1. 5 Key Considerations to
W H I T E PA P E R
Successful Application
Virtualization Implementation
From David Davis, IT professional, blogger, speaker, video training author, vExpert,
VCP, VCAP-DCA, CCIE, and author of the How-To Guy blog at Virtualization Review

2. 5 Key Considerat ions to Successful Applicat ion Virtualizat ion Implementat ion
5 Key Considerations to Successful
Application Virtualization Implementation
Most IT administrators have more tasks, projects and the same time, end users cannot test new applications,
problems than they have time for in today’s constantly and applications from different software companies can
changing computing environment. And, many of the conflict with one another.
common solutions for IT problems are overly complex to • Significant time spent testing to prevent application
implement or painful to maintain. Does that sound all conflicts - in order to prevent end user application
too familiar? conflicts, an IT administrator can spend significant time
testing new applications with existing applications to
Application virtualization is an application deployment attempt to prevent application conflicts.
solution that many organizations are considering or have
already started implementing. This white paper will first • Delayed application deployments - due to the required
make the business case for why you need application testing time, end users don’t get the applications they
virtualization to begin with, then you’ll learn five key need in a timely manner.
considerations to ensure that you successfully implement • Downtime due to applications being unavailable -
application virtualization at your company. when application conflicts occur, the involved
applications could be unavailable causing significant
Making the Business Case loss in productivity for end users and, potentially,
Why should application virtualization be on the list of large financial loss for the company.
your critical IT projects for the year?
• Time consuming application updates - new applications
have to be installed causing downtime for end user
Most companies today struggle with end user application
desktops and loss of productivity for IT administrators
deployment because they have a reactive, manual
to monitor the queued installations across hundreds or
approach to preparing applications for deployment and,
thousands of desktops.
because they use traditional application deployments which
involve installing the application onto the OS. The biggest • Unproductive IT staff - IT staff spends unnecessary
single problem with traditional methods is that they are time working on application deployment and, instead,
difficult to manage. Installing applications, and keeping that time could be spent on IT projects that provide a
applications up-to-date on a single desktop or laptop system positive return on investment for the company.
can be a real challenge. If it’s a challenge on a single • Wasted licenses of applications - because application
desktop, then it can be an overwhelming challenge across deployment is time consuming, IT staff typically choose
hundreds or thousands of desktops in an enterprise. to just deploy all applications on all desktops resulting
in wasted application licenses, and potential license
The problems include: compliance issues.
• Application conflicts - newer applications are in conflict
with older applications, both cannot be installed at
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3. 5 Key Considerat ions to Successful Applicat ion Virtualizat ion Implementat ion
To state it simply, today’s traditional method of deploying format. For example, once virtualized, Microsoft App-V
applications to end user desktops isn’t enough. It’s costing creates a SFT file, VMware ThinApp creates an EXE,
you and your company time and money. The business case and Citrix XenApp creates a “profile”. If you have used
is that your company can no longer afford to be using application virtualization in the past, one of the challenges
outdated deployment methods and it’s time to consider you may have faced is getting your existing application
application virtualization. packages converted into virtual applications that work as
expected when run.
Many of the challenges covered above are solved by
today’s application virtualization technologies. Now, let’s Converting applications on your own can be time-
cover 5 key considerations that you must take to implement consuming and have the potential of being unsuccessful
application virtualization. if you are taking a “trial and error” approach. Today, this
process has gotten easier thanks to a greater number of
#1 Which Application Virtualization Platform? applications being tested and documented (for example,
The top tier application virtualization platforms are: the ThinApp Community Portal offers 66 application project
files), and third-party Application Readiness solutions that
• Microsoft® Application Virtualization (App-V)
automatically convert to virtual formats to reduce the time
• VMware® ThinApp™ to virtualize your existing MSI files and allow you to deploy
• Citrix® XenApp™ packages to desktops with greater success.
Each of these platforms has its own set of strengths and Factors to consider while converting your packages into
weaknesses; and a full-fledged comparison is beyond the virtual applications:
scope of this white paper. While any of these application • Application Isolation - what operating system resources
virtualization platforms should offer your company a will your application need once virtualized?
successful application virtualization solution, you should
• Application Linking - what other applications does your
research and test each of these platforms to select the one
application need to communicate with?
that is best for your company’s needs. Free evaluation
versions of these application virtualization solutions are • Application Deployment - who will be using the
available from their respective Websites. application and what is their network connection?
• Application Upgrade - once deployed, how will this
While most companies try to standardize a single application be upgraded?
application virtualization platform, there are times when
multiple platforms are required. If this is the case, there Even with a seemingly successful conversion of your
are third-party Application Readiness solutions you can application to a virtual application, you’ll need to test
virtualize applications into any one format, or all three the virtual application on all operating systems in use at
formats at the same time, so that you have the flexibility to your company. As part of this testing, you should take into
choose the most appropriate deployment type. consideration not only that the application works but that
it can be used with other linked applications.
#2 Which Applications Are in Use?
Prior to virtualizing your applications, you need to Typically, the process of virtualizing an application is a
inventory the applications used in your enterprise. As part two step process broken up into “setup capture” and “build”.
of this, it is recommended that you determine not only In the “setup capture” phase, you install your application
what those applications are, but who uses them, and what on a clean computer so that your application virtualization
licenses have been purchased. Then, with a consolidated program can compare what changes were made during
list of applications you can begin to determine which the installation. These changes are then stored in “project
applications should be virtualized. files”. Those project files can be edited and tweaked
after creation.
Most applications available today can be virtualized but
the old adage ‘just because you can doesn’t mean you Then, the project files go through a “build” process where
should’ holds true. For example, applications that use they are turned into a “package”. That package file is the
hardware dongles, device drivers, low level system virtualized application that, once tested, will be deployed
drivers, or have multiple application dependencies can be in our next step. However, before you deploy it, you’ll
problematic. There are third-party Application Readiness need to ensure that you spend time testing it, ensuring
solutions available which can test applications to ensure there are no conflicts due to shortcuts or file associations.
they will work if converted to virtual applications. There are Application Readiness solutions for application
virtualization available that enable you to automatically
#3 How to Convert? convert to virtual formats, test, validate and edit virtual
A required part of any application virtualization solution application packages.
is that you convert your existing applications into a virtual
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4. 5 Key Considerat ions to Successful Applicat ion Virtualizat ion Implementat ion
#4 How to Deploy and Determine Success? Summary
Depending on the application virtualization platform you Application virtualization platforms and third-party
selected, the steps to deploy the virtualized applications Application Readiness solutions have matured to make
will vary. To put it simply, the end users just need to “run” virtualizing applications easier than ever before. Traditional
the virtualized applications – how you direct them to application deployment headaches, wasted time, and
do that is up to you. lost revenue can be reduced with today’s applications
virtualization solutions. Enterprises should incorporate
In some cases, deploying virtualized applications is as the five key considerations for application virtualization
easy as providing end users access to shortcuts that stream listed in this white paper to ensure a successful application
the virtualized application over a network share. The virtualization deployment. Once implemented, enterprises
virtualized applications could also be deployed using must measure the success, both in saved time and reduced
traditional software deployment solutions already in use cost, of application virtualization. Additionally, enterprises
in your company. Or, you could deploy the virtualized should ensure that there is a consistent and repeatable
applications using Microsoft Windows Active process around application virtualization preparation
Directory (AD) Group Policy. and management so that application virtualization can
become a default method of deploying applications. If
As with any project, you need to evaluate your success planned and executed properly, application virtualization
(or lack of success) to determine if you’ve made the right can be one of the best solutions available to solve one of
choices. With application virtualization, the major today’s toughest IT problems.
success factors are:
• Time saved in a typical application deployment.
About the Author
David Davis is an IT professional, blogger, speaker, video
• Time saved by in testing new applications.
training author, vExpert, VCP, VCAP-DCA, CCIE, and author
• Time saved when updating applications.
of the How-To Guy blog at Virtualization Review.
• Cost saved by reducing the number of application
About Flexera Software
licenses required.
Flexera Software is the leading provider of strategic
• Application downtime prevented.
solutions for Application Usage Management; solutions
delivering continuous compliance, optimized usage and
#5 How can I Implement Application Virtualization maximized value to application producers and their
Faster? customers. Flexera Software is trusted by more than
Once you have proven that application virtualization can 80,000 customers that depend on our comprehensive
be a benefit to you, and to your company, you should solutions- from installation and licensing, entitlement
consider how you can make the process of preparing and and compliance management to application readiness
managing applications for virtualization more efficient. and enterprise license optimization - to strategically
For application virtualization to be truly successful over manage application usage and achieve breakthrough
time, you’ll want to minimize the manual effort to convert results realized only through the systems-level approach
applications and have a standardized process in place we provide. For more information, please go to:
for continued management of applications. The process of www.flexerasoftware.com
virtualizing an application needs to be quick, repeatable
and consistent.
The best way to do this is to research and implement an
Application Readiness solution for application virtualization
that is designed to automate this process and to manage
the applications, once virtualized. Third-party Application
Readiness tools can help you to:
• Quickly determine what applications are suitable
for application virtualization.
• Speed the conversion process.
• Allow you to edit packaged applications
with ease.
• Test for conflicts between virtualized applications.
In general, streamline the application virtualization process.
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5. Flexera Software LLC Schaumburg United Kingdom (Europe, Australia (Asia, For more office locations visit:
1000 East Woodfield Road, (Global Headquarters): Middle East Headquarters): Pacific Headquarters): www.flexerasoftware.com
Suite 400 +1 800-809-5659 +44 870-871-1111 +61 3-9895-2000
Schaumburg, IL 60173 USA +44 870-873-6300
Copyright © 2012 Flexera Software LLC. All other brand and product names mentioned herein may be the trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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