MECM - SCCM - 3rd Party Patching and Always Deploy the Latest Software (Slack - Machine Wide Deployment)

Overview

While the Slack client is not officially supported with Ninite, the End User Computing team has created a Slack application in MECM that is always the latest version. Similar to when you deploy a Ninite version of an application, the custom Slack application in MECM will always be the latest version at the time of installation.

It is worth noting that Slack makes two different types of Slack installers:

• Per-user deployment: Slack installs in the user profile but allows non-admins to upgrade to the latest version on their own. A user must install, then logoff, and the logon again to fully install the app. This is used in EPM Lite Touch.
• Machine-wide deployment: Slack installs in the standard Program Files directory.A user must an administrator to install. This is used in MECM.

Making Sure Your Applications Are Update-to-Date Please note that the detection method for Slack will only check to see if the application is already installed, not if the application is currently the latest version. To ensure that you are always maintaining latest version of the application on your client machines, see the section below on how to create an auto-update schedule for your apps.

Deploying The Latest Version of Slack

1. Open the MECM console and from the left sidebar, browse to the Application Management->Applications.
2. Select the package "EPM - Slack (Latest Version) - Machine Wide Deployment", deploy, right-click and select Deploy.
   
3. Click Browse... next to Collection, and select the collection that you would like to deploy the software to. Click Next>.
   
4. You will not have to add a distribution point since one will have already have been selected. Click Next>.
5. Choose Required if you would like to force the installation on the client machines. Or leave it as Available if you would like your end users to be able to install it on their own from the Software Center. Click Next>.
   
6. You can leave the default settings for Scheduling unless you want to change them. Click Next>.
7. You can leave the default setting for User Experience unless you want to change them. Click Next>.
8. You can leave the default setting for Alerts. Click Next>.
9. At the Summary screen Click Next>, and your deployment will be complete.

Updating Slack On a Recurring Schedule

1. Browse to Application Management->Packages   Please Note: This is under the Packages section and not the Applications section
2. Right-click "EPM - Update Slack (Machine Wide Deployment)" and select Deploy.
   
3. Browse and select your target Collection.
   
4. A distribution point group will already be selected. Click Next>.
5. Choose to deploy the software as Required. Click Next>.
   
6. Specify a schedule for the deployment by clicking the New... button, the click the Schedule... button, the click the Custom Interval button and enter the desired update interval. And then click OK, and then OK again.
   
7. It is very important to make sure that you change the setting for Rerun behavior: to Always Rerun Program. Click Next>.
   
8. At the User Experience click Next>.
9. At Distribution Points click Next>.
10. At Summary click Next> and at Completion click Close.

Why is Slack still the older version after running the scheduled update? Please note the update has been installed to the computer but the older version of Slack is still running on the computer. Once Slack is closed and reopened, it'll be the newer version.

See Also

• Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (MECM) Landing Page