Microsoft App-V 5.1 and Flexera AdminStudio Webinar

© 2016 Flexera Software LLC. All rights reserved. | Company Confidential1
Best Practices for
Application Virtualization

Todays Presenters
Timothy Davis
Senior Product Marketing Manager,
Flexera Software
Tdavis@Flexerasoftware.com
@TimothyToday
steveth@microsoft.com
Steve Thomas
Senior Consultant
Microsoft
@Madvirtualizer

What is App-V: Microsoft Application Virtualization

App-V 5.0 SP3 & 5.1 Changes
> Click here to watch the recorded webinar with Steve Thomas <

Sequencing: What Changed App-V 5.0 SP3
• Connection Group Changes
– Flexible Connection Groups
– Merged Roots
• Sequencing Improvements
– To PVAD or not PVAD? (Primary
virtual app directory)
– RunVirtual (User Mode)

• What is a connection group?
• Connection Groups are generally required for file based merged packages
Connection Group

• There are a few key areas in the Design / Sequencing Process:
Connection Group Design

• Using App-V 5.0 SP3 we support the following connection groups:
Connection Group – Configurations

• With SP3 and above we introduced two new options:
Connection Group – Configurations
Setting Description
PackageOptional Add optional packages to your connection groups to
simplify connection group management
UseAnyVersion Configure a connection group to use any version of a
package, which simplifies package upgrades.

• Complex Connection Groups can be hard to design and manage
Connection Group – Design
Package Package Optional Use Any Version
Microsoft-office-201x-v1  
Outlook-Addin-v1  
SecureMail-Addin-v1  
Powerpoint-Addin-v1  
Hyperion-essbase-v1  
Excel-Addin-v1  
Word-Addin-v1  

Microsoft App V

Additional Sequencing Changes
• Hide the PVAD during sequencing
– Less steps, less confusion
– If needed, you can bring it back using command line parameter
• RunVirtual
– No longer restricted to globally published packages
– Place key under HKCU instead of HKLM

What Changed: App-V 5.1
• Sequencer Improvements
• Scripting Developments
• Conversion Enhancements

Sequencer Enhancements
• Virtual File System
– Package manifest can be exported and imported
– Can import a directory of files in VFS
– File export/import allows updating VFS files without deleting & re-adding
• Virtual Registry
– Can export or import .reg files
– New find and replace dialog
– Path appears in lower left
• Captured Browser Helper Objects (BHO) can be disabled or enabled

Changes to COW Exclusions
• What is the COW?
– Copy-On-Write Filter
• The App-V VFSC (Virtual File System Copy-On-Write) driver prevents
specified file types from being written to the VFS directories.
• Trimmed the internal COW exclusion extension list from 58 extensions
down to just COM, DLL, EXE, and OCX.
• VFSC driver change was made to prevent any file from being written
that was opened with the FILE_EXECUTE access bit set.

Microsoft App V

Support for Multiple Scripts in AppV 5.1
• ScriptRunner.exe is a new exe as part of AppV Client
• Multiple scripts can be passed as arguments to ScriptRunner.exe
• Each script will be executed in order given
• Wait, Timeout & RollbackOnError parameters can be set for each script
individually [using –AppVScriptRunnerParameters as the delimiter]

Support For Multiple Scripts in App-V 5.1
• If a script specifies the wait/timeout/rollback options, it will be applied
explicitly for that script.
• If a script does not specify the wait/timeout/rollback option, default
values will be used: no wait, no timeout, no rollbackonerror.
• The wait/timeout/rollbackonerror values specified as a separate node
applies to the parent “ScriptRunner.exe” process, and not to individual
scripts.
Old Format:
<MachineScripts>
<AddPackage>
<Path>cmd.exe</Path>
<Arguments>script1.exe Args1
Args2</Arguments>
<Wait Timeout=30 RollbackonError=true>
</AddPackage>
</MachineScripts>
New Format:
<MachineScripts>
<AddPackage>
<Path>ScriptRunner.exe</Path>
<Arguments>
-appvscript script1.exe Args1 Args2 –appvscriptrunnerparameters –wait –timeout=60 –rollbackonerror
-appvscript script2.vbs
-appvscript script3.bat Args 1 Args2 –appvscriptrunnerparameters –timeout=30 –rollbackonerror -wait
-appvscript script4.ps1
</Arguments>
<Wait Timeout=90 RollbackonError=true>
</AddPackage>
</MachineScripts>

ScriptRunner.exe can be used for:
• Both MachineScripts and
UserScripts
• Both DeploymentConfig.xml and
UserConfig.xml
• For all 8 Package Events:
– <AddPackage>
– <RemovePackage>
– <PublishPackage>
– <UnpublishPackage>
– <StartProcess>
– <ExitProcess>
– <StartVirtualEnvironment>
– <TerminateVirtualEnvironment>
Old Format:
<UserScripts>
<StartProcess RunInVirtualEnvironment="true">
<Path>Script1.exe</Path>
<Arguments>Args1 Args2</Arguments>
<ApplicationId>[{AppVPackageRoot}]ContosoApp.EXE</ApplicationI
d>
</StartProcess>
</UserScripts>
New Format:
<UserScripts>
<StartProcess RunInVirtualEnvironment="true">
<Path>ScriptRunner.exe</Path>
<Arguments>
-appvscript script1.exe Args1 Args2 –appvscriptrunnerparameters –wait –timeout=30 –rollbackonerror
-appvscript script2.vbs
-appvscript script3.bat –appvscriptrunnerparameters –wait –timeout=30 –rollbackonerror
</Arguments>
<ApplicationId>[{AppVPackageRoot}]ContosoApp.EXE</ApplicationId>
</StartProcess>
</UserScripts>

Conversion from 4.6
• Issues with previous Package Converters
• Hardcoded path resolution
• SFT_MNT Redirection now remedies these

Why AdminStudio Suite: Automation, Speed, Simplicity
Graphical UI – No
scripting required
One process with
multiple outputs
Batch Automation
Suitability testing
Centrally manage
connection groups
Distribute packages
to App V servers

Next Steps
1. Explore the website http://www.flexerasoftware.com
2. Download the AdminStudio Suite Free Trial
3. Contact a Flexera Representative or
business partner to learn more
North America: 800-809-5659
Europe, Middle East & Africa: +44 (0) 870 873 6300
Asia-Pacific: +61 3 9895 2000

Microsoft App-V 5.1 and Flexera AdminStudio Webinar

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Editor's Notes