Monday, September 1, 2014

Outlook 2013 Deployment Methods

Microsoft Outlook 2013 is the software giant’s flagship email management software, which is bundled with Microsoft Office 2013. The latest version of the email client application, Outlook 2013, helps to organize your email messages, calendars, contacts, tasks, and to-do-lists, just as its predecessors. Outlook help and support team highlights that all such options are further advanced in the latest edition.

Compared to previous editions, Microsoft Outlook 2013 is more modern, advanced, and comes with the metro-ized interface. It offers a flattened look, which goes with the Windows 8 design language, and is easy to use on touch screen devices. Another interesting aspect you would notice is the fact that the whole application is monochromatic. Apart from the occasional colored accents, you will find more of white and gray, improving the people view.

Now, coming to Office 2013 deployment, there are two options for that. The first option might be the most familiar one, as it uses the Windows installer based deployment method. The other deployment method is named Click-to-Run. However, Outlook help and support team highlights that this method is only available to Microsoft Office 365 subscribers.

Microsoft provides Office 365 subscribers with a self-service portal in which Outlook is installed through a streaming installation across the Internet. Click-to-Run deployments do not require any administrative action. The initiation of the deployment is up to the user. The entire deployment happens automatically, but there are a few disadvantages to this type of deployment as well.

The main issue with Click-to-Run deployment is that it can prove to be quite intensive to bandwidth. The deployment process makes use of streaming to minimize the bandwidth consumption. But, when a user initiates installation, deployment files are needed to be downloaded, and every time, even if another user recently downloaded the files.

Another issue with the option is that it does not provide administrators much control over the deployment process. For instance, users with administrator rights may need to control the languages used in an Office deployment, or include Office as a standardized desktop image. But there is no provision for that here.

There is another alternative offered by Microsoft, an on-premises deployment option for Office 365 customers. Those who wish to perform a Click-to-Run deployment can download this Office Deployment tool. This tool allows administrators to download a copy of Office 2013, customize it to fit your organization’s requirements, and then deploy it from an on-premises distribution point. Another method to do that is to include Office 2013 in a deployment image. This deployment type provides much better administrative controls.

That sums up the story on Office 2013 deployment. If you need any assistance with the same, contact our tech support team right away.

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