Sideloading your Windows 8 store applications in an enterprise – the short story

By default, the thinking behind Windows 8 store application ("Modern UI") distribution and sales is that everything goes through the global app store hosted by Microsoft. While this is great for consumer-oriented applications, there are plenty of options and possibilities for enterprise application distribution.

Overall, these enterprise features center around something called sideloading. Defined shortly, sideloading means that enterprises can distribute custom Windows 8 store applications to their users. This, however, has some requirements: the client computers must be joined to an Active Directory (AD) domain (this rules out Windows RT tablets, but see also below), and that the client operating system must be Windows 8 Enterprise. Lesser Windows 8 editions won't do.

Last but not least, the case of Windows RT tablets. Since these devices cannot be joined to a domain (this isn't currently supported on ARM based devices), enterprises wishing to distribute their custom applications to Windows RT devices must purchase something called an Enterprise Sideloading License.

These license are currently sold through the following Microsoft SKUs:

• J7S-00005: WinSdLdH 8 SNGL OLP 100Lic NL Qlfd EntSideload
• J7S-00002: WinSdLdH 8 SNGL OLP 100Lic NL Acdmc Qlfd EntSideload

At this writing, these licenses are sold in quantities of 100 (no smaller amounts exist), and the cost is roughly USD $3000 per 100 licenses. Make sure to check the latest pricing from your reseller/Microsoft partner, as these change rapidly.

Technically speaking, custom application sideloading can be done through the DISM image manipulation tool, or the add-appxpackage PowerShell command. This way, you can already allow the user to see your custom applications when the first log in to their new PCs.

Hope this helps!