[dubsdj]

I'm really struggling on the decision to allow or disallow the app store in my company... lots of users want it to be available to them and it does seem by removing the app store is pretty much making the whole point of windows 8 a waste of time.

I want to promote new tech and I do actually like windows 8 but my concern is how secure is the app store... will there be malicious network wrecking apps for hacking or deleting files on a network... supposedly Microsoft are monitoring the apps in the app store but I wonder if anybody else has allowed the app store in their company?

Its obviously a key feature of windows 8 and there are some nice productivity apps there.

I do take security seriously that is why I am asking anybody else here who may have been having the same dilemma, surely I'm not the only one who is thinking about this.
I don't like to lock everything down for the sake of making the user feel like they can't even personalise any of their desktop experience, that just annoys users and I can understand that.. I like to go with the flow but I don't want to cause a security risk if allowing users to have their own apps is dangerous.



Thanks

This post has been edited by dubsdj: 03 February 2013 - 06:58 PM

[Tripredacus]

There is something called the Self Service Portal, maybe it is what you want.
http://www.infoq.com...-Service-Portal
http://blogs.msdn.co...luding-woa.aspx

[jaclaz]

dubsdj, on 03 February 2013 - 06:46 PM, said:

Its obviously a key feature of windows 8 and there are some nice productivity apps there.

OT and just out of curiosity, can you name a few?

Without having Windows 8 I seemingly cannot access the store to even see what's in it.
And Silverlight is needed even to see a demo of it.

I am simply lost among all the notes, calculators and calendar/timer/todo's apps in this one:
http://www.windows8a...roductivity/36/

Or is it not a real store?

Quote

Windows 8 App Store is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation.

Is this list a good one?
http://www.pcworld.c...oductivity.html


jaclaz

This post has been edited by jaclaz: 04 February 2013 - 11:46 AM

[winoutreach5]

In the event that you do want to block certain applications, or require certain restrictions for apps from the app store, another option is to take a look at AppLocker because it was updated for Windows 8 and you can use it to deploy an application control policy.

In the above library article you will note that the first bullet point is, “Help prevent malicious software (malware) and unsupported applications from affecting computers in your environment” which may help you to feel as though you have more control over the apps in your environment.

As you will see in the in this Microsoft KB article, by design, all Windows Store apps are blocked if an AppLocker policy is applied. More on AppLocker can be found on the Managing Client Access to the Windows Store page of the Springboard Series on TechNet.

Jessica
Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro

[dubsdj]

Well the replies here and my research have made me pretty much conclude that others do not consider the app store safe enough or even rate it very highly to be allowed on a corporate network. I must admit most of the apps I have seen are just pointless, this is true.

I would have honestly thought that Microsoft would only allow safe apps on their app store, but I'm not filled with confidence from all the "goog"...I mean "binging" I have done.

will almost definetly block it for most / all users now.

It's a pity but I'll get over it. I don't think it was a useless exercise to install Windows 8 on a room of computers at the office, however without using the appstore it has pretty much summed up the fact that I cannot personally see that Windows 8 has any real benefits over Windows 7 on a business network whatsoever.. I use Citrix / VMWare and not hyper v so there isn't any benefits of Windows 8 virtualisation with hyper v either.
I will still keep those Windows 8 PC's running, maybe something new will turn up, or I will discover an amazing new feature that is worth the effort.

perhaps if they made a program that allowed me to deploy custom tiles for "ALL Users" that would be neat enough... yet they haven't... obly tile sort of works but not for all users, only for the current user.

thanks for the replies

This post has been edited by dubsdj: 04 February 2013 - 05:35 PM