprise user needs and requirements - industries like finance, healthcare and manufacturing often need specialised software that may not be readily available through this channel.
This lack of compatibility can become an impediment when seeking comprehensive application management solutions for their organisation.
2) Consumer Focused
The Microsoft Store mainly caters to individual users rather than enterprises, so many features and functionalities offered through Microsoft Store apps may not meet the strict security and management needs of businesses. Relying solely on Microsoft Store apps for configuration enforcement may prove challenging in organisations that prioritise granular control, centralised management, or stringent security policies.
3) Limited Features & Customisations
Businesses often need the ability to tailor applications specifically to their unique requirements and security policies. Unfortunately, Microsoft Store apps have limited customising options, making it challenging for organisations to tailor them specifically to meet these needs and policies.
Alternate distribution methods like traditional installation files or enterprise-specific app stores enable greater control over customisation and configuration allowing seamless integration into existing systems and workflows.
4) Deployment Complexity and Reliability
Distributing applications through Microsoft Store can create considerable difficulties when deployed to multiple devices at once. Organisations using Microsoft Intune, an effective cloud endpoint management solution, often opt for other deployment methods which offer more stable distribution mechanisms. Examples of these are scripted installations, package management tools or enterprise app stores that give greater control and visibility into application deployment processes.
5) Version Control and Update Management
Enterprises recognise the significance of ensuring consistent updates across applications to maintain security, stability, and compatibility - but Microsoft Store apps may not offer as much flexibility when it comes to version control and update management. In such an environment, many prefer centralising their management of updates then rolling them out via alternative distribution methods to avoid disruptions or potential compatibility issues. You can force updates with a customer policy if you want or just leave it up to your users but unfortunately there is no easy testing or quality assurance.
6) Vulnerability Management
While the apps in the Microsoft App store are usually updated, there is not SLA or guarantees in fixing vulnerabilities found in 3rd party application.
The problem is, that quite a few off the applications in the Microsoft App Store are NOT published by the application vendors, but other third parties. If you have 7Zip on 2,000 workstations in your organisation from the Microsoft App store, you are stuck if there is a critical vulnerability released for this software.
While Microsoft Store provides an easy and user-friendly method of downloading and installing applications, it may not be suitable for enterprises (or some SMB's) seeking comprehensive application management capabilities. When combined with Microsoft Intune, businesses often opt out of using Microsoft Store apps due to limited availability, consumer-focused features that impede customisation, deployment complexity and difficulties related to version control and update management.
Organisations need specialised software in order to meet the diverse requirements of enterprise environments, so businesses often turn to alternative distribution methods that offer greater customisation options, control over deployment and compatibility with specialised software. By taking this route, businesses can efficiently manage applications, enforce security policies and ensure seamless integration into existing infrastructures.
Where to from here...
If you are exploring options within your team for application packaging, we would be happy to arrange a no obligation call to allow you to ask our packaging team any questions you may have.
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