Deploy, Manage and Update Java Runtime Environment in the Enterprise with System Center Configuration Manager and PowerShell

Java, or the Java Runtime Environment, is one of those applications that many Windows computers worldwide have installed. According to the Java website "97% of Enterprise Desktops Run Java" and "89% of Desktops (or Computers) in the U.S. Run Java" . If such figures can be believed, then deploying, updating and managing Java in an enterprise environment is of certain interest to IT administrators. Given the security concerns associated with Java and the frequency of new Java releases, IT administrators need to have a robust solution that allows new versions of Java to be deployed in a timely manner, control which version/s of Java are installed in your environment, and allows you to control the configuration of Java across all your machines. The purpose of this book is to demonstrate how Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager can be used to accomplish this. A 3rd-party patching solution for Configuration Manager can help with the deployment and updating of Java, however it is possible to build an efficient and reliable solution using native Configuration Manager capability, together with PowerShell. Each organization will have their own requirements for Java, but this guide presents a detailed, step-by-step demonstration of how Configuration Manager can be used to: 1. Deploy Java Runtime, 32-bit by default and 64-bit where required 2. Ensure that only the version you are deploying is installed, and remains installed across all your machines (exceptions permitted) 3. Ensure that Java is configured according to the security settings required in your environment, across all machines 4. Update Java to a new version in an easy-to-use, automated process As a bonus, we will also demonstrate a custom deployment report with Microsoft Excel that will allow easy, real-time monitoring of your Java deployments. The solution presented in this guide does not represent the only way to deploy Java using Configuration Manager and PowerShell, but it does demonstrate the capability of both to meet the business requirement.