The MSI Utility for Microsoft Application Virtualization and HFRU1 Are Now Available

We are pleased to announce availability of the  MSI Utility for Microsoft Application Virtualization and the SoftGrid HFRU1 release supporting it.

MSI Utility for Microsoft Application Virtualization

https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=37A9E590-4F55-44AC-93E1-36EB63A09240&displaylang=en

The MSI Utility for Microsoft Application Virtualization is a new tool designed to extend virtual application deployment in certain key scenarios. In cases where a computer running Microsoft System Center Virtual Application Server is not available, the MSI Utility allows delivery of sequenced applications directly to Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization for Desktops and Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization for Terminal Services.

The MSI Utility enables the distribution of virtual applications without streaming. Instead, it uses Windows Installer to load and configure virtual applications. By leveraging this standard format, the MSI Utility achieves Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 platform version-agnostic distribution of virtual applications if supported by organizational Electronic Software Distribution (ESD) systems. As such, the MSI Utility is a stepping stone to the richer deployment options available in Microsoft System Center Virtual Application Server 4.5.

The MSI Utility extends application deployment methods to a broad range of ESD systems, including Systems Management Server 2003 and System Center Configuration Manager, as well as other methods such as network shares, removable disks, and memory keys. By using an ESD system to deploy virtualized application packages to disconnected SoftGrid Application Virtualization Desktop Clients, users can run virtualized applications without connecting to a computer running Microsoft System Center Virtual Application Server.

Feature Bullet Summary:

  • Deployment of virtual applications via ESD systems
  • Deployment of standalone virtual applications via network shares, removable disks, and memory keys

Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003; Windows Vista Business; Windows Vista Enterprise; Windows Vista Ultimate; Windows XP

This release also includes support for Windows 2003 Terminal Services, which had originally been scheduled for January 2008.

SoftGrid 4.1 SP1 HFRU1 Bits

https://support.microsoft.com/kb/938497

SoftGrid 4.2 HFRU1 Bits

https://support.microsoft.com/kb/941408

This cumulative update for SoftGrid v4.1 SP1 and v4.2 provides the latest updates to SoftGrid. In addition to stability improvements, this update contains the following changes:

• Improvements to package upgrade when you import upgraded sequencings into the SoftGrid Server Management Console snap-in.

• Improvements to package downgrade operation.

• Improvements to nonpaged pool usage when you sequence large applications.

• Improvements when you sequence applications that use both the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 and the .NET Framework 2.0.

• Improvements to command-line parameter handling of virtualized child processes.

New capabilities

This update also provides the following new capabilities:

• Support for MSI Utility for Microsoft Application Virtualization.

• Support for SoftGrid Server components that run under WOW64 in 64-bit versions of Windows.

Enjoy!

J.C. Hornbeck | Manageability Knowledge Engineer