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VMware ThinApp Deployment Guide PDF

1. ware ThinApp g system resources and functions to the virtualized application allowing full a seamless user experience while still encapsulating the appl ication s files registry entries COM ActiveX controls and services in a portable container for use across multiple operating system S Benefits VMware ThinApp s technology provides many benefits to end users and the IT organization The following list summarizes primary benefits realized by our customers e Eliminate Application Conflicts Enable incompatible applications to run without conflicts on the same system The entire application installation is contained in a single ThinApp package that is isolated from the operating system and other applications e Reduce Cost of Packaging and Deploying Applications Organizations can greatly reduce the complexity and cost of the packaging and regression test cycle because once an application has been packaged using ThinApp the application is encapsulated into a container capable of running on a variety of Windows operating systems Applications can be executed and updated from a central location allowing for turnkey application update and delivery e Agentless Application Delivery Applications can be run on end user systems without the need for application install administrative rights pre installed agents or component dependencies Net Framework Java JRE The application package contains all the necessary applicatio
2. 22 Procedural Discussion Choosing an Execution Mode One of the decision points for virtualizing applications with VMware ThinApp is to choose which delivery model is appropriate for user groups and applications There are two primary options of application delivery one is the streamed mode of execution and two is the deployed mode Both of these options have requirements and benefits that are listed below A hybrid approach is acceptable as well Determine the appropriate execution mode for each application and user group Streamed Execution Mode The streamed mode of execution will often be the best option for environments that are centralized and desktops are always online In streamed mode the application is launched from a shortcut on the start menu or desktop on the local workstation and then streamed into memory as the application requests files and registry The details of ThinApp Streaming were discussed earlier in this guide Requirements The user must always have access to the central network location where the applications reside Recommendations The storage location that hosts the applications should be made highly available such that the physical uptime of either the host or storage device does not impact the environment The use of any number of SAN DFS or file replication technologies is sufficient to accomplish the objective of making the file share highly available and redundant The path through the network b
3. APPDATA variable to a pre defined location such as the Home Drive See the example below 96HOMEDRIVE9696HOMEPA TH96NWINDOWSNAPPDATA Application Update Providing application updates can be necessary to either provide additional application functionality for end users or to comply with administratively prescribed updates to software When packaging applications it is necessary to decide if the responsibility to package the application rests with the user or the administrator Users who self update virtualized applications will incorporate the application changes directly into the applications sandbox which may increase the size significantly If a user self updates an application then those settings also may interfere with future updates provided by the administrator Terminology AppLink Application Link is a feature that connects dependent application packages at runtime This allows the administrator to build relationships between packages in order to package deploy and 27 update component pieces in separate ThinApp packages rather than using Setup Capture to package all needed components into a single executable Application Sync The Application Sync feature is a setting that initiates the pull of a differential update package from a central http web service or UNC location The interval for polling for updates and the location of the http service or fileshare is configurable along with other settings in the Package ini fil
4. IE Mware ThinApp Setu Figure 4 Select Entry Point Primary Data Container and Inventory Name AO Sih 11 08 PM 10 Specify the inventory name that ThinApp uses for internal tracking of the application in the Package ini file ThinApp uses the inventory name during the update process with the Application Sync utility and also for identification in the Add Remove Programs control panel applet which is often queried by software deployment solutions for inventory purposes 11 Optional Select the Active Directory groups that you want to authorize for access to the application 12 Click Add e To specify objects click Object Types e To specify a location in the forest click Locations e To search object names enter the names according to the examples in the dialog box e Tolocate user names in the Active Directory forest click Advanced and use the Common Queries tab to search for groups according to names descriptions disabled accounts passwords and days since the last login For example you might restrict access to an application to ensure users do not pass it to unauthorized users r a My Computer 27 Mware ThinApp Setup Capture Version 4 0 1 2866 r Active Directory groups authorized to use this package By default every user is authorized Delete Access denied message You are not currently authorized to run this application Please contact your Administrator r Sandbox location Mozi
5. E E A AEAEE E AEE 10 Entry PONTS ER 10 Procedural DISCUSSION C 10 Overview of the Setup Capture Process cssssssssssssssssssssssssssssscecsssssacacscsscsescssscecessasacecessssacacscesecsaees 10 Modifying Isolation Modes eee eee eee cente teen teta tota totas sette neenon en estne n tatnen en enents sata tas 19 Modifying Settings in the Package ini File eere eee eee esee ee eene nene n ento tatnen intanto tan 19 Edit THE Package ini File ssicsccecesscececsstssescesevsiescsdesessenscasosssdsoscebsessasededesesnscsdvsesoasseuedsestessdebeseseb sdetstersoss ebse 20 Modifying Settings in the Attributes ini File eeeeee eee eee ee etse entente ennt tn tata tota tont 20 Editthe Attribut s ini File sic ccccccccscscscccscus sdessecsascectoecesedocesuencaseccenstosessaccsastscssuncoassasderecesosesensdsestareedsess 21 RECOMMENA S PractlCeS sssss seassssssavsnsesnevasnssensveasdesasappadtnsassesdoasuawassenuonadeaenivastanesgneanasans 21 Creation of the Package Digest ssssscssscscecssesscesscesecesecesecssesssessssssesssesssesesesesessececesscessceseceseceseces 21 Control Access to Project Directories ssssccsssesssssesssesessscsesssessscssssssssssesscesesssesecesecssececesecesecesessseees 21 Prune Project Before Build to Minimize Package Size eese eeee eee eene eene ente en tatnen 22 Use
6. a Clean Operating System for Setup Capture eerie enses esses ete eten een en ones snos ones entnenes 22 Application Deployment eeeeeeeee eese eene eene teen enne eneesessenseeesseses 22 T rmino loty cueste one tu oie venie eeano iD Cete EES DA I Toe e dart IN REA INDE dE 22 EXECUTION Mode 22 III 22 Procedural DISCUSSION e 23 Choosing an Execution Mode isiccceessscasssssecsssesesssscsosnsscbesessedseessoseieiedectsoodassssosabesssansebecesssbeniaesieivessseoses 23 Choosing a Sandbox Location esssssessessesscescsssosscssesscoscsseossessessoosessssseoscessossesseseossessesseoscesesssossessossossesse 24 Desktop Integration Mechanism s eee esee eere eese nente enean tana tone ta tota totes sette ne sensn enenene 24 Control NGA sm 25 Recommended Practices wisscevssssciscscsasteteesesnssscsesstedsouieetsasAsteccaclessvsainderivessisesoacenassineaiers 26 Discovery arid INVENTO y ssccccdcsccisestosscnsaseSascerssenvonssccotecesisasudscacashessesconssonessusesdeusessusvsaedesecesetecosoneoadsegsesastes 26 Application Monitoring and Host Security Software ssessessssscssesscescsssosscscesecoscsscossoscsseossessessoosesse 26 Environment Specific Configuration eee ee eene eee eene en ent tntntntota totas sete te
7. a ready to run read only exe format The packaged exe is compressed and encrypted to protect the virtualized application from tampering or modification Additionally the package can be placed in an MSI wrapper for native integration with software deployment tools The MSI wrapper includes the packaged exe the Thinreg tool and the msi database condensed into one file for ease of deployment The package is transportable and simply requires a supported operating system to run the application unless specific access control has been configured into the package by the administrator The package is most often named after the application such as Mozilla Firefox Exe Isolation Mode The term so ation Mode describes the degree of isolation between the virtualized application and the files folders and registry of the local operating system Administrators use Isolation Mode settings to define which resources of the local operating system are visible to the virtualized application Isolation Mode settings by default are inherited down through a folder and registry structure Administrators have granular control to define the appropriate isolation mode settings for each folder and registry sub tree The three values for Isolation Modes are Merged Write copy and Full The following is a link to the online help file which provides further details on Isolation Mode settings http www vmware com support pubs thinapp pubs html Sandbox The sandbox is
8. a user specific folder created for each virtualized application that holds run time changes to the virtualized registry folders and files The virtualized application maintains the sandbox and utilizes isolation mode settings to determine when to write changes to the sandbox or to the local operating system The sandbox is located by default in the user s AppData location If folder redirection or roaming profiles are in use then the sandbox simply follows that path The sandbox folder location is configurable such that it can be located centrally for users to access their application settings from multiple devices Entry Points Entry points are user accessible starting points for virtualized applications or natively installed applications for use by virtualized applications Entry points by default correspond to the executables detected during the Setup Capture process and chosen by the administrator to make available to the end user as an entry point into the virtualized application Procedural Discussion The setup capture process requires the following components as part of a packaging environment that can be used repeatedly for the Capture and Build phase e VMware ThinApp software installed locally or accessible via a network location For your convenience VMware makes ThinApp available to customers for a 60 day evaluation period at http www vmware com go trythinapp e Aclean operating system image either physical or virtual with m
9. ini file 29 AppLink Application Link is a feature provided with VMware ThinApp that allows the administrator to build relationships between packages Administrators should understand this capability and use this function to create modular packages that link together rather than creating fewer larger packages that will be more difficult to distribute and update You can use Application Link to create relationships to local or remote application packages which contain components or dependencies for the originating application package Create links between packages for the following scenarios e Link runtime components such as NET JRE or ODBC drivers with dependent applications For example you can link NET to an application even if the local machine for the application does not allow for the installation of NET or already has a different version of NET e Package and deploy application specific components and plug ins separately from the base application For example you might separate Adobe Flash Player or Adobe Reader from a base Firefox application and link the components To Create an Application Link between Packages Follow the process below to set up the link You can also use nested links between multiple packages or create a link to a directory using a wildcard to establish links to all components in that directory 1 Create the package with the component that you want to link build the package as an ex
10. neenon enenen enne 26 Application Update tert tiet eaaet aoo tina nero etae serta ien ove inuitus 7 TAM iia 27 hoec 27 Application AKAWA PEN 28 SB MEGA M M H ME 28 Procedural DISCUSSION c soiis 28 Packaging Updates and Modifications eee ee ee eee eee eeee tete tentes senes enenentnenea ene nen ene 28 Deploying Updates s es sionerien neern aSr ease sea aeeoa e reus ea uecbsestoesobuel ausce esbpusesessesepseosdsepedeesetsesten 28 Recommended Practices then iore FREE trek epe dE YE UR eR EM SOY T ERE 30 Use Application Link to Compartmentalize Updates eeeeee eese eere eere te ee en eren tata enean 30 Use Application Self Updating Sparingly eee eee eee esee entente teet n tnos enenenenenen 30 Additional Resources s s s s eeeee 2 1 About TIE AU rnas manina na EASA AAEE EEEN OO 31 ACKNOWIEAGEMENS cccccsscisecseccssccscscesccosascencuedsudesssssacsectescstscssactsesscesieseetsensssosadoesessacisesdsesaesedbsdessseocetbeeshtoess 31 About this Guide This document provides guidance for customers seeking to package and deploy applications efficiently with VMware ThinApp It addresses most relevant deployment considerations but does not provide comprehensive detail Please see th
11. on the target machine b Select the primary data container the file that will store the virtual files and registry information from the list based on the selected entry points e If the size of the container is smaller than 200MB ThinApp creates a exe file as the primary container For a small application such as Firefox any exe file can serve as the main data container e If the size of the container is larger than 200MB ThinApp creates a separate dat file as the primary container because Microsoft Windows does not show shortcut icons stored in large exe files ThinApp generates small exe files along with the dat file to store the icons for Windows to display LA E My Computer 27 YMware ThinApp Setup Capture Version 4 0 1 2866 Select user accessible entry points Special entry points These are links to existing applications on the target operating system For debugging and testing only Not meant to be used as virtual applications Chrisie ZProgramFilesDir Mozilla Firefox tirefox exe Dg Mozilla Firefox Saf ProgramFilesDir Mozilla Firefox firefox exe safe mode De crashreporter exe ProgramFilesDir M ozilla Firefosscrashreporter exe Dg firefox exe ProgramFilesDir M ozilla Firefox firefox exe undater exe ProaramFilesDir Mozilla Firefox updater exe Fa Mozilla Firefox Primary data container Mozilla Firefox exe ad Inventory name Mozila Firefox 3 0 5 coren A start CICE E amp
12. system before the application is installed Purchase or evaluation of VMware ThinApp includes a licensed copy of VMware Workstation for this purpose e VMware ThinApp software installed locally or accessible via a network location For your convenience VMware makes ThinApp available to customers for a 60 day evaluation period at the following location http www vmware com go trythinapp e Application installation source files and install procedures The following posting How to Make a ThinApp Application Package provides additional detail of what is necessary for setup capture http blogs vmware com thinapp 2008 10 how to make a t html Supported Operating Systems and Application Platforms Applications that have been virtualized with VMware ThinApp are supported on the following operating system e 32 bit Operating System platforms Windows NT Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows XP Embedded Windows Vista Windows Server 2000 Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2008 e 64 bit Operating System platforms Windows XP 64 bit Windows Vista 64 bit Windows Server 2003 64 bit Windows Server 2008 64 bit e 32 bit and 64 bit Terminal Server Terminal Services and Citrix Xenapp including Presentation Server 16 bit applica tions running on 32 bit Windows operating systems Non supported Applications and Operating Systems Some applicati applications th components m 64 bit app 16 bi 16 bi tapp ication rs OD App d
13. then rebuild the package to incorporate the changes e Post Capture The post capture method of incorporating updates involves manually placing folders in the appropriate directories of the capture manually editing the registry files to include changes and editing the package ini file to change configuration settings Use this method when you definitively know the files or registry changes that you want to make This method does not require the use of the Setup Capture process but you must re build the package using the build bat file to incorporate the changes Deploying Updates Once the applications updates have been incorporated into a package there are three methods for deployment When choosing which method is best it is important to consider the following questions 28 1 For deployed mode of execution only Is the update of significant size For deployed mode of execution it will be necessary to distribute the package to the end workstations Should this be scheduled after hours due to network impact 2 Once the update is deployed should users have a new sandbox created or re use the existing sandbox configuration User specific registry settings and preferences may be stored in the sandbox so in most cases re using the existing sandbox is preferable 3 For packages delivered via streamed execution is there a change window where the administrator can make changes without user impact If so the package replacement method is an o
14. they are read only and embedded into a compressed package However dynamic application configuration and user settings can easily be rolled back to the initial configuration for ease of support Terminology ThinApp Streaming VMware ThinApp streaming has a unique meaning that describes the execution of an application rather than the delivery of the application When a ThinApp packaged application is launched only the necessary blocks of data are streamed into memory for execution This streamed execution occurs whether the package resides centrally on a file share locally on the file system or on a USB device VMware ThinApp streaming does not require the local caching of files instead it only streams into memory what is needed at that time to perform the application function The amount streamed varies by application usage and depends on how many of the application functions are used and which dlls registry and files are needed for those functions ThinApp streaming provides application files and registry settings to the end user based solely on the applications requests and regardless of the package size For example a very large application packagethat contains a suite of applications but that is being used minimally may stream the same amount of data as a small application that is subjected to heavy end user load People and Process Considerations As with the implementation of any technology it is critical to do the
15. to aid in evaluation and implementation of VMware ThinApp technology Aaron s background includes roles as a systems engineer and solutions consultant in the Technical Services organization His previous positions include systems engineer with Citrix Systems leading a technical corporate IT team at Sprint and solutions design for customers of Choice Solutions a platinum reseller of VMware products Acknowledgements Significant contributions were made by Desktop Specialists Travis Sales Dean Flaming and Peter Bjork 31 mwa re
16. DEPLOYMENT GUIDE fa vmware Contents Yeletjdd icc pP M Integration with Software Delivery Vendors eere reete eene entente tn nenne 4 Getting State sonat Vp ORE ER SIVE S E DAR THOU a tv piv acepte ierra dd Supported Operating Systems and Application Platforms s 4 Non supported Applications and Operating Systems eere 5 VMwa re ThinApp Overview 9 0909060000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 5 Technical Description oic Ei ped viter ie YAT pass ONE TENER NUR PE M O isarettir asit 5 Benefits osisssa 6 Conceptual DISCUSSION sssissessscsssscserescsnsesedcescvecdaatoendensenseedsnevondendenstensdesesusveeveeses O Te min ii E A S A T E ETE 7 ThINAP SE M wa isi 7 People and Process Considerations sssssscscsscssssseccecsssscsscessecscsacseseceecessaceccecsecsesacs 7 Setup Capture and Bull csons Gwen tue ERI R pe rR VERE EN EXE D Vete nu Terminology AA ssaa aei UE 8 Set p Capt L e M 8 KoI a E EA E AE A E E A EE ETA 8 PACK AGS AA AA EEE EAA UNAKAA IAE E E 9 EAn Ya E E E R A A EEE E 9 Bi H oT i EEA E E EEE T E E E E A 9 PACKAGE EE E ERR 9 Isolation Mode C H 10 ka aa aa dq D EN ENE EE E
17. anges that the application makes in the user s sandbox Most often administrators choose to keep the sandbox in the user s profile The user s sandbox can also be in a central location for either deployed or streamed execution mode to allow users to retain their individual application settings across multiple devices VMware recommends that you configure your packages to keep user settings for applications in the sandbox but keep user data such as documents and spreadsheets stored in their local file system or on a central home drive location not in the user s sandbox This will allow the user to access their data regardless of the location of their sandbox or their application Desktop Integration Mechanisms Registering Applications to the Desktop Virtualized Applications integrate with the desktop in the following ways e Windows Shortcuts on the Start Menu and Desktop e File Type Associations e Entries in Add Remove Programs The process of registering applications to the desktop makes use of the ThinReg utility whether the package is deployed as an Exe based package or in an MSI wrapper MSI based Packages via Group Policy An organization with an established mechanism for deploying MSI files such as Active Directory can simply deploy these packages in the same manner that they would deploy native applications 24 When applications are deployed and installed as MSI s the desktop integration occurs automatically as ThinReg is run du
18. caches the isolation modes for the registry and the file system at runtime in the sandbox If you change the isolation mode for the project and rebuild the executable file you might need to delete the sandbox for the change to take effect Modifying Settings in the Package ini File The Package ini file contains configuration settings and resides in the captured application folder For example a Mozilla Firefox path might be C Program Files VMware Mware ThinApp Captures Mozilla Firefox Package ini The following parameters are examples of settings that you might modify e DirectoryIsolationMode Sets the isolation mode to Merged WriteCopy or Full ThinApp caches the isolation modes for the registry and the file system at runtime in the sandbox If you change the isolation mode for the project and rebuild the executable file you might need to delete the sandbox for the change to take effect PermittedGroups Restricts use of an application package to a specific set of Active Directory users SandboxName Names the ThinApp sandbox You might keep the name for incremental application updates and change the name for major updates SandboxPath Sets the sandbox location You can set the sandbox in a USB location if the application executable file resides in that location SandboxNetworkDrives Specifies whether to direct write operations on the network share to the sandbox RequiredAppLinks Specifies a list of external ThinAp
19. cess The project includes folders such as AppData that represent file system paths that might change locations when running on different operating systems or computers Most folders have Attributes ini files that specify the isolation mode at the folder level The isolation mode setting at the granular folder level overrides the overall isolation mode setting of the Package ini file Z Mozilla Firefox C3 Common Desktop E Common Programs D Desktop Local AppData O NetHood O Personal E Program Files Common ProgramFilesDir eSystemRoot O SystemSystem support build bat E HKEY_CURRENT_USER txt E HKEY LOCAL MACHINE txt HKEY_USERS txt Package ini 3 9 2009 11 10 PM 3 9 2009 11 10 PM 3 9 2009 11 11 PM 3 9 2009 11 10 PM 3 9 2009 11 10 PM 3 9 2009 11 11 PM 3 9 2009 11 11 PM 3 9 2009 11 10 PM 3 9 2009 11 10 PM 3 9 2009 11 11 PM 3 9 2009 11 10 PM 3 9 2009 11 11 PM 3 9 2009 11 11 PM 3 9 2009 11 11 PM 3 9 2009 11 11 PM 3 9 2009 11 11 PM File Folder File Folder File Folder File Folder File Folder File Folder File Folder File Folder File Folder File Folder File Folder 2KB MS DOS Batch File 12KB Text Document 21KB Text Document 1KB Text Document 8KB Configuration Settings Figure 8 Project Directory Click the Build Now button to build an executable package and optionally the MSI wrapper containing the application installed during the Setup Capture proce
20. configuration settings The process of using setup capture the project directories and the build process is meant to be an iterative process often referred to as Capture and Build While there are distinct operations in these phases it is helpful for the administrator to be mindful of the future deployment model when using the setup capture process to package the application Configuration settings that describe the update method specific application characteristics and integration with the local operating system are embedded into the package during the Capture and Build phases Building the package is the logical transition point between creating and deploying the application The subsequent phases of Deploy and Update utilize the package as a modular application container which is then distributed and updated accordingly Terminology Setup Capture The Setup Capture wizard guides the process of capturing the application and appending administrator supplied configurations specific to the package Setup capture operates by taking a pre scan snapshot then allowing the administrator to install and configure the application and then taking a post scan snapshot The differential between the pre and post scan snapshots which now represents the application is placed into the project directory Project The term project refers to the output of the setup capture process The profectis the critical asset for managing the lifecycle of a v
21. e SBMerge The SBMerge exe utility allows the administrator to merge run time changes from an existing sandbox into any project directory of a captured application The virtualized application package can then be rebuilt and distributed to end users incorporating the changes from the SBMerge process Procedural Discussion Packaging Updates and Modifications There are three methods for capturing and deploying updates Choose the method most appropriate for the update you wish to deploy e Recapture Recapture simply means going through the setup capture process again for the purpose of incorporating the updates in between the Setup Capture pre scan and post scan snapshots The result of this process is a new package that has the new changes in configuration or updates embedded For example your original package was Microsoft OneNote To create the updated package simply install Microsoft OneNote and apply the most recent Service Pack then build a new application package e Sandbox Merge This method consolidates updates from a sandbox into an existing project directory To use the Sandbox Merge method first launch the virtualized application onto a clean workstation Then run the update which will place the new files registry and configuration changes into the sandbox of that workstation Then use the sbmerge utility provided by VMware to merge the changes from the sandbox of that capture machine into the existing project directory and
22. e A number of directories can be deleted from the project directories before the build process Common directories to delete include files used for installation cab files or application install directories uninstall directories and miscellaneous other directories 96Cookies96 History Yo Internet Cache SystemRoot Debug SystemRoot Installer and SystemRoot pchealth Deleting unnecessary files and folders from the project directory will reduce the overall size of the package Use a Clean Operating System for Setup Capture VMware recommends that customers install only the basic components of the operating system for the machines that is used for Setup Capture However an updated Windows Installer 3 1 will likely be required for the application install to commence It is also recommended that you use the oldest version of the operating system to ensure that the application install puts down all required files The reason to capture from a clean operating system is to ensure that all the files and components necessary for the application are detected by the Setup Capture process If there is application install logic that looks for a certain version of a dll and the capture machine finds it in the local operating system then that dll will not be included in the virtualized application package and that may not allow the application to function when deployed to an operating system instance that has not been updated Application Dep
23. e and then rename the file to a something other than an exe extension to prevent users from running that package directly A Dat extension will be used for this example AdobeFlashPlayer Dat 2 Create the capture of the originating package with the component already installed for example Mozilla Firefox 3 In the originating package Mozilla Firefox open the package ini file and edit the following line in the Build Options section 4 RequiredAppLinks AdobeFlashPlayer Dat 5 Place both packages in the same directory locally or in the central fileshare Note Application Links can be specified as Required or Optional in the Package ini If specified as Required the primary application will NOT launch if it cannot connect to the Linked application Recommended Practices Use Application Link to Compartmentalize Updates The use of the Application Link feature provides an expedient mechanism to address frequent updates of component packages such as Microsoft Net and the Java JRE In the case where an application is dependent on a component which is updated more frequently than the application Application Link allows the administrator to avoid recreating the entire package every time a component is updated Use Application Self Updating Sparingly Allowing users the auto update their applications is very much a one time decision that cannot be easily brought under administrative control at a later time without losing the user spec
24. e VMware ThinApp User s Manualfor the specifics of implementation and further explanation Integration with Software Delivery Vendors All the functions discussed in this document utilize native features and functions of the generally available VMware ThinApp technology VMware ThinApp can natively plug into software delivery tools from Microsoft BMC HP CA Novell Zenworks Symantec LANDesk Matrix42 and more to integrate with existing organizational processes to minimize operational and administrative costs VMware also has partnered with specific vendors to deliver customized and integrated functionality to third party products for the purposes of deployment discovery inventory and usage tracking Contact your software delivery vendor for specifics regarding their customized offering Getting Started Customers should obtain the following components to construct an environment with which to package and deploy applications with VMware ThinApp The use of VMware ThinApp in no way supersedes the licensing requirements for an operating system or applications For this reason all components should be properly licensed or obtained for evaluation purposes only e Aclean operating system image either physical or virtual with minimal updates and no applications pre installed VMware recommends the use of a VM for this function because administrators can take advantage of the snapshot functionality to roll back to the pristine state of the operating
25. e user has permission to launch the application Custom Scripting Options VMware ThinApp allows for the execution of custom scripts before starting an application packaged with ThinApp during the application s use or after an application exits Callback functions allow you to specify when blocks of code execute Using the OnFirstParentStart function allows an administrator to check for a condition when the application is launched To add scripts to your application you can create an ANSI text file with the vbs file extension in the root project directory for an application the same directory in which Package ini is located During the build process ThinApp adds all of the script files to the application package and then at runtime it 25 executes each of these script files This is a very extensible mechanism that can incorporate local and or network variables for determination of whether the user will be allowed to launch the application Reference the VMware ThinApp User s Manual section Using Scripts for more detail Example scripts are provided Link provided below http www vmware com support pubs thinapp pubs html The VMware ThinApp blog also provides further explanation and a number of scripts which can validate conditions prior to application launch Link provided below http blogs vmware com thinapp 2009 01 adding non acti htm AppSync Parameters for Package Expiration VMware ThinApp provides tethered contro
26. e you want to prevent users from affecting the operating file system and registry files 15 sf Mware ThinApp Setup Capture Version 4 0 1 2866 r Default file system isolation mode Merged isolation mode Enables users to create and update files in non system directories such as c user Desktop and Documents Recommended for applications that write to standard system directories Examples include Microsoft Office and other Windows Logo Certified applications C WiiteCopy isolation mode Recommend for legacy or untrusted applications Mozilla Firefox Sandbox all newly created and updated files except changes in Desktop and Documents Users may have difficulty finding files saved to local directories such as c user A start 49 9 B SS vmware Thinapp Setu AO LA 11 09 PM Figure 6 Select Default Isolation mode Optional Change the directory where you want to save the application package The package stores the captured software applications If you keep the default directory and capture Mozilla Firefox the path might appear as C Program Files VMware VMware ThinApp Captures Mozilla Firefox Optional Select the Build MSI package check box and change the MSI filename Select the option to Build MSI if you wish to integrate with application delivery tools that distribute that format MSI generation requires you to install the MSI on the target device before you can use the application package The MSI wrapp
27. each client device receives the package locally and therefore can 23 run the application regardless of network connectivity End user devices that are occasionally or always offline will require this deployed execution mode Requirements Distribution of the packages to the local operating system is required in this model A number of options exist to fulfill this requirement Active Directory based publishing via Group Policy 3 party software deployment solutions and or custom scripted mechanisms Users who are occasionally offline must have all applications and components deployed before working offline Subsequent application deployment and updates are subject to network availability or a delayed update tactic such as providing CD s or USB devices with updates Recommendations Integrate the delivery of packages which can be large exe or msi files with your existing organizational process An existing process such as Active Directory publishing via Group Policy will have an already established support structure and administration workflow You can use Group Policy to deploy software to groups OU s or individuals See the following KB article for details http support microsoft com kb 324750 Benefits Once the application package is delivered application performance and availability is not subject to network or storage dependencies Choosing a Sandbox Location When users execute virtualized application ThinApp stores ch
28. efox 2 is found the application launches using the file with the highest numeric extension Always keep the original exe that is referenced by the shortcut in place as it is a necessary pointer for the application to launch with or without updated packages There is no downtime for the users with this method of update and no change window required for the administrator Users will execute the updated package as they launch the applications and the original application packaged exe directs them to the updated package AppSync Application Sync provides updates to unmanaged machines that connect over networks with some degree of latency AppSync provides a mechanism for a differential transfer over http to the endpoint thus it is only used for application packages in deployed execution mode When an application starts Application Sync can query a Web server or fileshare to see if an updated version of the package is available If an update is available the differences between the existing package and the new package are downloaded and used to construct an updated version of the package The end user must have the rights to modify the packages If not then the AppSync utility can be run as a scheduled service as a user with sufficient rights to perform the update The updated package is then used for future launches of the application Settings that configure the location for Application Sync and detailed configuration are contained in the package
29. er will use the thinreg exe utility during install to register file type associations register desktops shortcuts display control panel extensions and facilitate file launching r Project location C Program Files VMware VMware Thin amp pp Captures Mozilla Firefox r MSI generation IV Build MSI package MSI file name Mozilla Firefox msi r Compression C No compression fastest for testing builds Fast compression Mozilla Firefox start 49 9 B c9 vmware Thinapp Setu OS EX 11 10PM Figure 7 Select Project Location MSI generation and Compression 17 Optional To reduce the storage necessary for the application package select the Fast compression radio button In typical circumstances compression reduces the disk storage requirement by 50 percent and will benefit performance in streamed execution mode 18 Click Next to create the ThinApp project 19 In the final dialog box launch one of these options and click Finish e Click Browse Project to look at the ThinApp project files in Windows Explorer For example if you captured Mozilla Firefox the location of the project files might be C Program Files VMware VMware ThinApp Captures Mozilla Firefox You might browse the project prior to building the application executable or MSI file to update a setting such as the sandbox location in the Package ini file which contains the administrator configured settings entered during the setup capture pro
30. etween the client device and the central network location should be robust A virtualized application utilizes standard SMB protocol The amount of network traffic will vary based on the application and the functions used by the end user Benefits Centralized administration is the primary benefit of the streamed mode of execution The one to many model of providing an application to one location for many users provides an efficient and effective model for application delivery Providing access to the application merely involves placing a shortcut to the application on the desktop and can be automated through the use of the Thinreg utility in a login script The application packages which can be large in size do not have to be delivered to the end user devices so there is no need to transfer large files across a network or integrate with a deployment mechanism to distribute them Additionally there is no local disk footprint on the end user device because the applications are streamed into memory For users that access applications from multiple devices the streamed model of execution provides a single point of administration and a consistent user experience across multiple devices Deployed Execution Mode Deployed Execution Mode involves distributing the virtualized application packages to the end user s operating system The actual location of the package can be on the local file system or a USB device In this distributed model
31. ific changes 30 in their sandbox Removing the components of an application that allow for auto update in the original package will prevent users from managing their own updates and allow for proper administrative control over when and how application updates occur Additional Resources Some helpful tools include the following e Sysinternals Tools such as Procmon http technet microsoft com en us sysinternals bb896645 aspx e The AppDeploy com website provides an online reference for specific application installation and configuration information There is also an active community for support of packaging nuances for various software products http www appdeploy com e Use an advanced editing tool to make efficient changes to Ini files and compare directories files etc Some examples include Beyond Compare and AdminScript Editor e ThinApp Post Build GUI provided by the community Thinstall Helper http thinstallhelper cis group nl e Miscellaneous ThinApp Utilities and links http t3chnot3s blogspot com 2008 1 1 thinapp links and 3rd party utilities html e VMware ThinApp Blog VMware ThinApp employees regularly post and participate on the VMware ThinApp blog site http blogs vmware com thinapp e Product Documentation http www vmware com support pubs thinapp pubs html About The Author Aaron Black is a Senior Technical Marketing Manager at VMware In this role his primary focus is to develop technical content
32. in the application container are fully visible to the local operating system Thus application monitoring and metering tools and security mechanisms in the local operating system provide their functions for applications virtualized by VMware ThinApp in the same way as applications that are natively installed Environment Specific Configuration The user experience of applications virtualized with VMware ThinApp inside of a virtual desktop or a shared desktop vis vis Terminal Services is identical to a physical device One of the primary advantages of using VMware ThinApp is the economy of scale created when application containers can be reused across multiple platforms The location of the application sandbox is the primary consideration when deploying applications to multiple platforms 26 VMware View and Virtual Desktops As organizations begin to realize the benefits of virtual desktops they tend to separate the OS layer from the Application layer in order to achieve greater management and storage efficiency VMware ThinApp enables organizations to accomplish this objective and approach the most scalable and cost effective model for providing desktops With VMware View Composer When used in conjunction with View Composer administrators have the option of utilizing User Data Disks to logically separate application and user storage from the operating system By default VMware ThinApp places the application sandbox in whatever location
33. inimal updates and no applications pre installed VMware recommends the use of a VM for this function because administrators can take advantage of the snapshot functionality to roll back to the pristine state of the operating system before the application is installed Purchase or evaluation of VMware ThinApp includes a licensed copy of VMware Workstation for this purpose e Application installation source files and install procedures Overview of the Setup Capture Process The Setup Capture process begins with a pre scan of the operating system to provide a baseline for comparison after the application installation Once the pre scan is complete the administrator will install the application configure the application and then run the post scan The pre and post scan make use of operating system level snapshots that record the registry file and folder structure and other components affected by the application installation routine After the post scan the Setup Capture wizard asks the administrator to provide a series of configuration options for entry points primary data container inventory name access control sandbox location isolation mode and compression 10 Step by Step Guidance for the Setup Capture Process Place the application install files on the local drive of the capture machine 1 Go to Start gt Programs gt VMware gt ThinApp Setup Capture or run the Setup Capture from a mapped network location that houses all
34. ion and is highly beneficial over the lifecycle of the application Critical elements of a package digest are outlined below Customers should include information specific to their environment to make the digest as useful as possible e Source Application Files amp Versioning Information e Project Directory Location e Deployment Objectives e Packagelni settings e Isolation Mode settings and explanation for non default settings e VBScripts Scripts used the originating authors script documentation and their dependencies e Platform Testing results e Build Notation and Naming Conventions Control Access to Project Directories VMware recommends that administrators control access to the project directories and have regular backup procedures in place The project directories become the source files for generating updated application packages and allow the administrator to incorporate changes without re running the Setup Capture process The project directories are also helpful for troubleshooting efforts because the specifics of the capture machine s configuration and application modules are contained in the project directory Access should be restricted to administrators because some of the settings in the Package ni file provide sensitive information for access control and update locations Once the application is packaged this information cannot be changed by end users 21 Prune Project before Build to Minimize Package Siz
35. irtualized application because it contains everything needed to build and modify the virtualized application The following are specific components of the project directory 1 Directories and files that have been changed by the application s installation procedure These directories are listed by the common Windows folder macros such as AppData and SystemRoot 2 Directories that represent the common Windows folders contain a Attribute ini file which contains Directory Isolation Mode settings for that particular location 3 Registry changes made by the application and the Isolation Mode settings are contained in txt files named HKEY Current User HKEY Local Machine and HKEY Users 4 The bin directory contains the package files in exe or msi format created from the build process 5 The support directory contains the Capture Machine Overview txt file which records the pre packaging specifics of the system This is a helpful file for troubleshooting 6 The Package ini file described below 7 The Build bat file described below Package ini The Package ini file contained in every Project folder contains the settings recorded by setup capture and all other configuration settings The Package ini file is a repository of all ThinApp configuration data for deployment update shortcuts and entry points of that particular application package The following is a helpful reference f
36. l mechanisms for those devices that are typically described as unmanaged that is devices that are only occasionally on line with a corporate network or not members of the organization s Active Directory For these types of devices you can utilize Application Sync for access control as well as an update mechanism The use of the AppSyncExpirePeriod entry which is embedded in the package will set an interval for how many days the package will run without accessing a particular URL Warning messages and their frequency can also be configured Recommended Practices Discovery and Inventory When packaging applications for delivery VMware ThinApp provides an Inventory Name to the operating system The inventory name can be customized and placed in the parameters of the MSI wrapper or executable package The inventory name will also appear in the Add Remove Programs applet of the Control Panel Tools that provide discovery and inventory of applications will be able to retrieve this information alongside natively installed applications For tools that do not reference these locations administrators can place a tracer registry key or file in the local operating system in a pre defined location for identification by software delivery tools Application Monitoring and Host Security Software The implementation model of the virtualized application container into the local operating system provides transparency and security in that processes which are run
37. lla Firefox User s profile ZAppD ata T hinstall USB flash portable media stored in directory with application C Network drive custom Browse Back Next Cancel A start Em IE vMware ThinApp Setu Figure 5 Specify Active Directory for Access Control AO Sm 11 09 PM 13 Optional Select the location for the sandbox to be stored By default the user sandbox is stored locally in the Windows User Profile in the AppData location Administrators can also use a network location such as a Home Drive path or a mapped network location in this field if desired If you store the sandbox in a network drive enter the relative path to the location where you want the sandbox created A sample path is thinapp sandbox firefox You can select a network location even if an application is installed on a local machine 14 Select the isolation mode to determine which files and registry keys are visible to the virtual application you create To allow the application to read resources on and write to the local machine keep the default Merged isolation mode This means that the application can modify elements outside of the virtual application package To allow the application to read resources on the local machine and restrict most modifications to the operating system select the WriteCopy isolation mode VMware recommends this mode for legacy or untrusted applications This mode is useful for locked down desktops wher
38. loyment The process for deploying ThinApp application containers is very simple as there is no actual installation of the application and interoperation with the local operating system is minimal Deployment involves making a decision for a centralized or de centralized model for application delivery and then integrating the application into the desktop for end user accessibility Terminology Execution Mode Execution Mode describes the two options for providing virtualized applications to end users e Streamed execution mode allows the application to be centrally stored and accessed by multiple users Streamed execution mode is a one to many model which provides centralized deployment and update of an application package to multiple end users for execution via a Windows desktop shortcut e Deployed execution mode application packages are first deployed to the end users system and accessed from the local device Users execute the application from an application package that is now local which allows for offline application use Thinreg The file Thinreg exe is a utility provided to automate the registration of application shortcuts on the desktop file type associations and entries in the Add Remove programs applet of the Control Panel Thinreg can be run from a script command line or a login script to accomplish these functions Thinreg is also incorporated into MSI packages when this feature is utilized within the ThinApp build process
39. n components to be fully functional allowing immediate application functionality without any pre requisites e ASecure and Supportable Delivery Model for Applications VMware ThinApp application packages are compressed and encrypted to prevent corruption or tampering and yet run as a visible native processes to the operating system providing transparency and visibility to security tools Applications are run in user mode thus allowing full application functionality even in locked down desktop environments where users do not have administrative rights e Low Cost of Implementation and Ownership VMware ThinApp requires no additional infrastructure investment ThinApp can be integrated with Microsoft Active Directory via Group Policy or work with existing software deployment solutions such from Microsoft BMC HP CA Novell Zenworks Symantec LANDesk Matrix42 and more Conceptual Discussion VMware ThinApp uses packaging and deployment processes and tools similar to those used for native applications However unlike native applications virtualized applications are never installed for end users so a process called setup captureis used to encapsulate the process of the installation along with the necessary files and registry required for the application to execute The setup capture process takes all the necessary files and administrator supplied configuration information for access control and user setting storage options to build a read only
40. necessary planning identify the appropriate skill sets and integrate with existing processes Practically speaking implementation involves not only the initial deployment but also the ongoing maintenance and support structure for the entire lifecycle of the applications In terms of planning it is helpful to identify the major user communities and their application needs then design your implementation accordingly Different characteristics need to be considered for physical desktop virtual desktop and Terminal Services Citrix based environments One of the unique strengths of the VMware ThinApp solution is the portability of the technology and ease of integration into a wide array of environments However every organization is unique and has different objectives for implementing application virtualization Equally important to process considerations is the commitment to leverage appropriate people to make a project successful The following list identifies key skill sets recommended e Application and Packaging Skills When packaging applications it is best to identify dependencies update cycles application errors and custom files which are necessary for full functionality Incorporating individuals familiar with custom applications will streamline the packaging process and help prevent unnecessary troubleshooting Individuals who currently package applications can easily incorporate the VMware ThinApp setup capture into their existing proce
41. needs to reboot after the installation reboot the system The reboot restarts the Setup Capture wizard or if multiple reboots are required re running Setup Capture will allow the administrator to resume the process from the pre scan snapshot at a later time r My Computer r C Application Source Files Fie Edit View Favorites Tools Help 3 Q O P seh gt Folders joys X WC E My N x Address C Application Source Files Go Len jidotnetfx20spi x86 exe 1 22 2009 3 27 PM 24 179 KB Application 2j 3 dotnetfx 20redistributable exe g dotnetfx_11_redist exe dotnetfx 30 redist e g PAS Welcome to the Mozilla Firefox lotnetfx 35 redist exe Firefox Setup 2 0 0 8 exe Setup Wizard Firefox Setup 2 0 0 18 exe D Firefox Setup 3 0 5 exe 1E7 WindowsxP x86 enu exe 4 jre 6u10 windows i586 p s exe F Mozilla Firefox Setup Recycle Bin This wizard will guide you through the installation of Mozilla Firefox It is recommended that you close all other applications before starting Setup This will make it possible to update relevant system files without having to reboot your computer Click Next to continue start 8 mm A VMware Thinapp Setu CMipplicetion Source 5 Mozilla Firefox Setup mara 11 06 PM Figure 3 Install Application Make any necessary configuration changes to comply with your organization s policies such as using specific security settings or a particular h
42. nto existing IT tools and processes enabling corporate IT organizations and ISVs to deliver encapsulated application containers across a variety of operating systems without complex configuration and installation requirements Administrators can package applications once and deliver to users across multiple environments consisting of physical desktop virtual desktop and shared Terminal Services VMware ThinApp pioneered agentless application virtualization has invested in its product development for more than seven years and has over a million deployed seats The VMware ThinApp technology is a critical component in the desktop family of VMware products because it brings increased flexibility and efficiency to desktop virtualization Technical Description VMware ThinApp creates application containers by using a build process to package application files and registry operating system with transparent can be executed or CD ROM App decompression into memory to execute all application funct from a user s desktop a network path or removable storage ications run entirely in user mode and are visible to the operating system as into a single compressed executable file which can be run on s without installation The application container utilizes bloc standard windows processes to maintain the appropriate security context V presents operatin functionality and a variety of based streaming ions Applications ike a USB flash drive
43. of the VMware ThinApp files a My Computer Mware ThinApp Setup Capture ersion 4 0 1 2866 vmware ELT VMware ThinApp Welcome to Setup Capture rtcut to Setup Captur You will be guided through the process of creating a virtualized application 2 Optional In the dialog box that clarifies the definition and use of a clean computer click the Advanced Settings button to select the drives and registry hives to scan You might want to scan a particular location other than the CA drive if you install applications to a different location In rare cases you might want to avoid scanning a registry hive if you know the application installer does not modify the registry 3 Click Next to begin the first snapshot of the hard drive and registry files The scanning process takes about 10 seconds for Windows XP 27 Mware ThinApp Setup Capture Version 4 0 1 2866 Prescan in progress Setup Capture is taking an initial baseline snapshot of your capture environment including registry file system and other environmental attributes Saving snapshot KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE S oftware Classes 44D402355 00FC 11D0 819C 0040C91180F2 Interrupt Next Cancel start 3 O Gi gt voware Thinapp Setu WAUA 11 05PM Figure 2 Pre Scan Minimize the Setup Capture wizard and install the applications to capture For example double click Firefox Setup 3 0 5 exe to install Firefox If the application
44. ome page If you do not make configuration changes at this time each user must make changes at run time which may lead to inconsistent setup and unnecessary user interaction Run the application to verify its functionality and allow any one time setup operations to occur Address any prompts for information before you continue with the Setup Capture wizard so that users do not encounter any unintended setup options when they run the application Close the application Maximize the Setup Capture wizard and click Next to proceed with another snapshot of the machine ThinApp stores the differences between the first snapshot and this snapshot in a virtual file system and virtual registry Specify the entry points primary data container and inventory name a Select the check boxes for user accessible entry points e Entry points are the executable files that start the virtual application The entry points you can choose from depend on the executables that your captured application creates during installation e Ifyou install Firefox you might select Mozilla Firefox exe and Mozilla Firefox Safe Mode exe if users require safe mode access If you install Microsoft Office you can select entry points for Microsoft Word Microsoft Excel and other applications that are installed during a Microsoft Office installation 13 e Ifyou create an MSI wrapper for the package the installation will create desktop shortcuts for the entry points selected
45. or specific detail on Packager ini settings http www vmware com info id 765 Build The term 8wi d describes the process by which the project directories and configuration settings are compressed and embedded into the package The build operation is the last step in the Setup Capture wizard or can be manually run using the build bat in the project directory The Build process can be re run at any time to incorporate different settings or application changes into a package Any machine having access to the file share which houses the project directory and can find the VMware ThinApp executables vftool exe vfregtool exe and tlinkexe in the path can build the package There is no need to return to the source machine that created the package or be on a similar operating system or use a management console to build the package Build bat The Build bat file is a simple batch file that is utilized by the Setup Capture process or can be run manually to create the ThinApp packaged executable The Build bat initiates the build process by making calls to three components in the ThinApp installation folder which in turn compiles the virtual registry virtual file system and application logic into the executable file Package The Package is the result of the Setup Capture and Build process As an application container it encapsulates the application the ThinApp run time engine and all the required configuration settings A pacKageis created in
46. p packages to import to the current package at runtime If ThinApp cannot import a package ThinApp stops the base application OptionalAppLinks Specifies a list of external ThinApp packages to import to the current package at runtime If ThinApp cannot import a package ThinApp allows the base application to start Edit the Package ini File To edit the Package ini parameters use Notepad or another text editor 2 N Dn A Ww Open the Package ini file located in the captured application folder For example a Mozilla Firefox path might be C Program Files VMware VMware ThinApp Captures Mozilla Firefox Package ini Activate the parameter to edit by removing the semicolon at the beginning of the line For example activate the RemoveSandboxOnExit parameter for Mozilla Firefox RemoveSandboxOnExit 1 Another example might involve commenting out the Protocols parameter if you do not want Firefox to take over the protocols Delete or change the value of the parameter and save the file Double click the build bat file in the captured application folder to rebuild the application package For example a Firefox path to the build bat file might be C Program Files VMware VMware ThinApp Captures Mozilla FirefoxNouild bat Modifying Settings in the Attributes ini File The Attributes ini file applies settings at the directory level The Package ini file applies settings at the overall application level For exam
47. ple you can set the isolation mode at the directory or application level to determine which files and registry keys are visible to the virtualized application The detailed setting in the 20 Attributes ini file overrides the overall Package ini setting The Package ini setting determines the isolation mode only when ThinApp does not have Attributes ini information To compress only certain folders with large files rather than an entire application compress files at the folder level with the CompressionType parameter in the Attributes ini file The Attributes ini file appears in most folders for the captured application For example the Attributes ini file might be located in C Program FilesWVMwareWMware ThinApp Captures Mozilla Firefox AppData Attributes ini Edit the Attributes ini File Use Notepad or another text editor to update the Attributes ini file 9 In the Attributes ini file uncomment update or delete the parameter 10 Double click the build bat file in the captured application folder to rebuild the application package Recommended Practices Creation of the Package Digest VMware recommends that customers create a standardized document that details the components of a packagefor IT organizational use The packaging process is iterative by nature and so it is necessary to have a controlled document which communicates the primary contents and deployment configuration A package digest serves this funct
48. ption If there is no defined maintenance window then a side by side update will be required see next section for further explanation 4 Whatis the capability for rollback if the application package is not functioning Package Replacement The package replacement method for updating application packages can be used for either streamed or deployed execution mode If you have created an updated package and have an administrative window where no users will launch the applications then you can simply replace the original exe based package with the updated exe Make sure that the filename stays exactly the same users depend on the shortcuts previously created to launch the applications Side by Side Update The side by side method for updating application packages can be used for either streamed or deployed execution mode There is no requirement for application downtime This method works by placing the new application package in the same directory as the original application package and incrementing the filename extension to an integer number Subsequent updates can be placed in the directories with extensions 2 3 etc The implementation of this update strategy follows a simple process When a user launches an application from a shortcut that references the original exe logic built into the package automatically checks for identical package filenames with a numeric extension in the same directory If an updated package such as Mozilla Fir
49. redistributable package containing everything needed to execute the application The application executes within the virtualized container making specific requests of the underlying operating system which resides outside of the container as needed These virtualized application packages are either stored centrally for multiple users to access or deployed to specific end points as in the case of physical desktops or Terminal Services based environments Streamed Execution mode refers to the centrally stored model and Deployed Execution mode describes the delivery of the virtualized application packages to the end point devices Both modes make use of VMware ThinApp s streaming capability to pull application components into memory as normal windows processes for full application functionality As virtualized applications are executed by end users the dynamic application and user setting information is redirected into a storage location defined by the administrator called the sandbox Administrators can subsequently incorporate application updates and changes to configuration by anumber of methods These updates are rolled out to end users centrally as they launch the applications deployed to end point systems via Active Directory group policy or alternative software deployment solutions or provided via a centralized web service that will transfer a differential update Applications run within VMware ThinApp containers cannot be tampered with because
50. ring the install Exe based Packages via ThinReg Packages that are created in the EXE format will benefit from registration via the Thinreg exe tool to provide seamless integration into the desktop Applications will launch and run without registration however file type associations are often necessary for users who start with a data file and launch the application by association The Thinreg exe tool is a simple utility that can be run from a login script from a local directory or a file share It provides the ability for administrators to register all of the packages at once using an asterisk as a wildcard character Administrators can use pre made scripts that run based on group membership to only register packages that are valid for a certain group or for individuals Also ThinReg is aware of the Active Directory permitted groups listing provided during the Setup Capture process So if the user is not a member of the permitted groups ThinReg will not register the package If you choose to deploy packages in EXE format but wish to use an alternate method of creating shortcuts you can use standard Microsoft Folder Redirection to place shortcuts on the desktop and in the Start menu http support microsoft com kb 232692 Controlling Access The process of deploying virtualized applications offers administrators control and flexibility over which machines and users receive either the application packages or access to the package
51. rive App VPN clients Application ications t or non ications running on 64 bit Wind s requiring installation of kerne BC drivers work because they are user mode ng system Intel OS platforms such as Windows CE OWS operating systems s that utilize remote network based DCOM services VMware ThinApp Overview Agentless applica tion virtualization is the enabling tech 32 bit applications running on 32 bit and 64 bit Windows operating systems on types are not suitable for virtualization with VMware ThinApp Some at have kernel mode components can be virtualized but the kernel mode ust remain in the native operati mode device drivers such as scanner and print ications making use of kernel mode components such as anti virus personal firewalls and nology for efficient delivery of applications to end users This efficiency allows IT to respond more quickly to the application needs of the business and end virtualization augments both traditiona from the underlyi users without sacrifici and virtual des ng operating systems Just as VMware ng management and administrative control Application top solutions by abstracting applications virtual machine technology decouples the operating system from hardware VMware ThinApp decouples the application from the operating system to deliver the same benefits of flexibility portabi lity and isolation VMware ThinApp plugs directly i
52. s Utilizing Active Directory or an alternative software deployment solution for distribution allows an organization to use the existing processes and controls In addition to these organizational controls VMware ThinApp allows an administrator to embed access control into the package This access control mechanism is obfuscated from the end user when the packageis built so it is impossible to identify or remove before the application is launched In this way the access control travels with the package if it is moved between devices after deployment This mechanism can also be used when packages are hosted centrally on a file share as a secondary control in addition to file share permissions There are three mechanisms described in the following sections which are available to use for access control functions Active Directory Permitted Groups You can control access to applications using Active Directory groups When the administrator specifies PermittedGroups in the setup capture process or manually places the SIDS in the package ini file they are embedded into the package during the build process The PermittedGroups entry in the Package ini restricts usage of a package to a specific set of Active Directory users and provides the administrator a way to customize the error message to the user if they are not allowed to launch the application For a desktop that is offline the PermittedGroups function will utilize cached credentials to determine if th
53. ss The build output appears in the display box 18 WE vmware Thinapp Setup Capture Version 4 0 1 2866 E 5 xl ea My Computer x i x To configure advanced features click Browse Project to edit project fles Retum to Setup Capture to build Franse Dioec Build now The Build process creates an exe or msi that contains all of the files captured in your project Build Now r Build output bin Mozilla Firefox exe SUCCESS bin Mozilla Firefox exe size 1251 2k bin Mozilla Firefox msi Adding file Mozilla Firefox exe to cabinet Finishing cabinet SUCCESS bin Mozilla Firefox msi zi Mozilla Firefox Finish Cancel A start Ia IE Mware ThinApp Setu OS isi 11 14 PM Figure 9 Build Now screen You can rebuild the project if you need to make changes at any time after clicking Finish by using the build bat file in the project directory if you need to make changes Modifying Isolation Modes VMware ThinApp provides the Merged and WriteCopy isolation mode choices in the Setup Capture wizard You can use a third isolation mode Full outside the wizard in the ThinApp project text files The Full isolation mode secures the virtualized application by blocking visibility to system elements outside the virtual application package This mode restricts generated data to the sandbox and ensures that no interaction exists with the environment outside the virtual application package ThinApp
54. sses and are often already aware of particular application requirements e Desktop Administrator Familiarity with the specifics of the local operating system and its configuration will help determine the desktop integration process identify user groups and application needs and optimal methods and processes for deployment and update e Active Directory or Third party Desktop Management Administrator Individuals responsible for Active Directory group policies for desktops or administrators of software deployment solutions for desktops are essential for integrating ThinApp packages into existing processes Setup Capture and Build The process of virtualizing an application with VMware ThinApp begins with the setup capture process and ends with the build of a read only redistributable package that encapsulates all the necessary components of the application along with the administrator supplied configuration settings necessary for implementation The setup capture process creates a projectto store the application and configuration settings The build process compresses and embeds the project directories and configuration settings into the package The project directory is the source location where the administrator can return to make subsequent updates or changes to the package configuration The result of making a configuration change and rebuilding would be two separate packages created from the same VMware ThinApp project but with different
55. the AppData variable resolves to in the operating system This will redirect the dynamic changes of the applications and user specific settings stored in the sandbox and maintain these through a refresh of the operating system In this way user applications and configuration settings are maintained Without VMware View Composer As noted previously VMware ThinApp will place the application sandbox in the AppData location This location is often managed through the use of roaming profiles folder redirection or home directories Centralized storage of this data enables a degree of separation between user personalized settings and the local operating system Administrators have the option of manually configuring the location of the sandbox per application and this can be set previously or at run time Please refer to the VMware ThinApp User Manual for details on the use of multiple locations for the sandbox Terminal Services Configuration For users that access a shared desktop meaning a Terminal Services based configuration the default configuration will redirect the sandbox into the local profile For multiple reasons Microsoft and Citrix recommend the use of Terminal Server Profiles and Home Drives for storage of user specific data The use of local profiles often results in profile corruption and the users settings are limited to that one server VMware recommends utilizing Group Policy login scripts or folder redirection of the

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