App Distribution

App distribution is available as part of the Ivanti Neurons for Healing solution, which is licensed separately.

App distribution helps you deploy Windows applications. App distribution uses the Ivanti Neurons agent and does not require MDM enrollment.

App distribution focuses on deploying desktop applications that are installed through .exe or .msi files, rather than apps distributed through a store like the Microsoft Store. App distribution works especially well with applications that require customized detection and installation steps. App distribution leverages Ivanti's advanced distribution technologies, such as peer download and bandwidth throttling.

There are three main app distribution areas:

  • App catalog: Create packages for the apps you want to deploy, configure the app installation process, select who should receive the app, and set the deployment timing.
  • App configuration: Specify common package settings.
  • Deployment status: Track deployment progress and results.

App distribution requires an agent component on devices that you plan to target. It is not enabled by default. If you target a device that does not have this component, that device will return an "App distribution not enabled in device agent policy" distribution status message.

To enable the app distribution capability on devices

  1. Select Agents > Agent Policies.
  2. Select Create Policy.
    The Policy details page appears.
    Alternatively, you can edit an existing policy. To do this, click on the required policy name in the list, the Policy details page appears, click the Edit button.
  3. In the Capabilities section, select App Distribution.
  4. Click Create Policy or Save.
  5. Make sure the devices you want to target with app distribution are using the updated agent policy.

It is easy to quickly install an app on a specific device from the Devices page.

To install an app on a device
  1. Open the Devices page.
  2. Find the device you want to target and select it.
  3. From the Actions panel on the right, select Install app. This option is visible when the device has the app distribution agent capability installed.
  4. Select the apps you want to install and select Install. Apps will install immediately if the device is available.

In the Device page, use the Software > Assigned apps tab to see all apps assigned to that device. This tab is visible when the device has the app distribution agent capability installed.

App distribution components use the following timings.

App distribution targeting service (part of the Ivanti Neurons Platform)

  • New on-demand assignment; new app distribution package that has targets; new or updated distribution targets message received: Real-time.
  • Resolve all app distribution targeting data: Every six hours.
  • Resolution of Ivanti Neurons and LDAP groups: Once a day. When a previously unused group is first used in an app distribution, it will be resolved immediately.
  • Check for Ivanti Neurons deleted or renamed devices and groups: Once a day.

App distribution client

  • Check all apps: Every four hours.
  • Cache cleanup: Every 12 hours. Files that have not been created or modified within the last seven days are deleted.
  • Reboot: Timing determined by agent reboot policy settings. In-progress app distribution installs resume automatically after the reboot request is fulfilled.

This feature migrates these Endpoint Manager package types and converts them into Ivanti Neurons apps:

  • MSI
  • EXE
  • Batch
  • PowerShell
  • Windows actions

In Endpoint Manager, you can right-click a software distribution package and export it as an XML-formatted .ldms file. This exported file is just the package definition and it does not include any of the package download files, such as installers.

When you migrate an exported Endpoint Manager package, Ivanti Neurons parses the .ldms file and creates a corresponding app for you. This new app will have pre-populated download and execute actions where applicable that you can modify.

If the package payload files were publicly accessible, the migrated paths should still work. If the payload files were on internal shares or sites, you will need to verify and fix the download action's payload paths. The download action will automatically include download links for the main package file and any additional package files.

In the case of exported Windows action packages, the migration will automatically recreate individual action steps for you. Windows action packages can have many individual steps, so this can save a lot of time.

Only actions that are supported in Ivanti Neurons will be migrated, such as file, registry, and reboot operations.

To migrate an Endpoint Manager package

  1. In Endpoint Manager's Tools > Distribution > Distribution packages tool, right-click one or more packages you want to migrate and select Export. If you select multiple packages at once, they all will be exported to a single file. Save the exported file in a location that your Ivanti Neurons browser session can access.
  2. In Ivanti Neurons, select App distribution > App catalog.
  3. Select Import EPM package.
  4. Select the Choose file button and browse for the exported .ldms package you want to migrate.
  5. Select Upload.
  6. After the import completes, select View the migrated package install steps and modify the imported packages if necessary.