WCL290: App-V 5.0 What’s New

This was a great session on the new enhancements in App-V 5.0. The App-V 5.0 beta is now out, so you can give in a spin around the virtual block. Immediately you will see that both the admin console (which is now a web page) and the client feature the Metro UI. Under the covers there are a lot of changes, and will really help you if you are using App-V with VDI. One of the biggest changes is that no longer does App-V use the Q drive, or any drive, for that matter! Also gone is the 4GB package size limit, and full PowerShell support. If you are using App-V 4.6 or looking at virtualizing applications, you must check out the beta.

Full Session notes:

• Session Agenda
  • Managing App-V 5.0
  • Virtual Application Connection
  • Virtual Application Execution
  • Shared Content Store
• Server App-V just released (see MMS 2012 presentation for more details)
• App-V 5.0 beta is now out so go check it out
• App-V 5.0 Pillars
  • Integrated Platform
    • Virtual applications work like installed applications – Virus scans now work
    • Virtual applications use Windows standards
    • No dedicated letter required
  • Flexible Virtualization
    • Multiple App-V applications can share the same environment
    • Designed to support highly integrated applications
    • Preserve existing investment in App-V
  • Powerful Management
    • New web-based management interface
    • Optimized for VDI with one work flow for updating the shared content cache
    • Rich PowerShell scripting allows automation and customization
• Key Changes between 4.6 and 5.0
  • 4.6: Uses dedicated drive letter (Q drive), 5.0: no more dedicated drive
  • 4.6: 4GB package limit, 5.0: no more 4GB limit
  • 4.6: Isolated from local applications, 5.0: Virtual application extension (OS talk to native apps)
  • 4.6: Share middleware with dynamic suite composition, 5.0: Share peer applications with virtual application connection
  • 4.6 Read-only shared cache supports VDI, 5.0: Shared content cache can be updated with normal workflow (no more hoops to jump though)
  • 4.6: limited command-line scripting, 5.0: Rich PowerShell scripting for sequencer, client and server
  • 4.6: installed management console, 5.0: web based console (built on Silverlight)
• App-V 5.0 Packaging
  • New package format
  • Similar UI to 4.6 SP1 but very different under the covers
  • Easily convert 4.5+ packages to the new format (done through PowerShell)
  • New file extension (.appv)
• App-V 5.0 Dynamic Configuration
  • Modifies a Package’s Virtual environment
    • Virtual subsystem overrides
    • Disable virtual subsystems
    • Script support
  • Dynamic Configuration Types
    • Dynamic deployment configuration
    • Dynamic User configuration
    • Can combine
  • No package update is needed
    • Modify existing package content
    • Add to an existing package
• Deployment and User Configuration
  • Deployment configuration – File you apply to the package and it applies to all of the users.
  • User Configuration – Affect the user on the machine, per user per package. Uses the same package file, but different configuration file.
• Virtual Application Connection
  • Creates virtual bubbles that applications can share, such as apps with complicated dependencies
  • Examples include Word and Visio. Now you can edit a Visio diagram in Word.
  • Easily create application connections with in the management GUI. No package changes are needed.
  • A package can be in multiple package groups (e.g. Java)
  • Configuration is separate from the packages (XML file)
  • System Center 2012 SP1 will fully support App-V 5.0
  • Fully manageable with PowerShell
• Virtual Application Extension
  • Extension point is registered natively with Windows
  • Global visibility – native to virtual, virtual to virtual
  • Supported Subsystems:
    • Shortcuts
    • File Type Association
    • AppPath
    • URL protocols
    • Software clients
    • COM local servers
  • No configuration to get this to work (e.g. click on a link in IE to automatically open Outlook using the URL mail protocol hook)
  • Best Practices
    • Is the interaction well defined? Does the OS of a native application need to interact with the Virtual Application?
    • Application connection – Use for virtual-to-virtual
• Shared Content Store
  • Store applications centrally
  • Save disk space in VDI/RDS
  • Applications are excluded from the shared store
  • Applications can be updated per the usual process