eGroup had the benefit of working with the upcoming VMware ThinApp AppFactory appliance over the last several weeks and walked away impressed.  The latest tool in Application Virtualization slated to be released in the coming months is a game changer for the Application Virtualization and Delivery arena.  eGroup kicked off the #CVMUG12 Hands On labs with standing room only in the back of the room for the hands on AppFactory packaging session and technical walk through.  Myself (@JasonBWebster) alongside Ian Jones (eGroup Senior Application Services Engineer) and Dean "Keeper of the Dark Arts" Flaming (VMware ThinApp GURU) the crowd was not disappointed, approximately 45 ThinApps captured built and deployed to VMware View 5.1 desktops in about 15 minutes.

By introducing concepts such as Workflow, WorkPools, Feeds, Shares, Recipes and the ThinApp Store VMware has managed to simplify the application virtualization process by providing more consistency in the ThinApp base image, repeatable and automated tasks with workflows and recipes, and streamlined end user consumption with the ThinApp Store and Horizon App Manager integration.  In short, the application virtualization community not only has a way to share the best practices way of packaging and app via recipes, they can serve it right into your ThinApp factory appliance (installer and all) via a AppFactory feed.

Lets hit the high points:

<strong>Workflow:</strong>  ThinApp AppFactory introduces the concept of workflow into the packaging process.  By breaking down the tasks of pristine image/machine creation, precapture, install, postcapture, prebuild, build and deploy.  The user has the ability to create a repeatable process and scale it to multiple instances.

<strong>WorkPools:</strong>  ThinApp AppFactory introduces the WorkPool concept to Application Virtualization.  Notice the word "Pool", this is similar to desktop pools in VMware View although now we are talking about the packaging virtual machine or machines.  A WorkPool can be created in the AppFactory appliance web admin by one of two methods.

Method 1:  Selecting and existing VM and snapshot to create the base image from.  Method 2:  Selecting an Windows Operating System ISO from a datastore.

Method 2:  My favorite, immediately upon selecting the ISO and providing AppFactory with a VL or MAK/KMS license key the appliance goes to work creating a pristine virtual machine for the capture environment.

Also in the WorkPool settings, you can specify the maximum number of packaging instances to create at any single time.  These packaging instances are Linked Clones off the base image and provision on demand.  Once provisioned, they stay in a powered off state awaiting queued ThinApp packaging jobs.

<strong>Recipes:  </strong>ThinApp AppFactory Recipes are flat files that allow the packager to insert scripted and manual steps into the various phases of the packaging process.  For custom in-house applications, this allows application teams to specify all the dependencies, locations and any other application specific requirements for a given application.  Recipes will promote consistency and reliability of ThinApp Applications from environment to environment.  Application Packagers will no longer have to wade through all the community and blog posts on "How to Virtualize X Application on Windows 7" and follow it step by step.  They can simply grab the recipe, plug it into the application by selecting it at capture time and the resulting ThinApp is produced on the other side.

<strong>Feeds:  </strong>ThinApp AppFactory feeds are JSON formatted web based locations in which the content of the feed specifies the available applications, icons, installation commands, AppFactory Recipes, etc... for packaging an application.  The result, the packager can subscribe to a feed and all the applications they serve are readily available in your environment for packaging.  Just select the application and hit capture.  ThinApp AppFactory will read the feed and download the appropriate installer to the capture machine, package it based on the feed commands and any associated AppFactory recipes.  Feeds will allow application publishers to provide real time updates and streamline the deployment process directly to their customers.  Application consumers can perform assured migrations by having multiple versions of a ThinApp Application.  Custom feeds can be created to integrate with existing application management solutions.

<strong>File Shares:</strong>  Similar to ThinApp AppFactory feeds, File Shares allow the application administrator to specify a UNC path to in-house application installers.  ThinApp AppFactory will then  traverse the folders in the share and make any application installers available for packaging in the package WorkFlow.

<strong>ThinApp Store:  </strong>The ThinApp Store allows you to house and deliver applications in a user self-service model.  You can publish ThinApp applications packaged with AppFactory to the ThinApp Store and users can visit the store in their browser, select the applications they want and deploy them to their desktop seamlessly.  The ThinApp Store doesn't offer any form of user/group administration or filtering, for that level of application control, Horizon Application Manager can provide all those functions and more.

All of these features tie in with a intuitive web interface that allows for the user to visualize the packaging process from installer to desktop and interact at depth at each level.

Stay tuned... in part 2 we will be doing a video post that will walk you through exactly how to package applications in the ThinApp AppFactory Appliance.

Join us for our ThinApp AppFactory and Horizon Application Manager webinars on 6/8 and 6/18.  Email Jason.Webster@eGroup-us.com for details.