Software virtualization is used to run applications in their own virtual environment allowing quick provisioning and de-provisioning of applications. A definition of software virtualization can be:

It continues the common theme of abstracting the service or application away from its physical environment, enabling it to exist and run in any location. Virtualization enables the co-existence of applications on the same physical environment by encapsulating them so that everything they need to run is available to them within a virtual environment.

Implementing virtualization can add huge benefits to an organization but without a management framework virtualization can add complexity to the environment as well.

Especially if you have a mixed environment of for example Thin Client/ FAT Client across different operating systems like Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 2003 etc.

The main problem with these complex environments is that the end user is not always aware of the underlying technology and in general he doesn't care, all he wants is his applications to work and his configuration of these applications to be consistent across the line.

This document describes how configure virtualized applications which are virtualized with Symantec's Software Virtualization Solution (SVS) using RES PowerFuse as a management framework for these applications.

Problem Definition:

SVS allows administrators to quickly provision and de-provision applications; this is accomplished by using a low level filter driver which redirects files and registry keys to a pre-defined area on the hard disk and in the registry. Because of this redirection, roaming users will not have their settings when they roam from one computer to another as the profile files resides under c:\fslrdr\layer# and the registry settings under HKLM\Software\fslrdr\Layer#\HU\userSID.

When a virtual application is "activated" the filter driver will redirect all calls for every user on the system, as a result an application will always be installed on a per machine level.

In general this will not cause an issue but when there are multiple users on one system, users may get access to an application which they are not provisioned for and as such they will consume a license as well.

Proposed Solution:

The advantage of using RES PowerFuse with Symantec SVS is that the user settings can be stored centrally allowing a user to roam while keeping his application settings.

This roaming can be performed cross platform and operating system, even allowing the mixture between virtualized applications and non virtualized (e.g. office 2003 virtual on a Windows XP fat client and office 2003 non virtual on a Windows 2003 terminal server).

This roaming can be set on an application level, allowing maximal flexibility to the business.
Besides RES PowerFuse will only allow the application to be available for the users who are provisioned for this application, taking into account the license metering as well.

Below you will find a step by step procedure how to configure a virtualized application using RES PowerFuse.

The first step is to package the application in VSA format, during the packaging cycle you need to determine where the application stores its user settings (under HKCU or in the application datafolder for example).

The next step is to create the application (in my example Word) within RES PowerFuse.

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In order to preserve the user settings, we need to declare "user preferences" this can simply be done by adding them to the application. In my example I've added the whole HKCU hive and the application data folder. Of course one can select a single file (which is recommended as this preserves network traffic) or a single registry value/key.

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If you don't want to activate all your layers for the users you can also use RES PowerFuse to activate the layer on the fly when the user starts the shortcut or even when the user double clicks on a document. In order to accomplish this we first need to associate the extension with the application so RES PowerFuse will take care of the file association.

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Now RES PowerFuse knows the extension, we can associate a task to the action by using a so called PowerLaunch™, in my example below I've added an external task invoking the svscmd.exe.

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Conclusion

We have seen how you can control virtual applications by using RES PowerFuse; this allows an administrator to have full flexibility over the user environment using virtualized applications without loosing the ability for users to roam.
The roaming not only works to replace Microsoft's roaming profiles but also allows you to preserve user settings across a heterogeneous environment like VDI, Thin client, fat client etc. as RES PowerFuse decouples the user workspace from the application delivery infrastructure.

Some of the additional advantages of combining Virtualization with RES PowerFuse you will get are following:

• Driving out the cost of IT infrastructure through more efficient use of available resources
• Responding faster to business change
• Increasing the consistency and predictability of operations
• Meeting the business' return on investment criteria
• Enabling scalable and flexible solutions
• Simplifying the infrastructure
• Increasing system availability
• Delivering consistently good performance
• Centralizing systems, data, and infrastructure

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