Deployment methods for Office 2013

Applies to: Office 2013, Office 365 ProPlus

Summary: Provides an overview of different methods of deploying Office 2013, such as Group Policy, network share, and virtualization technologies.

Audience: IT Professionals

There are several different ways that you can deploy Office, either the Windows Installer-based (MSI) version or the Click-to-Run version, to users in an organization. The method that you chose to deploy Office depends on the specific requirements and characteristics of your organization. For example, a small organization that only has several dozen users might deploy Office from a network share. But a larger organization that has hundreds or thousands of users might use a software distribution product, such as Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, to deploy Office to users. You can also take advantage of virtualization technologies, such as Remote Desktop Services and Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V), to deploy Office.

In this article:

• Versions of Office

• Deployment methods for Office

• Supported deployment methods for Office

Versions of Office

There are two versions of Office 2013 that you can deploy to a user's computer:

• Windows Installer-based (MSI)

• Click-to-Run

Windows Installer (MSI) is the traditional Setup architecture for installing Office products and languages. It is the same Setup architecture that is used in Office 2010 and Office 2007. Office Standard 2013 is an example of a Windows Installer-based version of Office.

Click-to-Run is a newer Setup architecture and is based on Microsoft installation and virtualization technology. This technology reduces the time that is required to download, install, and update Office products and languages. Office 365 ProPlus is an example of a Click-to-Run version of Office. For more information, see Click-to-Run overview and Overview of Office 365 ProPlus.

The following table provides a general comparison between the Windows Installer-based version and the Click-to-Run version of Office.

Comparison of Windows Installer-based version and Click-to-Run version of Office

Deployment methods for Office

The following are some common ways to deploy Office:

• Local installation source

• Network installation point

• Group Policy computer startup script

• Software distribution product

• Virtualization technology

• Standard desktop image

In most cases, these deployment methods work with both the Windows Installer-based version and the Click-to-Run version of Office. For more information about which deployment methods work with which version of Office, see Supported deployment methods for Office.

The method that you chose for deploying Office depends on the specific requirements and characteristics of your organization. Some common factors that determine which deployment method is appropriate include the following:

• Are users local administrators on their computers?  To install Office, users must be local administrators on their computers. You can use Group Policy computer startup scripts or a software distribution product to install Office if users are not local administrators on their computers.

• How many users are you deploying Office to?  If you have to deploy Office to several hundred or more users, you can use a software distribution product to help automate the deployment of Office.

• Do the client computers support the system requirements for Office?  If not, you can use the features of Remote Desktop Services to provide Office to users. For more information about system requirements, see System Requirements for Office 2013.

• Where are users located?  If users are geographically dispersed, you want to make sure that users can install Office from a location that is near to them. For example, you can create network installation points of Office in each region or each branch office, depending on the network connectivity.

• What other programs are installed on the client computers?  If there is potential conflict between a program that is already installed on the client computer and Office, you can use virtualization technologies, such as Remote Desktop Services and Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V).

You can also use multiple deployment methods together. For example, you can use a Group Policy computer startup script that installs Office from a network installation point.

The following sections provide brief overviews of each type of deployment method.

Local installation source

You can copy the appropriate Office product and language files to the local computer, and then run Setup from that local installation source. But, users must be local administrators on their computers to run the Office Setup program and install Office.

Network installation point

A common way to deploy Office is to create a network share and copy the Office product and language files to the network share. Users install Office by running Setup from this network installation point. You can simplify and automate the process for users by giving them a script or batch file to run. Users require only Read permissions to the network share.

Group Policy computer startup script

To deploy Office to specific computers, you can use a Group Policy computer startup script. You can also use a Group Policy startup script to install Office when users are not local administrators on their computers. The script runs when the computer starts, and before a user logs in to the computer. Because the startup script runs in the context of the Local System account, the script has the necessary permissions to install Office on the computer.

Software distribution product

Some organizations use software distribution products, such as System Center Configuration Manager or Microsoft Intune, to deploy software to users and computers. A software distribution product is often used to install Office when users are not local administrators on their computers. Software distribution products also have advanced deployment, updating, and reporting capabilities that are helpful to medium-sized or large-sized organizations.

Virtualization technology

You can use virtualization technologies, such as Remote Desktop Services and Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V), to deploy Office. You can use virtualization technologies when users are not local administrators on their computers.

Remote Desktop Services, a role in Windows Server, provides a centralized server on which you can install Office. Users log on remotely to this centralized server to run Office. You can use Remote Desktop Services if the client computers in your organization do not meet the system requirements for installing Office. Also, a centralized installation of Office can be easier to manage and update.

You can also use Remote Desktop Services with Hyper-V, another role in Windows Server, to deploy virtual desktops to users. A virtual desktop is like a standard desktop image. But, the user connects to the virtual desktop from over the network. A single Windows Server computer can support multiple virtual desktops that are running at the same time.

App-V is a streaming and virtualization technology. App-V enables you to stream programs, such as Office, down on demand from a centralized server to a computer. All the information about the program is contained in an App-V package. You can use App-V by itself or together with System Center Configuration Manager to deploy and manage your programs by using App-V packages. App-V can also be used to deploy programs to virtual desktops.

Standard desktop image

Some organizations deploy new computers by using a standard desktop image that includes a pre-configured version of the operating system and programs, such as Office, already installed. The standard desktop image is deployed to all the computers in the organization so that all computers are configured identically. Software, such as the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) and System Center Configuration Manager, can help you automate the deployment of a standard desktop image.

Supported deployment methods for Office

The following table provides information about which deployment methods can be used with the Windows Installer-based version and Click-to-Run version of Office.

Supported deployment methods