This document discusses sideloading apps for Windows deployments. It provides information on the prerequisites for sideloading apps such as ensuring the app meets technical expectations and is signed. It also describes how to deploy sideloaded apps manually using PowerShell or for all users using DISM. The document discusses how to acquire and activate a product key to enable sideloading and lists tools that can be used to automate sideloading deployments such as Configuration Manager. It notes new sideloading enhancements in Windows 8.1 Update that enable sideloading for all Windows 8.1 Pro devices joined to a domain.

1. Side-Loading
- For Windows LOB deployments

2. Sideloading allows the installation
of apps without using the
Windows Store.

3. Deploying Sideloaded apps –
Pre-requisites
Preparing the app:
• Meets the base technical expectations that are validated by the Windows App Certification
Kit
• Is signed by a certification authority that is trusted on your PCs.
Preparing the PC/Tablet:
• The PC is domain joined.
• The group policy is set to Allow trusted apps to install.
• Setting the group policy to Allow trusted apps to install.
• Activating the product key for enterprise sideloading on each PC.

4. Deploying Sideloaded apps
Deploying the app: (manual)
• Deploy using Windows PowerShell cmdlet. (Single User)
add-appxpackage C:ContosoAppExpenseApp.appx
• Deploy using windows image (All Users)
Use the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command-line tool.
DISM /Add-ProvisionedAppxPackage /PackagePath:C:App1.appx /SkipLicense

5. Enable Sideloading: Via Product
Activation Key
Acquiring product activation key
• Activation key can be acquired from the MS volume licensing mechanism:
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/about-licensing/windows8-1.aspx
Add and Activate product key
• Add the sideloading product activation key to the device by running the following command
from an elevated command prompt (where <sideloading product key> is the 25-digit
sideloading product activation key):
Slmgr /ipk <sideloading product key>
• Activate the sideloading product activation key by running the following command from an
elevated command prompt:
Slmgr /ato ec67814b-30e6-4a50-bf7b-d55daf729d1e

6. Automating Edvelop
Deployment
Following MS Server side tools can be used for managing and automating the
deployment/Sideloading of Edvelop
• System Center 2012 Configuration Manager
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn613840.aspx
• Windows Intune
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn613839.aspx
• Microsoft Deployment Toolkit
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn613830.aspx
• Implement an Enterprise App Store
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn613838.aspx
Depending on costing of server tools, customer specific needs and Edvelop deployment strategy
any one of the above protocols can be used.

7. Windows 8.1 Update: Sideloading
Enhancements
• As part of Windows 8.1 Update, MicroSoft is enabling sideloading for all Windows
8.1 Pro devices that are joined to an Active Directory domain
• As of May 1, 2014 customers in the following Volume Licensing programs
(regardless of what product they purchase) will be granted Enterprise Sideloading
Rights and provided with a sideload key at no additional license cost.
• Also starting May 1, 2014, other customers who want to enable sideloading will be
able to purchase an Enterprise Sideloading key for $100 through the Open License
program. An unlimited number of devices can be enabled for sideloading using this
key.

8. References:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-in/library/windows/apps/jj657971.aspx
http://blogs.windows.com/itpro/2014/04/03/windows-8-1-update-sideloading-enhancements/

9. Thank You
Ashish Agrawal