Enterprise deployment of Chrome extension on locke

Question

For enterprise-installed Chrome extensions on Windows, is there any alternative deployment methodology which does NOT fetch the extension from the Chrome web store? Situation is that some enterprises use a locked-down network with no external internet access, and will not allow access to public Google URL from which to fetch the extension.

Does anyone have any experience with Chrome browser plus extension deployments on Microsoft App-V?

Answer 1

Absolutely, it's possible. Though it requires a computer connected to a Domain.

Enterprise-installed extensions do NOT have to be hosted on Chrome Web Store.

Enterprise deployment happens with a ExtensionInstallForcelist policy. It's a list of ID + update URL pairs, and for enterprise installs it does not have to be a Web Store URL.

Update URL should point to an XML file served somewhere on your isolated network. The format of the update manifest file is explained here. Again, the path to the actual CRX does not have to point to the Web Store.

P.S. The files (update XML and CRX) don't even have to be served over HTTP(S), they can be local files or SMB-served files.