This video demonstrates delivering 50 applications (Microsoft Office, Adobe Reader, Photoshop, iTunes, etc.) within seconds to a user logged into a virtual desktop

LOS ALTOS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Formerly known as SnapVolumes, CloudVolumes today announced the availability of its suite of enterprise-class Instant Workload Management (IWM) products for enterprise server, desktop, and cloud environments. CloudVolumes also is introducing integration with VMware vFabric Application Director. By virtualizing above the operating system (OS), CloudVolumes is eliminating per virtual machine (VM) management, significantly reducing management requirements and costs.

“We created Instant Workload Management solutions to virtualize everything above the OS to allow the industry to simply think in terms of what they care most about – workloads.”

“Virtualization at and above the operating system can massively benefit enterprise datacenters,” said Paul Burns, president of cloud research firm Neovise. “CloudVolumes is breaking new ground here, resulting in improved server and cloud delivery, capacity creation and mobility from one cloud to another, as well as enhanced virtual desktop delivery, configuration management, patch management and more.”

CloudVolumes products are engineered for enterprise-class workloads with a single point of administration and ability to virtually transport workloads without using physical resources, by natively attaching volumes to thousands of running VMs. Additionally companies have a choice to move their workloads to the best available resources in the datacenter or cloud without worrying about the underlying infrastructure. CloudVolumes IWM solution requires no changes to existing infrastructure, OS, hypervisor, application, licensing, policy or infrastructure and delivers:

• Instant deployment of complex multi-tier server workloads into a running VM
• Scaling, relocation and recovery instantly across thousands of virtual machines within seconds
• Migration of workloads between the cloud and datacenter, independent of VM or hypervisor
• Single image management of applications, dependencies, data and settings
• Patches, updates and upgrades that are applied once and delivered dynamically to many VMs
• Department and user installed apps, including personalization for desktop
• Support for all Windows desktop and server apps including custom developed ones

“The CloudVolumes product is truly a differentiator in the industry by allowing users to change the way IT provisions applications to specific workgroups or change the personality of a server-build to rapidly provision workloads such as an SQL server or Citrix Server. Instead of spending hours building unique server and virtual desktop workloads, we are able to simply assign the right AppStack to the given server or application workgroup,” said Cory Merritt, president, Sage Infrastructure Solutions Group. “At Sage, we have leveraged CloudVolumes to take a base Windows Server 2008 R2 build, and by applying the appropriate AppStack, turned the base server into a SQL Server with a simple reboot.”

The CloudVolumes suite of products provides solutions for critical use cases in today’s enterprise datacenter and cloud:

cv-Enterprise Server – With CloudVolumes servers no longer need to be dedicated to a specific workload, and can be managed as a generic pool enabling rule based dynamic provisioning in seconds. CloudVolumes allows IT to relocate, reconfigure and update servers to perform new tasks on demand with no downtime, even for custom apps and complex multi-tier services. Additionally it enables servers to be seamlessly managed and upgraded to deliver future applications and updates, while continuing to operate current the workload as is. Demo: http://vimeo.com/65594851

cv-Enterprise Desktop — Virtual Hosted Desktop, VDI, Microsoft RDS, Citrix XenApp – CloudVolumes Desktop solution provides a persistent desktop feel with non-persistent pools including UIA/DIA and complete user personalization, while having a single point of administration and control for all applications. IT costs are reduced with 1:N storage compression and storage tiering. Users will experience native performance that can be further enhanced by “virtually sharing single SSD” across all VMs. All without recreating VMs, packaging, streaming or modification to the app. Demo: http://vimeo.com/65604027

cv-Cloud – Server and Desktop – Manage your datacenter together with the cloud, using CloudVolumes. Enterprises can now dynamically scale and move, as demand increases without the costly conversion and migration of virtual machines. VMs no longer need to be moved and enterprises can move only what is important, the workload. Additionally Desktop as a Service (DaaS) providers will be able to provide fully installed applications on-demand allowing users to practically manage themselves. Demo: http://vimeo.com/65624256

cv-Cloud – for VMware vFabric Application Director – IWM enables customers of VMware vCloud and AppDirector to realize unique and significant additional benefits, such as being able to instantly deploy blueprints and single image manage/update of apps across hundreds or thousands of provisioned virtual machines (VMs). CloudVolumes’ services are available at the VMware Cloud Applications Marketplace Demo: http://vimeo.com/65620067 and https://solutionexchange.vmware.com/store/category_groups/application-management

CloudVolumes is also Citrix Ready certified for Citrix XenApp, XenDesktop, and XenServer, as well as Cisco UCS compatible.

“IT is still managing, migrating, and installing apps one-at-a-time in VMs as if they were physical machines. In today’s virtual world, workloads should not be locked-in to a given hypervisor or cloud,” said Raj Parekh, president and CEO of CloudVolumes. “We created Instant Workload Management solutions to virtualize everything above the OS to allow the industry to simply think in terms of what they care most about – workloads.”

CloudVolumes Product Availability

CloudVolumes IWM products are available now to qualified customers for trials, and production deployments. For more information, please contact me at holger.kuehn(at)ahaager.de

Request a CloudVolumes Live Demo

If you are interested in a live demo please fill out the form below. We will contact you as soon as possible.

Download here: http://communities.vmware.com/community/vmtn/developer/forums/thinapp

VMware has also fixed loads of issues with prior versions:

• JavaScript errors are displayed on the EULA screen when you attempt to install ThinApp application.
• When you start virtualized Internet Explorer 7 on a Windows 8 or Windows Server system, the following error message is displayed:
  Cannot find ‘url’. Make sure the path or Internet address is correct.
• Virtualized Microsoft Outlook 2003 running on Windows 2000 fails when it receives an e-mail message containing an embedded object as an attachment.
• When you start virtualized applications for the first time, an access violation error message is displayed. This issue is observed for applications virtualized with ThinApp 4.7.2.
• Virtualized Internet Explorer 6.0 stops responding when you attempt to open a PDF file from the Acrobat Reader X installed on the system.
• ThinApp MSI upgrade option fails when you try to upgrade virtualized Mozilla Firefox 12 to Mozilla Firefox 13.
• Crossbase application virtualized using ThinApp 4.7.1 fails to start on Windows XP and Windows 7 operating systems.
• Compared to ThinApp versions 4.6.1 or 4.7 the performance of virtualized Firefox 12 is inconsistent on ThinApp 4.7.1.
• Service Center Perigrine virtualized with ThinApp fails to start on Windows 7 and Windows 7 X64 operating systems.
• When you activate EULA with RuntimeEULA=1 in Package.ini file and run the application package, ThinApp displays older version of the VMware logo and EULA text.
• On a Windows 8 operating system, if you open a file with a virtualized instance of PowerPoint 2003, PowerPoint fails with the following error message:
  Microsoft Office PowerPoint has stopped working.
• When you try to run the virtual version of Lotus Notes whose sandbox path is on a Novell share, the application fails with the following error message:
  Unable to access data directory ‘C:\Programme\IBM\Lotus\Notes’ using the preferences file ‘J:Notes\Data\notes.ini’
• When you attempt to use the record function of a HP Vugen application virtualized with ThinApp 4.7 the application fails with the following error:
  iexplorer.exe- Application Error The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000005). Click on OK to terminate the application.
• Virtual version of Eclipse might not recognize the system path and the system environment variable if the user modifies them.
• If the directory in the DFS share is hosted on a NetApp device, in the user interface ThinApp might not display directories or files present on the DFS share.
• ThinApp forces the repair of the Microsoft Office 2010, when you launch some instances of Microsoft Excel from the virtual version of SAP 7.20.
• When you open and close a PDF file multiple times using Adobe Acrobat in virtual Internet Explorer 6.0 as an inline viewer, virtual IE 6.0 fails due to increased memory usage.
• Virtual Internet Explorer 6.0 fails to access any Website on Windows 8 operating system.
• Internet Explorer does not redirect the Thindirect URLs to the SeaMonkey browser even, if you enable the Thindirect plug-in.
• When you perform Appsync upgrade of an application from ThinApp 4.7.0 to 4.7.2 it results in the following error message:
  The system cannot find the file specified. For more information see Knowledge Base article 2036567.
• The ThinDirect plug-in allows only the virtual Internet Explorer 6.0 to redirect the URLs to the native browser. On other browsers the redirection option might not work.
• When you enable the Turn on User Account Control option in Control Panel, virtual Internet Explorer 8.0 and Internet Explorer 9.0 might not display Internet Explorer help topics.
• Virtualized Google Chrome browser fails to start on Windows 8 operating system.
• On Windows 8 operating system, you cannot save a file with .pdf or .xps extension with virtualized Microsoft Word 2010 or Microsoft PowerPoint 2010.
• ThinApp fails to start virtual URL package on Windows 8 operating system.
• Virtualized Internet Explorer 7.0 fails to start on Windows 8 operating system.
• In virtualized Internet Explorer 7.0 when you select What’s new in windows Server 2012 option from the help menu, Internet Explorer fails with the following error message:
  Internet Explorer has stopped working
  This issue is observed on the Windows Server 2012 operating system.
• When you start the virtual version of HP User Generator for the first time, the application displays the following error message:
  spill file I/O error.
• In virtualized Internet Explorer 6.0 the Browse option in the Certificate Import Wizard (Tools >Internet Options >Content >Certificates >Import) might not work. This issue is observed on Windows 8 operating system.
• On Windows 8 operating system, when you attempt to print a Web page from virtualized Internet Explorer 6.0 the application displays the following Printing error message:
  An error occurred during this operation.
• When you start Camtasia Studio virtualized with ThinApp 4.7.1 the application fails with the following error message:
  Camtasia Studio has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
• ThinApp sandbox might not save the changes made to the virtual version of Mozilla Firefox on Windows 8 operating system.
• On Windows 8 operating system, the buttons on the Manage Add-ons page of virtualized Internet Explorer 9.0 might not work.
• The Protected Mode settings of the virtualized Internet Explorer 9.0 are inconsistent with the native Internet Explorer settings on Windows 8 operating system.
• Blackberry 9780 Simulator’s browser might not start on ThinApp which is deployed on a system with Windows XP operating system.
• Some Log monitor features like Profiling Data and Function Usages do not work on official ThinApp builds of Buildweb.

You can download the release here: http://www.vmware.com/products/thinapp/

From http://blog.simonbramfitt.com/2012/11/snapvolumes-and-the-millau-bridge/

“From what I have seen of SnapVolumes technology so far, I think it has the potential to fundamentally change the way that enterprise desktops, server and cloud platforms are managed.  That one technology is universally applicable such a broad swath of the IT world will be the cause of significant speculation and it may well be that SnapVolumes may not retain its startup status for long.”

Quote from Simon bramfitt

Video from Citrix Synergie 2012: http://vimeo.com/41953386

I have tested the software under NDA and i have been impressed about this amazing software. And i believe, this will be the way in the future to manage applications and Datas in Enterprise Desktops and Cloud Platforms cause you can save in Storage, Network and Time.

End users get access to Windows, SaaS and enterprise web applications across different devices while retaining control and visibility via policy-driven management. VMware Horizon Application Manager lets you provision and entitle secure access to end users, track SaaS license activity, and get usage reports. In combination with VMware ThinApp it´s easy to provide access and entitle users to any virtualized Windows application.

I´m just testing Horizon Application Manager in a PoC for an Enterprise customer.  And my first impression “amazing product”

You can download the trial version of Horizon Application Manager http://www.vmware.com/products/desktop_virtualization/horizon-application-manager/overview.html

Here some helpfull and interesting links:

http://portal.sliderocket.com/vmware/HorizonServiceConfig

http://portal.sliderocket.com/vmware/HorizonServiceOrg

http://portal.sliderocket.com/vmware/HorizonConnectorInstall

http://portal.sliderocket.com/vmware/HorizonConnectorConfig

http://portal.sliderocket.com/vmware/HorizonKerberos

http://portal.sliderocket.com/vmware/ADGPO

http://pubs.vmware.com/horizon-administration-help/index.jsp?topic=/com.vmware.mol.connector_install.doc/GUID-ABA8925D-4AA7-4D09-B97F-B65D4546E3CE.html

http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/horizon_pubs.html

Official Statement by Aaron Black:

The ThinApp Factory is a virtual appliance that brings centralized administration and automation to the process of creating virtualized Windows applications with VMware ThinApp technology.  ThinApp Factory utilizes vSphere API’s to spawn workloads that automatically convert fileshares of application installers into ThinApp application containers.  These workloads can be run in parallel to maximize throughput and increase ROI for virtualization projects.  Packagers and administrators can now utilize ‘Recipes’ during this packaging process. Recipes are simply small JSON files, which contain a redistributable blueprint of the customizations and optimizations necessary for packaging complex applications.  These recipes can be created and now exchanged freely with other customers via the ThinApp Packaging Community site.  We also introduce the concept of ‘Feeds’ with the Factory that allow administrators to subscribe RSS-style to a legitimized source for application installers from a Corp IT location or via a cloud-based service.

We have received very enthusiastic feedback from the group of partners and customers that field-tested this technology.  There is something magical about turning a directory full of MSI’s into ThinApp packages with just a few clicks in the ThinApp Factory web UI.  The integration with Horizon Application Manager also provides an expedient path to Horizon enable your applications and populate the Horizon Application Catalog.

The release of this technology through our VMware Lab’s site allows us to expedite the process of distribution and focus more on gathering feedback and listening to how our customers define the technical and business value.  So I invite you to consume the technology and provide your feedback directly or through the ThinApp Factory discussion forum.  As this is a community supported technology we will be providing regular updates and video tutorials of the features below over the coming weeks.

Key Features:

• Automates packaging  of application installers into virtualized Windows applications
• Leverages vSphere,vCenter for automation of workloads to efficiently package 1000’s of applications
• Provides and utilizes ‘Recipes’ as redistributable blueprints for application packaging
• Provides a lightweight web UI with a dashboard for administrators to use for the entire workflow of packaging to distribution.
• Enables administrators to import and edit existing ThinApp projects and modify package.ini, registry, and file settings through the web UI.
• Integration with Horizon Application Manager application catalog for automated population of application metadata and deployment with the Horizon Windows Agent.

The trick is easy. Capture under Windows XP SP 3, Start a Prescan, install Cognos, start the Postscan.

Afterwords open in the cognos bin folder “cer3.ini” and change the path in the second line “COGNLSTAB=C:\Programme\Cognos\cer3\bin\coglang.tab to any location in your ThinApp capture directory and copy the file coglang.tab to this directory. Now start the build process et voila, Cognos works

GUI Eigenentwicklung vorgeschaltet vor jede ausführbare „exe“

• Erkennen von OS, und beim ersten Start, Registry oder Konfigurationdateien in die richtigen Pfade kopieren (je OS unterschiedlich)
• „Sandbox Backup“, bei jeder neuen Version konfigurieren KIRU eine neue Sandbox, in die der Restore erfolgt (funktioniert auch bei Sandbox löschen). Es werden nur ausgewählte Dateien wiederhergestellt. Keine Neu-Konfiguration der Anwendung mehr erforderlich, auch wenn sich ein User an gleichen PC anmeldet.
• Update über eigenen Downlad Manager (kein AppSync), mit zentraler Konfiguration im RZ. Konfiguration pro „EXE“ oder pro PC. Download Management mit Bandbreiten Management, Lizenzfunktion, Update „Aus“ Schalter und Script Funktion, um Änderungen beim Kunden vorzunehmen ohne die ThinApp EXE zu tauschen.
• …

Wenn Sie Interesse haben bei der kostenlosen ThinApp Community teilzunehmen, dann melden Sie sich per Mail bei: awilke@vmware.com

PS.: Werde natürlich meine Erfahrung auf diesem Gebiet nach Absprache mit VMware gerne einbringen.