Version Control for Email Clients via GPO and WSUS

Server Administration Center and Email Client Version Control

The Server Administration Center does not provide direct functions for installing email clients with specific versions, however there are other effective methods for version control through Group Policy, WSUS, and specialized deployment tools.

Table of Contents

• Server Administration Center and its Capabilities
• Group Policy as the Primary Method for Version Control
• WSUS for Software Version Management
• Deploying Outlook with Version Control
• Deploying Thunderbird with Version Control
• Alternative Version Management Methods
• Practical Recommendations

Server Administration Center and its Capabilities

The Server Administration Center is a modern web interface for managing Windows Server, however its functionality in the area of software deployment with version control is limited. The main capabilities of the administration center include:

• Management of Windows Server roles and components
• Monitoring of server status
• Basic user and group management
• Network and security configuration

For software deployment with version control, the server administration center does not provide specialized tools. Instead, it is recommended to use more specialized solutions such as Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) or Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

Important: The Server Administration Center is a convenient tool for general administration tasks, but for software version management, specialized tools are required.

Group Policy as the Primary Method for Version Control

Group Policy is the most powerful and flexible tool for deploying email clients with specific versions in Active Directory environments. Main approaches to using Group Policy for version control:

Deploying MSI Packages through GPO

For deploying specific versions of email clients, the software installation mechanism through group policy is used. The process includes the following steps:

1. Preparing installation packages in a shared network location
2. Creating a GPO for software deployment
3. Configuring installation parameters and version control

# Example of GPO configuration for Outlook deployment
New-GPDeployment -Name "Outlook 2021 Deployment" 
    -Path "\\server\share\outlook2021.msi" 
    -Target "OU=Workstations,DC=domain,DC=com"

Version Control Parameters

Group Policy allows controlling the following aspects of versions:

• Mandatory deployment - forced installation of the specified version
• Update - automatic updating to a new version
• Uninstall - removal of incompatible versions
• Blockers - blocking the use of unsupported versions

According to Microsoft documentation, Group Policy provides flexible capabilities for managing the software lifecycle in a corporate environment.

WSUS for Software Version Management

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a specialized tool for managing updates and software version control in a corporate environment.

WSUS Configuration for Email Client Version Control

The WSUS setup process includes:

1. Installing and configuring the WSUS server
2. Synchronizing available updates
3. Creating computer groups for target deployment
4. Approving updates for specific versions

As noted in the Microsoft documentation, WSUS provides additional control over Windows update policies and allows for managing deployment schedules and configuration flexibility.

Benefits of Using WSUS

• Centralized update management
• Control over update deployment
• Ability to roll back to previous versions
• Compliance reporting

Deploying Outlook with Version Control

For Microsoft Outlook, there are several approaches to deployment with version control:

New Outlook Deployment Strategy

Microsoft recommends parallel installation of the new and classic Outlook for organizations using specific features:

• Full .pst support in classic Outlook
• Integrated email features in Word
• People picker and @mentions in Office applications
• Share To feature in Windows

Outlook Version Control Policies

Through Group Policy, you can configure:

• Migration policies - controlled transition to the new version
• Installation parameters - selection of specific version for deployment
• Version blocking - preventing the use of unsupported versions

Example GPO Configuration for Outlook

# Creating a GPO for deploying a specific Outlook version
New-GPRegistryValue -Name "Outlook Version Control"
    -Key "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Outlook"
    -ValueName "DisableVersionCheck"
    -Type DWORD -Value 0

Deploying Thunderbird with Version Control

Mozilla Thunderbird, although not an official Microsoft 365 client, can also be deployed with version control through corporate tools.

Thunderbird Deployment Features

Main features of Thunderbird version control:

• Versioning - ability to install specific versions
• Profiles - managing user profiles to preserve settings
• Plugins - control of installed extensions

Configuration through Group Policy

Although Thunderbird does not have built-in GPO support, there are workarounds:

• Deployment through MSI packages
• Using logic scripts for version checking
• Configuring profiles through corporate templates

Important: As noted in the documentation, Thunderbird is not an officially supported email client for Microsoft 365, which may create additional complications during deployment.

Alternative Version Management Methods

In addition to Group Policy and WSUS, there are other effective methods for email client version control:

Microsoft Configuration Manager

Microsoft Configuration Manager (SCCM) provides extended capabilities:

• Software lifecycle management
• Compliance data collection
• Automatic update and version rollback
• Detailed deployment reports

PowerShell Scripts

PowerShell allows for flexible solutions for version control:

# Example script for checking and installing required Outlook version
function Install-OutlookVersion {
    param([string]$RequiredVersion = "16.0.17029.20008")
    
    $currentVersion = (Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Outlook").DisplayVersion
    
    if ($currentVersion -ne $RequiredVersion) {
        Start-Process "\\server\share\outlook_$RequiredVersion.msi" -Wait
    }
}

Specialized Deployment Tools

Tools like Advanced Installer provide specialized capabilities for deployment through GPO, including version control and installation parameters.

Practical Recommendations

Optimal Strategy for Email Client Version Control

Based on analysis of available tools, the following approach is recommended:

1. For Outlook: Use Group Policy with Microsoft migration policies
2. For Thunderbird: Deployment through MSI packages with subsequent version checking
3. For all clients: Implement WSUS for automatic security updates

Steps for Implementing Version Control

1. Audit current installations - determine the email client versions in use
2. Prepare installation packages - collect required versions in a shared location
3. Create GPO - configure deployment policies
4. Testing - deployment on a test group of computers
5. Phased implementation - sequential deployment across the entire infrastructure

Monitoring and Support

After implementing version control, it is necessary to:

• Regularly check for compliance
• Update policies when new versions become available
• Provide support to users when issues arise
• Maintain deployment and change logs

Conclusion

In summary, the server administration center does not provide direct functions for email client version control, however there are effective alternative solutions:

1. Group Policy is the primary tool for deploying software with version control in Active Directory environments, allowing for mandatory installation of required email client versions.

2. WSUS provides centralized update management and control over the software lifecycle, which is especially important for security and compliance.

3. Specialized tools such as Microsoft Configuration Manager and PowerShell scripts provide additional capabilities for flexible version control and deployment.

4. Different email clients require different approaches: Outlook is better deployed through official Microsoft policies, while Thunderbird requires more flexible solutions through MSI packages and scripts.

5. Phased implementation and monitoring are key factors for successful version control, allowing for risk minimization and ensuring smooth transitions between versions.

It is recommended to combine multiple methods to achieve an optimal balance between version control, deployment flexibility, and minimized administrative overhead.

Sources

1. Use Group Policy to remotely install software - Windows Server | Microsoft Learn
2. Group Policy Planning and Deployment Guide | Microsoft Learn
3. Deploy updates using Windows Server Update Services | Microsoft Learn
4. Configure Windows Update client policies via Group Policy | Microsoft Learn
5. Deployment overview for the new Outlook for Windows | Microsoft Learn
6. Deploying an MSI through GPO | Advanced Installer
7. Office 365 email setup for Thunderbird - University of Texas
8. How to Configure Thunderbird for Microsoft 365 Using IMAP (Oauth2) | Stanford University
9. Thunderbird Setup 2025: Configure Outlook IMAP Email Easily | TechyDen
10. Creating a GPO software distribution | Broadcom