In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to deploy Cisco Jabber using SCCM (Configuration Manager). We will download the latest version of the Cisco Jabber MSI installer and deploy it to Windows devices using Configuration Manager.
Cisco Jabber delivers instant messaging, voice and video calls, voice messaging, desktop sharing, conferencing, and presence. You can also use Jabber for group chat within an organization.
The Cisco Jabber client may be installed in bulk on Windows devices using SCCM, Microsoft Intune, and Group Policy. Of course, manual installation is an option if you have a few devices in the setup.
The Configuration Manager makes it easier to deploy the Jabber client application, and silent install and uninstall commands are also available. For businesses that prefer to install the Cisco Jabber on endpoints without user inputs, the silent installation is useful.
What is the difference between Cisco Jabber and Webex?
Cisco owns both Jabber and Webex, but there are differences between the two. Webex combines calling, meeting, and messaging modes of collaboration to provide a seamless, engaging, inclusive, and intelligent experience. Cisco Jabber, on the other hand, is a unified communications tool that allows businesses to communicate via instant messaging, voice and video calls, voice messaging, and web conferencing.
Cisco Jabber end of support
Cisco has not announced the end of Jabber client development yet. Jabber may be replaced as the Webex app becomes more robust, but for the moment, it is still required. The Jabber product continues to be available under the A-FLEX and A-FLEX-3 models as an option. Learn how to deploy Cisco Webex using SCCM.
Download Cisco Jabber MSI Installer for Windows
The latest version of Cisco Jabber can be obtained from the WebEx website. The application is available for macOS, Linux, and Windows operating systems.
You can download the offline MSI installer for Cisco Jabber by visiting the following link. Save CiscoJabberSetup.msi to the ‘Sources‘ folder for deployment using SCCM.
Thanks to Cisco for providing the Jabber MSI installer for Windows, which simplifies application deployment with SCCM and Intune. Enterprise MSI installers make deployment easier by using appropriate setup commands and detection methods.
Along with the application, you can download an icon for Jabber and use it during application packaging. This icon will appear along with the Jabber application in Software Center for users.
In the screenshot below, we have two files added to a folder for the deployment. That’s all we need.
- CiscoJabberSetup.msi
- ciscojabbericon.png
Cisco Jabber Silent install and uninstall commands
When you use the Cisco Jabber MSI installer to carry out the deployment in SCCM, the installer itself provides the installation and uninstall commands. The product code of the installer will be used as a detection method in SCCM.
Cisco Jabber Silent Install
To silently install Cisco Jabber, use the following install command:
msiexec /i "CiscoJabberSetup.msi" /q
Cisco Jabber Silent Uninstall
To silently uninstall Cisco Jabber, use the following uninstall command:
msiexec /x {914DA11B-2C6D-45D1-AA29-0BFEFAEDD803} /q
Note: The uninstallation command uses the product code of the MSI installer and this product code may vary. So make sure you use the correct product code. You can retrieve the product code from the registry.
Create Cisco Jabber Application in SCCM
Perform the following steps to create a new application for Cisco Jabber in the SCCM console:
- Launch the Configuration Manager console.
- Go to Software Library > Overview > Application Management.
- Right-click Applications and select Create Application.
In the General tab of the Create Application Wizard, ensure the application type is Windows Installer (*.msi file). For location, specify the Jabber Client MSI installer path and click Next.
The Configuration Manager reads the application information from the Jabber Windows Installer file. We see the product code is populated from the setup file. Click Next.
Application name: Cisco Jabber
Publisher:
Software version:
Deployment type name: Cisco Jabber - Windows Installer (*.msi file)
Product Code: {914DA11B-2C6D-45D1-AA29-0BFEFAEDD803}
Installation behavior: Install for system
Content location: \corpcm\sources\Applications\Jabber\
Number of files: 2
Content files:
ciscojabbericon.png
CiscoJabberSetup.msi
In the General Information page, specify the details of the Jabber client application. The setup command is automatically read from the MSI installer, so you don’t need to enter anything for the installation program. Set the application installation behavior to Install for System. Click Next.
Review the Cisco Jabber application settings on the Summary page and click Next. On the completion window, click Close. This completes the procedure to create Cisco Jabber application in SCCM.
Add icon for Jabber client application
You should find the new Jabber application listed under Applications in the SCCM console. Let’s assign an icon to this application. To specify the icon for the Jabber client, right-click the application and select Properties. In the app properties window, click Software Center tab. At the bottom, click on Browse, select the Jabber icon and click Apply and OK.
Deploy Cisco Jabber using SCCM
We will now deploy the Jabber client using SCCM to a device collection. You can also create a device collection and include a set of devices for testing the application deployment.
Refer to the below guides to create device collections in SCCM for Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices.
To deploy the Cisco Jabber application in the SCCM console, go to Software Library > Application Management > Application. Right-click the Jabber app and select Deploy.
On the General page of the Deploy Software Wizard, click Browse and select a device collection to which you want to deploy the Cisco Jabber application. Click Next.
On the Content page, click the Add button and specify the distribution points to which you would like to distribute the Jabber client application content. You may also select distribution point groups. Click next to continue.
On the Deployment Settings window, specify the settings to control the deployment. Select the Action as Install and Purpose as Available. Learn the difference between Available and Required deployment in SCCM. Click Next.
Complete the remaining steps of the deployment software wizard and close it.
The Jabber application is now distributed to the DP and the client machines should now have the application listed in the Software Center. This completes the steps for deploying the Cisco Jabber MSI application using Configuration Manager.
Test Jabber Client installation on Windows Computers
In this section, we will verify if the Cisco Jabber deployment is successful on Windows devices. Log in to a client computer and launch the software center. Click on the Applications tab and select the Cisco Jabber application.
On the application details page, click Install. The Jabber application is now downloaded from the local distribution point server for installation.
You can review the application installation progress using AppEnforce.log. To know the location of this file and other files, refer to the SCCM log files.
Matched exit code 0 to a Success entry in the exit codes table confirms that the Jabber application has been installed successfully.
We also tested the Cisco Jabber application uninstallation, and it worked flawlessly.
That’s it for this tutorial. If you need any clarification, ask me in the comments section.
