As a consumer you would use the Windows 8 Store to get an application onto Windows 8 Consumer Preview.
The store is a great way to discover, try, buy (optional) and update applications.
But… if you are an Enterprise looking to get Metro applications onto your employees Windows 8 desktops then you will likely want to do it more directly.
Which is where “sideloading” fits in.
Technet has detailed documentation on Windows 8 Sideloading to add and remove line-of-business (LOB) Metro style apps
In brief:
- App must be cryptographically signed
- App can only be installed on a computer that trusts the signing certificate
- Group Policy must have the Allow all trusted applications to install setting.
- Computer must be domain joined to run the app (not needed for install)
At which point installing an app is as simple as
add-appxpackage C:\app1.appx
