VMware App Volumes 4

VMware App Volumes is a real-time application delivery system that enterprises can use to dynamically deliver and manage applications.

Traditional Windows system – applications, settings, user’s profile, user data are tightly coupled with the OS, and the overall user experience—productivity, preferences, and licensing—is associated with a single system. App Volumes application model separates out IT managed applications, user profiles, and user-installed applications into portable containers.

App Volumes serves two real time app delivery functions. The first is delivery of predefined software programs that is not in the master VM image. App Volumes groups one or more programs into packages and applications based on the requirements of each use case. A package is a virtual disk containing one or more programs that are captured together.

The second function is user-writable volumes, which can be used in specific use cases. Writable volumes provide a mechanism to capture user profile data and user-installed applications on non-persistent Virtual Machine. This enable persistent user changes between sessions while using non-persistent VM’s.

Architecture and Components

With App Volumes 4, simplified application management (SAM) improves how the application lifecycle is managed. Instead of capturing applications in objects called AppStacks, as you did in App Volumes 2.x, you now work with applications, packages, and programs. These additional components provide you with granular control over the application lifecycle and improve administrative workflows.

Applications – An application in App Volumes 4 represents one or more packaged versions of software. Assignments are done at the application level to users, groups, computers or organizational units. Assignments can now be made directly to a specific package or to the package with the current marker.
Packages – Leveraging packaging VM to capture application bits to a virtual disk for distribution to users and computers. The process is similar to creating AppStacks. Packages are assigned a stage at creation, and the stage can be advanced as the package goes through its lifecycle.
Programs – Finally, the program is auto-generated during package creation. The name of the program is automatic, and executables and actual bits are captured during the package creation. The program may contain one or more application installers.

App Volumes Architecture

The App Volumes Agent is installed on non persistent guest Virtual Machine. The agents communicate with the App Volumes Manager instances to determine entitlements. Packages and writable volumes virtual disks are attached to the guest VM, making applications and personalized settings available to end users.

App Volumes Components