How to Manage Applications and Deployment Types in Configuration Manager

 

Updated: May 14, 2015

Applies To: System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP2, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager SP1

Use the information in the following sections to help you manage Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager applications and deployment types.

  • How to Manage Applications

  • How to Manage Deployment Types

For information about how to create applications and deployment types, see How to Create Applications in Configuration Manager.

Important

Depending on the type of application or deployment type, some of the management options might not be available.

How to Manage Applications

In the Software Library workspace, expand Application Management, select Applications, select the application to manage, and then select a management task.

Use the following table for more information about the management tasks that might require some information before you select them.

Task

Details

More information

Manage Access Accounts

Opens the Manage Access Accounts dialog box where you can specify the level of access that is allowed for the content that is associated with the selected application.

No additional information.

Create Prestage Content File

Opens the Create Prestaged Content File Wizard that helps you to manage the distribution of content to remote distribution points. When the scheduling and throttling does not provide a valid solution for the remote distribution point, you can prestage the content on the distribution point

See Prestage Content.

Revision History

Opens the Application Revision History dialog box that allows you to view the properties of revisions that were made to this application, delete old application revisions and restore old versions of this application.

See How to Manage Application Revisions in Configuration Manager.

Create Deployment Type

Opens the Create Deployment Type Wizard that allows you to add a new deployment type to the selected application.

See How to Create Applications in Configuration Manager.

Update Statistics

Updates the information that is displayed in the Deployments node of the Monitoring workspace about the deployments of this application.

See How to Monitor Applications in Configuration Manager.

Reinstate

This option reinstates an application that was retired by using the Retire management task.

No additional information.

Retire

When you retire an application, it is no longer available for deployment but the application and any deployments of the application are not deleted. Existing copies of this application that were installed on client computers will not be removed. Any revisions to the application will be deleted from Configuration Manager after 60 days. However, any installed copies of the application are not removed. 

Important

To delete an application, you must first retire the application, delete any deployments, remove references to it by other deployments, and then delete all of its revisions.

See How to Manage Application Revisions in Configuration Manager.

Export

Opens the Export Application Wizard that allows you to export the selected applications to a .zip file that you can then archive or install on another site. If you choose to export application content, a folder will be created and will contain the content.

You can also export application dependencies, supersedence relationships and conditions and content for the application and its dependencies.

Tip

The Windows PowerShell cmdlet, Export-CMApplication, performs the same function. For more information, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkID=258880 in the Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1 Cmdlet Reference documentation.

No additional information.

Delete

Deletes the currently selected application.

Note

You cannot delete an application if other applications are dependent on it, if it has an active deployment, or if it has dependent task sequences.

No additional information.

Simulate Deployment

Opens the Simulate Application Deployment Wizard where you can test the results of an application deployment to computers without installing or uninstalling the application.

See How to Simulate an Application Deployment in Configuration Manager.

Deploy

Opens the Deploy Software Wizard where you can deploy the selected application to collections of computers in your hierarchy.

See How to Deploy Applications in Configuration Manager.

Distribute Content

Opens the Distribute Content Wizard where you can copy the content for the selected application to distribution points in your hierarchy.

See Operations and Maintenance for Content Management in Configuration Manager.

View Relationships

Displays a graphical diagram showing the relationships of the selected applications to other applications. Choose from one of the following:

  • Dependency – Displays the applications that are dependent on, and the applications that the selected application depends on.

  • Supersedence – Displays the applications that are superseded, and applications that the selected item is superseded by.

  • Global Conditions – Displays the global conditions that are referenced by this application.

See How to Use Application Supersedence in Configuration Manager.

See How to Create Global Conditions in Configuration Manager.

How to Manage Deployment Types

In the Software Library workspace, expand Application Management, select Applications, select the application that contains the deployment type that you want to manage, in the details pane, click the Deployment Types tab, select the deployment type that you want to manage and then select a management task.

Use the following table for more information about the management tasks that might require some information before you select them.

Task

Details

More information

Increase Priority

Increases the priority of the selected deployment type. Deployment types are evaluated in order. When a deployment type meets the specified requirements, it will be run and then no further deployment types on the priority list will be evaluated.

No additional information.

Decrease Priority

Decreases the priority of the selected deployment type.

No additional information.

Delete

Deletes the selected deployment type.

Important

You cannot delete a deployment type if it is referenced by a deployment type in another application. To delete a deployment type, you must remove any dependencies to the deployment type that are contained in other deployment types. Additionally, you must also remove previous revisions of any application that contains a deployment type that references the deployment type that you want to delete.

No additional information.

Update Content

Refreshes the content for the selected deployment type.

When you start this wizard for a deployment type that contains a virtual application, the Update Content Wizard is started. This wizard allows you to modify publishing options and requirement rules for the selected virtual application. For more information, see How to Create Deployment Types in Configuration Manager.

Important

When you refresh the content of a deployment type, a new revision of the application is created. This might cause client devices to be updated with the new application.

No additional information.