I know you are reading that headline and thinking, “no way is that possible.” App packaging is a complex process that requires sequencing and scripting to create the package in preparation for distribution. You need to pull together all the files and commands needed to build the package, remove the extra “noise,” and then create the scripting required to distribute the package across thousands of users. This can be a very time-consuming and cumbersome process, especially when you multiple this by the large number of apps that require distribution.
There is an easier way to package apps. In fact, you can get it done in under two minutes flat. VMware Horizon Application Management, one of the key services that is part of the Horizon Control Plane, is simplifying how IT admins manage and install apps. Powered by App Volumes, App Management automates the delivery of applications, removing the need to package them altogether. App Volumes does all the work for you.
App Volumes takes a fresh approach to how applications are installed. Instead of packaging with all the manual steps involved, App Volumes captures the completed installation in app packages. These packages can then be easily assigned and delivered to end users with the application already installed.
Let’s look at how this works. A virtual machine disk (VMDK or VHD) is attached to a machine in read/write mode and records all the steps you would do during an install on the OS drive. It looks at all the new files and registry keys that have been created or modified, and even deleted. Once the app is captured, you have effectively created a snapshot image for what the application looks like when it is installed. When users log into their machines with a newly cloned copy of the OS, the application image is attached to a VM. Since the package is attached as read-only, it can now be shared by thousands of users.
Yes, they are called “packaged,” but you are not packaging it for installation. Instead, you are capturing the app install for delivery. No longer do you need time-consuming sequencing or scripting for the installer to deliver the application. In fact, you don’t even need an installer — the app is delivered real-time when an end user logs in.
In addition to saving time on the deployment, App Volumes also saves admins time by removing the need to uninstall files. With App Volumes, you don’t have to worry about uninstalling apps because the delivered image is non-persistent. The end user will get a clean image every time they log in, receiving the current version and alleviating the need for you to uninstall or track versions.
On top of simplifying the app delivery process and making it more reliable, it makes the app delivery much faster. Not only do admins gain from the use of App Volumes, but also end users benefit too by receiving consistent, highly personalized apps and user settings with every log-in, elevating their experience.
Still don’t believe you can “package” an app in two minutes flat? Watch this demo and see it in action!
Learn more about app management and delivery with App Volumes:
