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Laurel Windows Assistant MSIX Deployment: Best Practices for Administrators

Tips to ensure Laurel is installed on all users' windows machines.

Shaun Bernhardt avatar
Written by Shaun Bernhardt
Updated over a month ago

Understanding MSIX

Microsoft uses a preferred package format called MSIX that combines the benefits of MSI, .appx, App-V, and ClickOnce. The packaging format maximizes flexibility and security and is the preferred installer for the Laurel Windows Assistant.

To dive deeper, visit Microsoft's official guide.

MSIX Autoupdates

The Laurel Windows Assistant .appinstaller is configured to automatically update to provide the latest and best experience for Laurel users.

Please use the MSI or MSIX installer if you would like to directly manage updates.

Please visit our Laurel Windows Assistant download page to find the latest installers suitable for your team. Our team will update you through Intercom and email when new installers are available for upgrade.

Deploying the MSIX Laurel Windows Assistants

Different Installers

Depending on your installation needs and Windows version we have created multiple installers.

  1. AppInstaller - This version works on Windows 10 and 11 and WILL self-update

  2. MSIX - This version works on Windows 10 and 11 and will NOT self-update

  3. MSI - This version works on Windows 10 and 11 and will NOT self-update (Use this version if your SCCM can't install MSIX packages)

Citrix Environments

Deploying MSIX Applications through Citrix Virtual Apps

Citrix Virtual Apps supports publishing MSIX applications, allowing users to access them seamlessly through Citrix sessions. To do this, you can publish MSIX packages using Citrix Studio.

To ensure proper functionality, both your Citrix Delivery Controllers and Virtual Delivery Agents (VDAs) must be running versions that support MSIX app attach. This feature allows MSIX applications to dynamically attach to user sessions without traditional installation, reducing management overhead and improving application isolation.

When configuring the application in Citrix Studio, you’ll point to the MSIX package location, define the necessary user access policies, and configure delivery groups as needed. Ensuring that your VDA is installed on a supported Windows Server or Windows multi-session operating system is also critical for compatibility.

The entire process is covered in the following official documentation:

https://docs.citrix.com/en-us/citrix-daas/manage-deployment/app-packages.html

Installation via MSIX Walk Throughs

Via Basic App Installer Locally

  1. Navigate to: https://download.laurel.ai/installer/windows/index.html
    ​

  2. Click "Download Appinstaller"
    ​

  3. After download is complete, double click the Laurel.appinstaller file and walk through each step for installation.
    ​
    ​Note: This method works well for individual users and the app will check for updates during each launch. It is our easiest and most simple way to install Laurel Assistant.


Via Powershell Locally


Uninstalling

  1. Uninstalling assistant by running the Powershell script below:

    Remove-AppPackage -Package (Get-AppxPackage Laurel.Assistant).PackageFullName


    ​Note: Powershell may need to be run in “Admin” mode.

Installing

  1. Download the .msix file from: https://www.laurel.ai/downloads/windows

  2. Install via Powershell using the following Powershell script:
    ​

     ​Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Users\<username>\Downloads\Laurel.Installer_<file version>_x86.msix"

  3. After installation is complete you can now launch Laurel Assistant from the Start Menu. Under the About option you will see the new version installed
    ​


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Via SCCM

Installation Steps

Note: You need to have SCCM already installed in your environment.

Note: Your SCCM version should be updated to at least 1806, which supports MSIX packages.

Note: The devices you want to install the MSIX package on should be running at least Windows 10 version 1809.

  1. Download the .msix file this from: https://www.laurel.ai/downloads/windows

  2. Once the .MSIX installer is downloaded please use SCCM to deploy.

    There are no additional switches required during deployment.

  3. To verify that Laurel Assistant has been deployed it should appear as an application on the Users device and can be launched as normal

Via Microsoft Intune

Please follow the .MSIX deployment instructions here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/fundamentals/get-started-with-intune

Via MSIX App Attach

Creating Azure AD Domain Services

  1. Create a new Azure AD Domain Services (Azure AD DS).

    Note: This is used to provide managed domain services such as domain join, group policy, lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP), and Kerberos/NTLM authentication.

  2. To create an Azure AD DS, click on the Create button and input the required details.

Creating a File Share in Azure Portal

  1. Navigate to the Azure portal and search for Storage Accounts.

  2. Then, click on Create and address the following:

    • Subscription

    • Resource Group (make sure it is in the same resource group as your Azure Virtual Desktop)

    • Storage Account name

    • Region

    • Redundancy (Storage type)

  3. You can further customize the storage as you wish, or continue by clicking on Review + Create.

  4. Once the storage account is created, it’s time to add a new file share to it. Navigate to the created storage account and click on the File shares option.

  5. Now, press the +File share button. This will bring up a window where you can input the Name of your share and which Tier you want to opt in for.

  6. Click on the Review +Create button.

    Azure File Share Configuration

Syncing the File Share with Azure Active Directory

  1. Navigate back to your Storage accounts, select File shares and click on the Active Directory button.

  2. You will be prompted with a new window where you choose the Azure Active Directory Domain Services and click on Configure.

  3. Check the Enable Azure Active Directory Domain Services (Azure AD DS) for this file share checkbox (in the upper right corner)

Setting Permissions

  1. Navigate to the Storage accounts

  2. Select your previously created storage account

  3. Go to Access Control(IAM)

  4. Click on Add and add the following roles:

    • Storage Account Contributor

    • Storage Blob Data Contributor

    • Storage Blob Data Reader

    • Storage File Data SMB Share Contributor

    • Virtual Machine Administrator Login

    • Virtual Machine Contributor

Note: For each of these roles, your account and virtual machine must be added like this:


Assign MSIX packages via App Attach

  1. Navigate to Azure Virtual Desktop and select your Host Pools.

  2. In your host pool, you will see the MSIX Packages option. Click on the +Add option.

  3. As you will see, this will require an MSIX image path - this path must correspond to the your storage account path that we previously created.

  4. Add files to your Storage Account, navigate to the file share and click on Upload.

    Note: The path that must be specified to MSIX App Attach is as follows:

    \\STORAGEACCOUTNAME.file.core.windows.net\FILESHARENAME\filename.vhd

  5. Once the path is provided to Azure, a few options will appear such as Display name, Registration Type and State (it must be set to active).

  6. To create the application group for assignment, click on Application Groups in your host pool.

  7. Next, in the app group, select Applications and click on the +Add option:

  8. Select your MSIX package from the list and press Save.

    Note: The sync with AD will take some time, but the application will appear on your virtual machine after a few minutes.

    See Additional References: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/what-is-app-attach
    ​

Via KACE Distribution

  1. First gather up all the installation files required and zip them up into a single zip file.

    1. Note: Be careful the files are at the root of the zip and not in a folder at the root of the zip file (This could cause failures).
      ​

  2. Save the zipped file to a location accessible when uploading to the KACE web interface.
    ​

  3. Now, log into your KACE environment and pull up a current inventoried PC that already has all software in the zip file installed.

    1. Expand the Installed Programs field under Device Inventory. Find the software and click on the hyperlink for it.

    2. Note: that this must be the exact same version of the zipped package.
      ​

  4. Under the Manage Operating Systems, ensure all OS versions you plan to distribute this version to are selected

    1. Note: that with version 8 release of KACE, you can select entire OS Versions instead of individual versions as an option.
      ​

  5. Click on the Browse button, browse to and select the zipped file you have saved.
    ​

  6. After selecting the file, change the Category and Threat Level as needed. Click Save button when finished.
    ​

  7. Navigate to Home>Label Management, then click Labels

    1. Under Labels, click Choose Action and select New Manual Label.

  8. Complete Name, Description and selections for Restrict Label Usage To.

    1. Click Save when finished.

    2. Note: Start Software Installation Labels with SIL (Software Installation Label) for Best Practices

  9. Navigate to Distribution > Managed Installations. Under File, click New.

  10. Configure Name, Execution; choose the software from the drop down options (Choose the one you uploaded earlier)
    ​

  11. Note that with Version 8 you can choose Cataloged Software or Software from the Software list. Your uploaded zip file will be associated under Software.
    ​

  12. Now choose the installation commands. Most often you will choose Override Default Installation to include switches such as silent installation.
    ​

  13. Under Deploy, click Manage Associated Labels and select the label you created for this distribution and click apply.
    ​

  14. Configure Notifications to give the user warnings and completion messages.
    ​

  15. Configure Schedules as needed (What times it is permitted to install and how many attempts until it reports failed, etc.) Click Save when complete.
    ​

  16. Now apply the new Label to any device you wish to install it on. After the device inventories next, it will install per configured settings.
    ​

    See Additional Resources: https://support.quest.com/kace-systems-deployment-appliance/9.2/technical-documents


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