In my last week's post, I talked about how InstallFree can make applications portable between Windows XP and Windows 7. We also posted a video showing an example of how we take an application that is not compatible with Windows 7 and make it run on Windows 7.
This week, I'd like to talk a little bit about another type of application that's causing a lot of problems for customers migrating to Windows 7: the web-based application.
Web-based applications often use client-side browser plug-ins like Java or Flash, which create strong dependencies between the application, the version of the plug-in, the version of the browser and the version of the OS.
For example, suppose you have an application that was written for an old version of Java (let's say 1.3) and does not run correctly with newer versions of Java. In order to run this application, you need a browser that can use Java 1.3. You can use Internet Explorer 6, but you cannot use Internet Explorer 8. Internet Explorer 6 can be used on Windows XP but cannot be used on Windows Vista (contains IE7) or Windows 7 (contains IE8). So, your web application is now effectively locked to Windows XP!
We have spoken to many customers that were struggling with this issue and, in many cases, planned to re-engineer these applications in order to successfully migrate away from Windows XP. Obviously, this was a very expensive and disruptive proposition for them.
Fortunately, InstallFree's ability to make applications portable and compatible with Windows 7 extends to web-based applications as well. Using our product, you can continue to run your legacy web applications on Windows 7 by using a virtual instance of Internet Explorer 6 or 7 that includes all the plug-ins you need.
We have just posted a new video that shows this exact use case in action. Take a look and let us know if you have any comments or additional questions.
Thanks,
Alon Yaffe
Director of Marketing
InstallFree, Inc.
alon.yaffe@installfree.com
If you were reading our web site lately (or even talked to any of us here at InstallFree), you probably noticed that we really like to talk about how InstallFree can help solve application compatibility issues when migrating to Windows 7. You might also have noticed that unlike other vendors in the app virtualization space, we don't really "hedge" or "qualify" our statements.
Where other vendors say that you can package applications on Windows XP and they will *probably* run on Windows 7 (subject to a rather long list of exceptions and conditions that you can see here and here), InstallFree just says that the applications you package on XP will run on Windows 7. Period.
Why is that we don't hedge, qualify or footnote these kinds of statements?
The answer is actually quite simple: we don't need to. If your InstallFree Virtual Apps run on Windows XP, they will run on Windows 7***
The reason other application virtualization technologies have a problem with portability is that their virtual applications are not completely isolated from the underlying OS. Or, to put it in other words, they are not really virtualized. They still use and rely on certain OS or other natively-installed components in order to function, and when those components are no longer available, the apps stop working. When you think about it, the way these other products package their applications tells the whole story: you need to install the application on a clean machine and capture the delta. Whatever was already present on this clean machine becomes a dependency that is really not 100% transferrable to a new OS.
With InstallFree, we create virtual applications that are completely isolated from the host OS. Our Encapsulator creates a virtualized environment into which you "install" the application and we don't use "delta" or "before and after" scans to identify application resources. This way, there are really no hidden dependencies and we can make applications fully portable.
In the next few weeks, we will be posting a series of demonstration videos that will focus on these OS portability use cases. The first video in the series is available right now on our web site and on our YouTube channel. It shows how we can take an application that cannot be natively installed and used on Windows 7 (in this case, Windows Server 2003 Admin Pack) and then make it run on Windows 7. Next week, we will post a video showing you how you can take an application with dependencies on legacy versions of IE and Java and run it on Windows 7.
If you have any other use cases you'd like us to demonstrate, leave a comment below or contact us and let us know.
Thanks,
Alon Yaffe
Director of Marketing
InstallFree, Inc.
alon.yaffe@installfree.com
***No hedges, qualifiers or footnotes :-)
Following our InstallFree Bridge 2.0 release earlier this month, we are happy to announce that we have released a new version of the InstallFree Encapsulator. The Encapsulator is our packaging utility that enables you to take a standard Windows application and package it as an InstallFree Virtual Application (IFV App) that is fully portable between different versions of Windows and different desktop delivery technology (distributed PC, server-based computing, VDI, USB storage, etc).
Unlike other app virtualization technologies in the market today, the InstallFree Encapsulator does not require a clean machine for packaging as it creates a clean virtualized environment into which you install your application. In addition, it can be used to virtualize complex applications that require runtime access to CDs and mapped network drives by virtualzing the drives.
Watch this short demonstration movie to see the new Encapsulator in action>>
Click here to learn more about the InstallFree Encapsulator>>
Thanks,
Alon Yaffe
Director of Marketing
InstallFree, Inc.
alon.yaffe@installfree.com
April is shaping up to be an exciting month here at InstallFree.
Today, we are announcing the general availability of the InstallFree Bridge Suite 2.0 and a few other exciting news. Here's a quick breakdown of the announcement and what it means to our current and future customers.
InstallFree Bridge Suite 2.0 - Key Features and Benefits
Version 2.0 enables you to package applications on Windows XP and then run them on Windows 7 or Windows 2008 without repackaging. If it works on XP, it will work on Win7, Windows Server, Terminal Services, VDI, etc. It's that simple. You can find more information and demo movies on our Windows 7 Migration page.
You can now run virtual instances of Internet Explorer 6 and 7 on Windows 7 or any other version of Windows that has IE8 natively installed. We've seen many customer situations where migrations to Windows 7 were either delayed or seriously complicated due to the need to continue supporting legacy web applications. You can find a great example for this here. You can find more information and demo movies on our Virtual Internet Explorer page.
The release currently supports 32bit versions of Windows and we expect to have 64bit support generally available in Q3/2010. You will not need to repackage applications specifically for 64bit platforms and your existing virtual applications will continue to run without any changes.
Windows 7 Migration Promotion
If you are in the process of migrating to Windows 7 and have compatibility issues with XP or web applications, we would like to talk you. We are currently running a limited time promotion that will allow you to use our product to get over the migration hump for a very attractive price point, and then be able to take advantage of additional discounts should you decide to upgrade to the full product. If you want more details on this promotion, send an email to sales@installfree.com.
Online Hands-On Lab
Customers can now evaluate our software without the need to setup the product in their environments. Our Hands-On Lab will enable you to use a private instance of the InstallFree Management Console and a test endpoint, and run through standard day-to-day use cases with the product. We even provide embedded step-by-step instructions for evaluating key features.
If you want to give it a try, simply register for evaluation and we'll follow up with you to set up an account.
Application Cookbook
Our customer support portal now includes a section that will allow you to view encapsulation (packaging) recipes and submit new recipes for lab review. This should help you get more productive with our product much more quickly.
Stay tuned for additional news and announcements and if you have any questions or comments feel free to contact us.
Thanks,
Alon Yaffe
Director of Marketing
InstallFree, Inc.
alon.yaffe@installfree.com
Wow another year has passed before we knew it. What does 2010 have in store? How much of it is hype from Johnny come lately vendors trying to jump on the money train and how much of it will actually amount to products that make a difference - is yet to be determined. Here is my best guess of things to come for the next year:
1) Cloud - will continue to be the marketing "Hype" word. Every Web 2.0, IT As A Service, Virtualization Platform, Systems Management Company etc will continue to jump on the "Cloud" bandwagon to get their piece of the pie. This will continue to muddy the waters and confuse IT and Senior executives while they try to figure out what is really a cloud and what is not. This will delay actual adoption and/or fuel more pilots (similar to VDI) to enable IT to figure out best strategy, impact, and additional tools required to drive more efficiency and less costs during their implementation cycles.
2) Compliance - will play a much bigger role in driving new product innovation and budgets - once again catching the naysayer off guard as it did with SOX and having more vendors jump on that bandwagon. We now have a Cybersecurity Czar, new provisions for Health Care, pending deadlines for Electronic Medical Records, and Auditors asking for more details on how and what tools are available to check impact of virtualization. This is a big area that really needs more thought leadership, standards and catch up a like.
3) War between Physical and Virtual will continue to heat up - who will win the war between the big paradigm shift? The current physical tools in place or the virtualization only tools. The answer here is simple - the hybrid approach. Customers will push back on attempts to virtualize ALL their desktops, servers, systems, and tools. They will force vendors to have a single pane of glass to manage both physical and virtual paradigms. Those that provide the bridge between the physical and virtual paradigm across the stack will win the war.
4) Win 7 Migration Planning - less deploying until 2nd half of this year and into 2011. Most large enterprise customers I have worked with over the years take a minimum of 18 months to migrate to a new OS. Many are just cutting their teeth on Win 7 and trying to determine what is viable and what is not in terms of the biggest factors that inhibited Vista adoption - Application Compatibility, Hardware Requirements, and impact on end users (business continuity). They are once bit and twice shy with Vista although they know they have to migrate because many skipped Vista and XP is on it's way out.
5) 2010 is the Year of the Desktop - over the last 3-5 years the desktop has taken a back seat in terms of budgets, hype cycle and innovation. Many vendors tried to apply server technology to the desktop to extend their reach into the proverbial pocketbook of the Enterprise but have fueled internal debates and concern. Desktop Managers, Architects, and Dependent groups are pushing back while creating their own evaluations and new paradigms will emerge as a result. They have successfully shown through failed pilots, business cases, etc that solutions which solve server issues can not be easily used to solve desktop issues as well.
6) Financial Institutions will still see Cloudy market -Many of the revenues they enjoyed in 2009 will diminish based on clamping down by government with new taxes being levied on the financial services industry to cover the recent bailout combined with more foreclosures from the last wave of interest only loans coming due in 2010 and 2011, and the high unemployment rate. This market will continue to be uncertain and executives will continue to proceed with caution with the exception of projects that enable more visibility (Compliance and Analytics), costs reduction initiatives such as consolidating data centers or staff to less expensive markets (salary, land, taxes).
7) Compliance and Compatibility will drive adoption of alternative solutions such as Application Virtualization, Web 2.0, and Virtual Desktops. The number of pilots and niche adoptions for virtual applications, converting applications to Web 2.0 (similar to Salesforce.com), and niche deployments of virtual desktops will increase as companies try to determine the most cost effective approach to balancing increased demand for mobility (home office, global), regulations, and they are forced to migrate to Win 7 or an alternative.
8) Software as a Service and IT as a Service will heat up in Healthcare, Education, and Government - Regulations and Budget cuts across the board are pushing C Level executives to rethink the way they do business. Smaller doctors offices, clinics and hospitals will scramble for low cost alternatives that enable using User Based provisioning from a hosted model versus per seat license count to reduce costs, support overhead, and impact on not complying. Education will follow suit to ensure Privacy Act provisions are in place as more displaced workers return to school and more emphasis and actual fines are being placed on violations of privacy. Budget strapped state and local governments will look for ways to drive efficiency and process to deal with their staffing shortages and shortfall in general. Virtualization and BSM will prove to be viable solutions.
9) Consolidation will continue in overall Systems Management Space - interesting moves this month with HP and Microsoft partnership (should not overshadow VMware/HP Partnership). More sleeping giants like Dell, BMC and CA with their larger partners like Salesforce.com, Oracle, and Cisco will up their game through enhanced partnerships, being acquired, and/or acquiring newer technologies to refresh their portfolio to combat the race for the Cloud, Virtual Desktops, and Service Management tools as the tornado continues.
10) High Growth for Process Engineering and Technical Services for various forms of virtualization, cloud, and communications. As more larger companies jump on the SaaS, Cloud, and virtualization bandwagon there will be a greater need to work with "experts" that can enable IT and C Level Executives define not only the best way to implement these technologies but also what will be needed from a process and people (new skill set) perspective. These technologies are still fairly nascent and have impacted or changed the way that many things are tracked, deployed and maintained. Companies have invested millions in creating processes, tools, and audit trails around traditional systems. They will look to see how they can reap the savings rewards for newer technologies without having to rebuild their entire ecosystem, have duplicate systems, or stretch an already stretched out team any further. More expertise will be needed to assist with reducing inter departmental friction through process re-engineering, vendor evaluations, and implementing from pilot to production.
2010 will be an exciting departure and similar to when BSM first started a significant year of growth for many vendors (small and big a like) and seeing who will emerge as leaders in this area will be very exciting.
Cheers,
Jeanne
For many businesses, despite the number of alternatives available (Firefox, Chrome, Opera) Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) is still the standard for browsers. The standard version of IE may vary from company to company, and even from computer to computer, depending on update frequency and application dependencies.
Though each upgraded version of IE is different than its predecessor, the basic building blocks that make IE a functional browser don't change; only features, design, and support do. Software applications (in-house, specialty, legacy, and client-server) at times may be dependent on specific versions of IE, making it difficult to upgrade to the latest Internet Explorer version included with a new OS.
The Internet Explorer dependency can impact both the company's ability to migrate to either the new Internet Explorer and the new Operating System if it does not support older versions of the browser or if for example XP Mode is not an option due to interoperability, hardware or other requirements from the user or application.
Increased mobility, employee owned PCs, extended enterprises with outsourcers/partners, and regulations for the smaller businesses requiring patching - has created out of band requirements for turning on Windows Update Service for those client PCs. IT has to struggle with balancing the patching requirements mandated to protect their infrastructure from Malware attacks and ensuring that the automatic updates do not automatically upgrade the end user to a service pack or upgrade that can cause compatibility issues with the legacy applications or browser environments.
One option for supporting legacy browser dependant applications while keeping your OS compliant with security mandates is to virtualize Internet Explorer and the dependant application components. Doing this isolates the browser from the underlying Operating System, specific middleware dependencies (Java, .Net), and other applications.
Once virtualized, the older version of IE can be associated with specific programs, or even specific URLs. The redirection is instantaneous; if an IE 6 specific URL or legacy program is accessed, the virtualized IE 6 will open based on policy set in InstallFree's management console and any other program or URL will open in the latest version of IE. Both versions of IE can run simultaneously, which both simplifies and enhances the user experience.
Other benefits realized from virtualizing internet explorer:
• Reduced Regression and User Acceptance Testing - Each update to IE requires extensive regression testing to ensure compatibility with all programs used. Running multiple versions of IE dramatically reduces the need for this, saving time and money.
• Optimize Application Lifecycle with Modular Components - In addition to requiring specific version of IE, applications may require certain versions of middleware, such as .NET and Java. Specific versions of these components can be isolated, encapsulated, and dynamically bound with the virtual or native IE depending on the application being used. This level of flexibility is paramount in providing a consistent user experience while saving time and money.
The building blocks of IE are what make it such a successful and widely used browser - those won't change. Running a stable, virtualized, older version for applications that depend on it side by side with the latest feature rich version is a benefit made possible through virtualization.
References:
http://www.emaildiscussions.com/showthread.php?t=25556
[ New service packs breaking critical dependiencies ]
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS09-061.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/ms09-052.mspx
[ Microsoft Knowledge Base Articles ]
The proverbial virtualization train has left the station - yet many software vendors & customers alike are still scrambling on to understand the impact on their current technology, licensing models, and processes. Like many major paradigm shifts - customers are moving forward and carving out what they believe to be the right pathway based on limited information and their interpretation of where this market is headed based on decisions from major technology vendors such as Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP.
Unfortunately for most customers there are no true best practices across software vendors for supporting virtualization. As consumers you need to be aware of what the pitfalls are, precautions you can take to avoid them, and ways you can leverage your existing tools and processes to reduce not only the costs but impact of virtualization to your organization.
Considerations to Address
1. What Delivered - there are many different types of virtualization that can be leveraged such as Server, Desktop, or Application. What you are delivering will impact how you count and license the product. Is it an open source application, custom homegrown application, regulated and restricted access, or an expensive off the shelf application such as Adobe Photoshop. Whether the application is a desktop application, server application or combination of the two - Web 2.0 - makes a difference to cost structures and tracking.
2. How Delivered - For example - is it a server application running inside a virtual machine, a virtual application launched off a USB stick or file media share, or a combination of virtual applications with a virtual desktop from a datacenter, or a virtual application delivered from the Cloud or Managed Service Provider. All can have license impacts depending on the software vendors support policies. Different software vendors have different rules depending on delivery: Concurrent desktops in Datacenter (VDI/HVD), Virtual Applications from a Client Device, or Streaming from the Cloud all typically have different caveats. For example, Microsoft requires an additional Services Provider License Agreement to distribute their applications from a cloud environment to customers. There are many unanswered questions that have come up regarding traditional delivery of virtual applications - if I stage it - does that count as a license? Do virtual applications (not installed) count against a EULA that claims it has to be installed? One rule of thumb - if you use it, you should expect to pay for it - Software Usage becomes even more critical in the virtual world.
3. How Discover & Audit - Virtualization can have significant impact on existing tools and process for Audit & Control of applications.
- Application -If you are using application virtualization - does the provider provide transparency into the virtual bubble? Does the virtual application have digital rights management to prevent copying from client to next? How do you detect a virtual application that isn't registered? What hooks are available to ensure there are no invisibility cloaks hiding applications that can call back to ISVs but are undetected by company?
- Desktop -When you check out the type 1 hypervisor - will your traditional tools be able to know that the license on the user endpoint is the same one under the agreement with the hosted virtual desktop? If you vary your update schedule for discovery - how do you audit the virtual desktop? What happens if the user never logs in during the appropriate window? What is the impact on audit trail for tracking who touched what pieces? How will the discovery tool input and discern between licenses on the different virtual machines? Particularly - the personal VM and company approved VM?
- Server - When you dynamically move one virtual machine to another host - will the discovery tool know to not double count the application? Will the software vendor support the flavor of server virtualization being used? What level of support will be provided? How is it licensed compared to traditional licensing when server farms may have a cluster of more powerful boxes with multiple CPUs to support capacity on demand in the cloud (private or off premise).
4.
What is Impact on Performance - Oracle and many other major vendors provide prescriptive guidance on running certain applications in a virtual environment due to performance. There is no one perfect rule of thumb on virtualization and performance but there are some things to consider. Regardless of the type of virtualization - they all run on hardware of some type and are all affected by the traditional layers in the stack from network, to I/O, CPU, SAN/NAS, etc. The more layers you add to the stack will eliminate some problems but are still bound by the underlying hardware. When selecting the right type of virtualization - it is critical to understand what that is, where it will be run from, and impact on capacity requirements for individual users. There are tools out there from BMC - Capacity Management Essentials and Novell - Platespin acquisition- that can assist here.
5. What is impact on Security - If using Type 1 hypervisor approach - who is responsible for patching the personal VM and ensure there are no Distributed Denial of Service Attacks on the company network? What are the implications of regulations on this approach - Cyber Security Act, Personal Information Acts? For application virtualization - what measures are put in place to prevent viruses from executing from the virtual registry on systems that the users have Administrative rights to like their home PC, employee owned machines, or as required to support legacy applications that can not be virtualized? Is the right transparency there for virtual applications to detect if there is a virus in the virtual registry? Do they employ anti-injection techniques to prevent malware from impacting the virtual environment?
Like any paradigm shift - the benefits of virtualization and cloud computing far outweigh the risks and effort required to bring nascent markets and technology to mainstream but it will take time. The most important thing for customers and vendors both is to be informed and understand what the implications are, where adjustments need to be made and make decisions based on assessed impact. Typically I always advise customers to crawl, walk and then run when it comes to adopting new paradigms (this is not just new technology) that will impact the overall ecosystem in place around people, processes, and technology. An ounce of prevention is truly worth 100 pounds of cure when you consider how dependant we have all become on technology.
Last week InstallFree attended VMworld for the 2
nd year and I must admit that a year makes a world of difference. For those that think the economy is slowing, you should have been there... people were active and had defined budgets for virtualization projects addressing challenges from application compatibility to wide scale initiatives for migrating to Windows 7.
The biggest difference this year I saw is that people were far more educated about application and desktop virtualization than ever before. There were more people seeking out specific solutions and asking the right questions about how app and desktop virtualization can solve current desktop computing challenges.
The discussion moved from "what is app and desktop virtualization?" to "how can your app and desktop virtualization solution solve problem xyz?" From a vendor perspective, this is exactly the direction we want the conversations to be moving for 2 reasons:
- Prospects go into a conversation understanding the value of app and desktop virtualization - the key is now applying it to their pain points.
- It helps vendors move to solution selling which results in closing business.
There is no question that companies like VMware, Citrix and Microsoft have put a lot of wood behind the application and desktop virtualization arrow and customers are starting to see the value and apply it to their current environments. They saw the value of server virtualization and now want to reap the same or better results on arguably the important and mission critical IT component in the company... the desktop.
I can only imagine what next year will bring...
If you are a seasoned user of social sites, including Livejournal, Facebook, and most notably Twitter, you may have noticed slow response times, timeout errors, and at some points, the services just weren't available this past week. This is because these sites were hit by a massive DDoS (distributed denial of service) attack, rendering them virtually helpless. How are DDoS attacks generated? DDoS attacks come from users. This is what makes them so hard to track and shut down - if these attacks came from one source, say an offshore server, they would be easy to stop, or at least block. The DDoS attack that affected Twitter and other social networking sites came from malware on millions of computers that originated from risky online behavior. Unsafe websites and downloads often contain malware that embeds itself into the computer and does nothing until, well, this happens. Regular antivirus scanning and careful internet browsing are a powerful deterrent to DDoS attacks, but these practices are not always followed. The more control a user has over his or her computing experience within a school or a company directly correlates to the probability of that machine contracting some form of malware. To combat this issue, a locked down PC would be the ultimate solution. In a locked down PC, users have no administrative privileges, and are blocked from changing applications or operating system settings. This gives IT the highest level of centralized control. Are there drawbacks? Traditionally, from the user experience, yes. Users expect more control and flexibility with their machines. People are becoming increasingly tech savvy and expect to be able to utilize the productivity tools they work best with.
InstallFree application virtualization allows the user to have the computing experience he or she would want, while still working on a locked down machine. InstallFree creates a virtual version of the browser of your choice, allowing you to browse and customize as you see fit. The browser is encapsulated with all of the resources it needs to function independently from the operating system: registry, read/write file system, DLL pool, settings, and language-base. All personal settings are kept in a separate encrypted UserData file which dynamically binds with the virtual application at run time.
Window 7 is on the top of mind for many users and IT alike. What is the impact? Will I have to purchase new hardware? What do I do if my hardware is not compatible with the new XP Mode required to run some of my legacy applications?
Know the GAPs – Hardware Compatability
Hardware compatibility should be a concern but it is definitely not a show stopper for planning your Win 7 deployments. Some legacy hardware may not be able to support the requirements needed for the XP Mode feature to work. In particular – IT will need to ensure that the processor virtualization capabilities are supported and can be turned on within the hardware itself. For example, Sony has recently announced they will be blocking this feature on VAIO laptops.
Viable Alternatives – Package Once, Deploy Everywhere
Although XP Mode is a viable option – what do you do when it is not available? Windows 7 can still be deployed by leveraging viable options that enable applications to run across multiple OS versions – including Win 7. With hardware virtualization disabled, VAIO users won't be able to take advantage of virtual XP but they can certainly take advantage of Application Virtualization to achieve the same goal (running legacy applications on a Win 7 OS. InstallFree's application virtualization allows users to virtualize their applications, streaming them down to any host operating system (XP, Vista, Windows 7.) This process eliminates application/operating system compatibility issues, and even allows multiple versions of the same program ( for example, Word 2003 and Word 2007) to run simultaneously on the same machine.
Not All Application Virtualization is the SAME
When you are considering alternative solutions such as application virtualization – be sure to plan ahead and understand what the impact to your Windows 7 environment is going to be. There are 3 generations of architectures – the first 2 are OS dependant and may require that you repackage ALL your applications – having 2 sets to manage, maintain, and deploy during migration. Avoid increasing complexity and costs by understanding and ensuring you are picking the right architecture for your needs – especially if you are planning a move to Win 7.
For Example:
Agent Based – agent that installs into the physical kernel of the PC. There will be some requirements for this agent to be installed and compatible with the OS. That means that you will need to ensure there is no single point of failure, OS compatibility, and testing.
Agentless – these technologies are not truly agentless – the agent is embedded in the application itself during the virtualization process. In some cases they virtualize a component of the OS and thus require to repackage all your applications to move to Win 7 or in general if there is a security update to the agent itself. For IT Admins with hundreds to thousands of applications this could take months, a lot more regression testing, and costs.
Hybrid – The InstallFree approach is to provide a “Virtual Client” that maintains and manages the applications based on policy. Because we have our own file system we are not dependant on the underlying registry to run our virtual applications – breaking the bonds between OS versions and application dependencies. Allowing IT to run virtually any application across the various Windows OS types (XP, Vista, Win 7, 2003, etc.)
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