When do you use the App Catalog and when do you use Software Center?

Howdy,

We've never used the Application Catalog at our company.  Everything we do we just do via Software Center.  We have application configured as Available but they are published to Device Collections and not User Collections.  Is there any benefit to using one over the other?

For example, we have some basic software that everyone has access to like 7Zip or Greenshot.  We have them deployed to our "All Workstations" collection as opposed to the "All Users" collection.  This makes it show up in Software center by default.  I don't know if there's any benefit to changing things to use the App Catalog for any reason or not.

The only benefit I've found is that if I assign an app to a user, it shows up in the App Catalog instantly whereas if I assign it to their workstation they have to either wait for it to show up in Software Center or go run the various things under Configuration Manager to try to force it down.

Just looking to see if there's any reason for us to change how we deploy things or not.

Thanks!

June 24th, 2015 11:37am

Described in detail at http://blogs.technet.com/b/configmgrteam/archive/2012/03/31/introducing-the-application-catalog-and-software-center-in-system-center-2012-configuration-manager.aspx

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
June 24th, 2015 12:13pm

The App Catalog is for user centric deployments.  If you are current deploying to devices there's no reason or benefit to changing to the user centric deployment unless your users move around machines and require software to follow them.

Here's a matrix that shows what shows up where:

Object type

Collection resources

Deployment

Application Catalog

Software Center

Application

Users or groups

Available deployment, 
does not require approval

Yes

After installation is initiated successfully from the Application Catalog

Users or groups

Available deployment, 
requires approval

Yes

After the application is approved

Users or groups

Required deployment

No

Yes

Computers

Available or required deployment

No

Yes

Package and program

Users or groups

Available deployment

Yes

After installation is initiated successfully from the Application Catalog

Users or groups

Required deployment

No

Yes

Computers

Available or required deployment

No

Yes


Looking at the new ConfigMgr feedback site it looks like MS has decided that it would be best to revisit the Software Center and App Catalog for a future release of ConfigMgr and combine the two solutions.

http://configurationmanager.uservoice.com/forums/300492-ideas/suggestions/8381406-combine-software-center-and-application-catalog-

June 24th, 2015 12:16pm

Described in detail at http://blogs.technet.com/b/configmgrteam/archive/2012/03/31/introducing-the-application-catalog-and-software-center-in-system-center-2012-configuration-manager.aspx

Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
June 24th, 2015 12:18pm

Imagine if you worked at an environment where users hotdesk. I have and at that site CM 2007 was the solution. If CM2012 was out at the time then there would have been a huge benefit to me to use deployment to user collections. 
June 24th, 2015 12:22pm

Imagine if you worked at an environment where users hotdesk. I have and at that site CM 2007 was the solution. If CM2012 was out at the time then there would have been a huge benefit to me to use deployment to user collecti
Free Windows Admin Tool Kit Click here and download it now
June 24th, 2015 12:28pm

This topic is archived. No further replies will be accepted.

Other recent topics Other recent topics