I am going to take you through the process of deploying the latest Java Runtime Environment installation using SCCM and making that available to your users.
Firstly we need to download the latest offline version of Java (currently Version 8 Update 25) and extract the MSI file – http://java.com/en/download/manual.jsp.
Launch the Executable file you just downloaded and when the Welcome to Java screen appears, browse to the following location so we can extract the MSI file:
C:\Users\UserName\AppData\LocalLow\Oracle\Java\jre1.8.0_65
Copy the MSI file from this directory in to your SCCM Source directory for your Applications. I like to keep things organised to make it easier in the future when you are adding newer version, For example my folder structure will be similar to this: \\SCCM\Sources\Applications\Java\8.0_65\
Create SCCM Application
Launch your SCCM Management Console, click Software Library from the left pane and go to Applications (Overview-Application Management and select Applications).
Click Create Application button from the Ribbon along the top.
Browse to the UNC path for the Java application files on the SCCM Application Source directory, select the MSI and click Next.
Verify the Imported Information and Click Next to add some additional information as shown in the screenshot below. Ensure the Installation Program has the /qn switch at the end.
Follow through the rest of the wizard and click Next on the Summary Screen. Click Close to exit the Wizard.
Edit the Application
Select the newly created Application and open the Properties from the Ribbon along the top.
Under the General Information screen, select the checkbox to Allow this application to be installed from the Install Application task sequence action without being deployed.
Click the Deployment Types tab and select Edit for the MSI Deployment Type. Amend the deployment name to Java Runtime Environment as shown below.
Select the Programs Tab and enter the information as shown below.
- Installation Program: msiexec /i “jre1.8.0_65.msi” /qn
- Uninstall Program: msiexec /x {26A24AE4-039D-4CA4-87B4-2F83218065F0} /qn
- Product Code: Click Browse and specify the MSI file from the source application directory
Select the Detection Method tab, and click Edit Clause for the MSI product clause. Select the second Radio box to make sure the MSI Product Code checks for a specific version of 8.0.650.17.
Click OK to close the Detection Rule screen.
Select the Requirements tab and amend the run time details to suit your needs. Click OK twice to close the Application properties.
Distribute Application
Distribute the Application to your Distribution Point/Distribution Point Group by selecting the Application and select Distribute Content.
Click Next on the wizard, click Add and select the appropriate Distribution Point/Groups. Click Next and Close to distribute the application files.
Deploy Application
You will now need to Deploy the Application to the your desired collection. I prefer to base my collections on Active Directory Security Groups – Click here for a quick blog on how this can be done in Powershell
Select the Application from the list and click Deploy
Click Next on the Content screen as you have already distributed the application.
Select the option to Required or Available for the Application.
- Available: Will Allow the user to choose to install the application. If this is being deployed to a Device Collection, the application will be visible in the Software Center. Applications which are deployed to User Collections can be viewed from the Application Catalogue, they are only shown in the Software Center once the user has requested the Application.
- Required: This will force the application on to the workstation within a given time period.
You can choose to make this application available after a specific date/time period. Click Next to leave as default.
The User Experience can be configured to display all notifications to the user or only show notifications for required restarts. I prefer to select Display in Software Center and show all notifications.
Select the required Alert level and click Next to complete.
The Java Runtime Environment application will now be made available to the ConfigMgr client. You can force the client to check in with SCCM and pick up new policies instead of waiting for the next Application Evaluation Cycle.
Launch Control Panel on the Users workstation and select Configuration Manager. Click the Actions tab and select Application Deployment Evaluation Cycle and click Run Now.
The application will now be listed in the Software Center (or the Application Catalogue if you deployed to a User Collection)
Adnan Iqbal 