VMware ThinApp 4.5 - Product Overview and Technical Discussion

1. VMware ThinApp
Product Overview and Technical Discussion
© 2009 VMware Inc. All rights reserved

2. The VMware ThinApp Solution
Agentless architecture
• Single file – EXE, MSI
• No installation or changes to registry
• Zero management required on end point device
Seamlessly fits into any environment
• No streaming server hardware or software needed
• Plugs into any existing management framework
Run Virtually Any Application from Any Device
• Desktop, USB, flash, terminal services, Citrix
• Any windows application – simple to complex
• Supporting components can be run side by side (Java, .Net)
Ensuring security without compromising user flexibility
• User-Mode execution
• Virtual Registry/File System protects underlying host OS
• No pre-installed agent required on underlying OS

3. Create Conflict Free Desktops
Problem:
Tightly coupled relationships between OS,
Applications and Data
Symptoms:
• Application Conflicts
• Complex Compatibility Test Matrices
• Diminished Time to Deployment
• Loss of User Productivity
• Increased helpdesk support calls
Solution: VMware ThinApp 2009 Reader’s Choice Award
• Agentless application virtualization 2010 Best product in category
decouples applications and data www.virtualizationreview.com
from the OS

4. How ThinApp Works
VMware ThinApp Links the Application, Virtual Operating System
(VOS), File System and Registry into a Single EXE MSI File
• Application Encapsulation
Windows & Isolation
Operating System • Intercepts file and system calls
ThinApp Secure • Process Loading- start exe from
Compressed Container (EXE) VOS, Launch from host OS
Application
(Virtual/Physical).
Registry Access Virtual
Registry
Physical
Registry • DLL Loading. Loads
EXE/DLL/OCX dependencies.
Virtual Physical
File Access File System File System
• Thread & Process Management.
Virtual OS Sandbox
VOS tracks all processes and
threads inside virtual registry
(Sandbox of Runtime
Modifications).

5. ThinApp 4.5
What’s new

6. ThinApp 4.5 what’s new
Full Windows 7 support Performance Accelerator
Virtualize legacy apps on Reduced page file usage and
older Windows platform for increased memory sharing for
deployment to Windows 7 faster delivery at reduced
bandwidth consumption
Relink
Registry Transaction Protection
Upgrade existing ThinApp
packages without the need of Ensure registry file integrity and
application project files eliminate potential data corruption
due to crash or system failure
ThinApp SDK
Published APIs to allow for
integration of ThinApp with
Enhanced Supportability third party software
ThinApp Community Portal
Customers have option to
Users can upload
share packaging results with
application instructions and
VMware for better support….
share with the community

7. Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 Support
• Full support for the following Windows operating systems at the same level
as Windows XP and Windows Vista
 Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit)
 Windows Server 2008 R2
• New applications captured on older platforms (XP or Vista) can still run on
Windows 7/Server 2008
• Windows 7/Server 2008 can also be used to capture new applications
 Best practice: Capture platform <= Deployment platform

8. Seamless Package Upgrades with Relink Tool
• Upgrades ThinApp runtime within existing
packages.
 Makes older ThinApp packages Win 7
compatible.
• Does NOT require original project rebuild.
• Preserves original ThinApp packages as
.BAK files.
 Ensure disk space is available!
• Supports wildcards and recursion.
• Easy command line & scripting potential.
Syntax:
relink [-Recursive] <path_to_package> *.exe *.dat *.msi
Examples: relink -recursive c:Thinapps*.exe
relink AdobeReader.exe

9. ThinApp 4.5 Performance Accelerator
• Significant performance improvements in VDI environments w/shared storage.
 Shorter application startup time
 Lower network bandwidth consumption
 Lower disk IOPs
 Reduced memory consumption and page file usage
• Implemented with new PACKAGE.INI parameter
 OptimizeFor=Memory
Streaming Improvements from ThinApp 4.0.4 to 4.5
Launch Time (sec) Mem Used (MB) Network Payload (KB)
Excel -46.4 % -57.8 % -42.0 %
Word -23.5 % -88.7 % -38.9 %
PPT -34.5 % -35.6 % -36.6 %
Outlook -48.3 % -57.7 % -38.9 %
Adobe -20.5 % -0.7 % -44.1 %

10. Setup Capture Changes
• Improvements made to Setup Capture wizard for enhanced customer experience.
• Context-sensitive Help, Help buttons, and External Links added to many screens.

11. Technical Discussion
Architecture

12. Technical Architecture – User Mode Architecture
• User mode architecture provides transparency and best in class compatibility.
 ThinApp packaged apps do not require kernel mode for CPU-level privileges.
- No more BSODs!!
- Host OS and other apps are protected from potential corruptions by app modifications.
 ThinApp packaged apps do not require Admin mode for OS-level privileges.
- No more Local Admins!
- Users can run apps on locked-down PCs or Kiosks as “guest” user.
Ring 3 Applications
Ring 2 Device Drivers
Least Privileged
Ring 1 Device Drivers
Ring 0 Kernel
Most Privileged

13. Technical Architecture – Sandbox & Isolation
• Sandboxing & Isolation Modes provide security and persistence.
 ThinApp redirects all runtime changes to private, per-user/per-app sandbox location.
 Sandbox location is configurable:
- Network share (i.e. Home Drives).
- Removable USB volume or VMware View User Data Disk.
- User-specific directory (i.e. %appdata%thinstall).
- Honors system variables (i.e. %UserName%, %ComputerName%, etc.)
 Reset apps to default behavior by deleting the sandbox.

14. Technical Discussion
Deployment Options

15. ThinApp Deployment Scenarios
Stream From Share Locally Deploy Flash Device
Efficiently Stream Deploy ThinApp Enable Workforce
Applications to Packages through Mobility And Full
Multiple Users existing Application
From a Single distribution to Portability Without
Network Share managed desktops Compromising
Security

16. ThinApp Streaming from Network Share
Cost Efficient Application File Server “Network Share”
Density on the LAN Enterprise software Licenses
• Deliver applications to
multiple users from
a single network share
• Stream into memory without
local disk footprint
• Read-only Network Share is
only support burden
• Utilize DFS for replication
and branch office solution
• Excellent mechanism for
integration with View
desktops

17. Locally Deploy with Existing Management Framework
Deliver using existing process and
Locally Deploy workflow to variety of End Points.
• Leverage existing workflow
to distribute as MSI or Exe Package / Publish Distribute
packages
• Application performance
based on local resources
• Simplicity for harvesting
inventory and usage
3rd Party Config
Management
Various Endpoints

18. ThinApp from USB
Enabling Mobility without
Compromising on Security USB Applications
ThinApp (EXE or MSI)
• Run applications from Flash
devices on any end point ThinApp VOS
• User-mode only execution Applications
allows for deployment on
locked-down PCs
• End users can continue with
their activity with their favorite
applications
• No Install Required!
Kiosk Locked Down Laptop Home PC
Desktop

19. Simplify Desktop Delivery with View
Simplify Software Delivery
(no agents/infrastructure)
• Freedom from application
conflicts.
• Integration without dedicated
server infrastructure.
Streamline Patch Updates
• Modify 1 app for an entire
environment.
• In place upgrades.
Reduce Storage
• Reuse templates.
• Reduce image size and
complexity.
• Apps delivered from network.

20. Technical Discussion
Features & Process

21. Application Link – Connect ThinApps
Primary Application Dependency Primary Application
Seamless Interoperability Enhance License Management
• ThinApp packages can talk • Reduces package size to
together and with OS ease deployment and delivery
• Enables interoperability • Enhances software license
between virtual applications management tracking via
and underlying OS current inventory tools

22. Application Sync : Update ThinApp Packages
Package / Publish Deliver Manage Mobility with Ease
• Manage applications in the
HTTP/HTTPS/FILE Server
extended enterprise: Partners,
App Subsidiaries
(Version C)
• Ship only what they need,
when they need it
App
(Version B to C) Enable Workforce Mobility
App • Flexible delivery to a variety of
(Version A to C) devices (USB, Thin Client, PC)
• Conflict free application
updates for unmanaged PCs
SMB/HTTP/HTTPS Byte Level Updates (WAN)
over WAN/LAN via Active Directory

23. Introduction to Application Packaging
Steps for packaging an application with ThinApp:
• The Setup Capture utility creates a baseline snapshot before the
application is installed (pre-scan)
• The application is traditionally installed
• The Build phase of Setup Capture creates the virtualized application
package (post-scan)
• Set package “entry points” and package options
• Finish by browsing and building the project
Pre-scan Install Set package Browse and
Post-scan
application options build package

24. Active Directory Integration
Primary Integration Points
1. Role Based Access To Applications
2. Access Control and Distribution

25. Desktop Integration Questions
How do I register applications?
Deploy MSI Packages
Use ThinReg in a Script
Answer: Application
Registration

26. Application Virtualization “Grey Areas”
Every appvirt product has these four issues!
Competitors have additional issues!
•Drivers – Drivers cannot be virtualized as they are Windows OS Level controlled
components which must interface with a logical or physical device.
•COM Plus – COM Plus objects cannot be virtualized as they are Windows OS Level
controlled components (ThinApp can virtualize COM objects).
•Network DCOM – Network DCOM objects cannot be virtualized (DCOM – a.k.a.
Local DCOM – objects can be virtualized by ThinApp) as there are two sides to
Network DCOM objects – a local and a remote side.
•Windows Components – ThinApp does not support virtualizing some OS Level
Windows components such as DNS (client/server), DHCP (client/server),
WINS (client/server), IIS, etc.

27. Wrap Up
Agentless Architecture
Agentless Architecture
• No compatibility issues with multiple
versions
• No backend infrastructure requirements
• 100% User mode execution
Wide Platform Support
• Support for 16, 32 & 64bit Windows.
• Windows NT – Win 7, W2K – W2K8.
• Citrix XenApp & MS Terminal
Services.
Agentless Architecture
Works with What You Have Now!
• Various multiple .NET and Java
• HP • IBM
runtimes.
• BMC (Marimba) • CA
• Multiple versions of Internet Explorer
– run IE 6, IE 7, & IE8 on the same • SMS/SCCM • BigFix
machine (Not Easy!). • LanDesk • Many, Many More!
Confidential

28. Q&A
Thank You!