APP-V - Application Virtualization

• Learn about Microsoft's virtualization strategy and roadmap from Bob Muglia, Senior Vice President, Server and Tools Business; Kevin Turner, Chief Operating Officer, Microsoft Corporation; Bob Kelly, Corporate Vice President, Infrastructure Server Marketing, Microsoft Corporation.
• Hear from customers who have deployed Microsoft Virtualization products
• Get a free Microsoft Virtualization evaluation software kit*
• Visit the exhibit hall and test-drive the latest hardware and software solutions for a virtual environment from Microsoft and its partners.
• Take a technical deep dive by attending one of the conference sessions or hands-on labs.
• Network with your peers at the attendee luncheon and closing reception

1. Request this file from Adobe, by subscribe to distribution program
2. Extract it from AdbeRdr90_en_US.exe file :).

1. Run the installer, and wait until the setup dialog appears asking you for a destination folder to install to.
2. Without closing that dialog open, run Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\usernamel\Local Settings\Application Data\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Setup Files\READER9 .

This amazing Add-in from Microsoft Office Visio 2007 Professional helps you plan virtualization. With over 70% of server hardware being under-utilized, this very valuable tool can draw a clear picture of your hardware utilization. This tool auto-generates the diagram of your rack and provides clear server details from a linked Excel template. Analyze your racks and servers using WMI or get the utilization data over time using the Operations Manager connection.  Use the virtualization button to see the before and after detailed diagram of your racks. See clearly where you have the opportunity to save on space and power. See the power of Data Visualization at work with this Add-in For Visio 2007

Go and download this add-in from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=3250331a-0116-4064-92d1-50b9b0727b75&DisplayLang=en

Source: http://blogs.technet.com/virtualworld/

It's now a secret that I love automate procesess and to do that I create a lot of scripts. SoftGrid provides not bad environment to work with scrits. I think it's very importent to undesrstend how to use scripts in SoftGrid environment. I guess it's not neccessary explain what is OSD file :). So, the OSD file can launch scripts at various points within the launching of Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization-enabled applications. The script’s first setting determines when the script will run:

SCRIPT TIMING and EVENT:

• PRE STREAM: Before the application begins streaming. (For instance, if the user needs to open a VPN to Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization Server prior to running the application.)
• POST STREAM: Run after authorization and streaming but before the Virtual Environment is setup.
• PRE LAUNCH: Run inside of virtual environment, before execution begins.
• POST LAUNCH: After the application is launched.
• POST SHUTDOWN: Clean up activity or deleting settings files.

The following flow chart depicts the sequence of events when scripts are used within an OSD file.

Now, lets try to understend more about all this. So,  “WHERE”
“Where” the script will run. There are only two options available here

Protect:

• Protect=True: Allows the script to run within the protected environment. This script placement can be very useful for troubleshooting.
• Protect=False: Allows the script to run outside the virtual environment. This script placement can be very effective when files need to copied locally to a client but there is no need to penetrate the virtual environment.

“HOW”

The next item that must be determined in running scripts is “How” the script will run. This option defines how much time, if any, the script will wait to completely execute. The new “TIMEOUT” attribute is used to determine the amount of time in seconds that the Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization client will wait for the OSD file’s script to complete. For backwards compatibility the WAIT attribute is still supported in Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization 4.1. A script that runs in a synchronous manner will run each step of the script without waiting for the next to have been completed.

TIMEOUT:

• TIMEOUT=xx: The client will wait xx seconds for the script to complete before returning an error.
• TIMEOUT=0: The client will wait indefinitely for the script to complete.

Wait:

• Wait=False: Continue without waiting for the script to finish.
• Wait=True: Do not start the next step until the script finishes.

Note: The client does not support a PRE SHUTDOWN event (it is not possible to know the exact instant before a user clicks, for example, the [X] in the upper right corner, or types Alt+F4). The Protect attribute specifies whether the script runs inside or outside the virtual environment. The Wait attribute specifies whether the client waits for the script to finish before proceeding to the next phase. Scripts may be written in any language, but the language must be installed locally on the client machine.

There are two types of scripts that can be used in the OSD file, <SCRIPTBODY> and <HREF>. The following table describes each type. You can decide for yourself which one is the better to use in your situation or environment. I treat this table as a score card for the script types.

<SCRIPTBODY>
<HREF>

Can be used to call an executable by searching for the executable in the client’s Path statement.
Can be used to call an executable by searching for the executable in the client’s Path statement.

Uses the “\” as an escape character and as such requires an extra “\” to pass the actual character.
Does not use the “\” as an escape character.

Can be used to pass non executable commands such as the DOS make directory (md). This is actually a part of the command.com.
Cannot be used to pass non executable commands such as the DOS make directory (md).

When used, the contents of the script are copied to a temporary .bat file on the client’s drive. The .bat file is executed and then deleted when the application is closed.
Does not create a temporary .bat file but instead executes the contents of the script directly on the client.

When used a DOS window appears on the screen during the execution of the script’s .bat file.
No DOS window appears on the screen unless the process being called is a console application.

The SCRIPT tag is a child of the DEPENDENCY tag and the SCRIPTBODY or HREF tag is a child of the SCRIPT tag.
The following list some examples of scripts used in OSD files.

In this articl used material from http://blogs.technet.com/softgrid

• New flags that allow overriding the location configured in the Open Software Description (OSD) file for the Application Source Route (ASR), the Icon Source Root (ISR), and the OSD Source Root (OSR) with the registry value located on the client
• New Auto Load settings including when to target apps and what will start an Auto Load
• New Reporting Configuration options
• New Client Logging settings like maximum log size and number of copies to keep
• All permissions settings visible through the App Virtualization Client
• Disconnected Operation configuration
• Client user interface settings that control how the Tray behaves

• Changes to the virtual machine view
• Changes to virtual machine actions
• Allow for more than one virtual machine in a "Services or Applications" group
• Add support for mount points or volumes without a drive letter
• Changes to the virtual machine refresh action
• Behavior changes if any node of the failover cluster has a disconnected virtual machine
• Behavior change when you add a pass-through disk to a virtual machine
• Behavior change when the parent differencing disk is not on shared storage
• Volume path copy

Learn how you can implement Microsoft's solutions today to achieve consolidation, business continuity, accelerated desktop deployments, as well as where Microsoft is headed.
Video: Listen to Mark talk about his talk at Vitualization Congress 2008.

http://blip.tv/play/gZMQxdgYiv0y

Attend the event in London! Download the agenda below:

Microsoft Application Virtualization version 4.5 is now available in a public beta on Microsoft Connect. Formerly known as SoftGrid Application Virtualization, this is the first Microsoft-branded release of the product. It includes new capabilities designed to help IT support large-scale virtualization implementations across more sites and enable multiple delivery options; Globalization that lets users work in localized environments with localized applications; Dynamic Suite Composition which allows administrator-controlled virtual application combinations; and compliance with Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing and Secure by Default initiatives. This release also adds support for Windows Server 2008 32-bit Terminal Services (Microsoft Application Virtualization for Terminal Services only).