MS Application Virtualization: New Group Policy ADM template to be available with the 4.5 Release Candidate

There’s been a lot of interest in whether we are releasing a supported Group Policy Administrative (ADM) Template file with Application Virtualization 4.5. Happily, the answer is “yes”! Our ADM Template will be made available with the 4.5 Release Candidate.

Our focus was on registry settings that were well suited to controlling via ADM Template/Group Policy infrastructure and were the most likely to be customized. The ADM Template covers over 40 registry settings, including many of our newest features. For example, the ADM Template includes:

· New flags that allow overriding the location configured in the Open Software Description (OSD) file for the Application Source Route (ASR), the Icon Source Root (ISR), and the OSD Source Root (OSR) with the registry value located on the client.

· New Auto Load settings including when to target apps and what will trigger an Auto Load.

· New Reporting Configuration options.

· New Client Logging settings like maximum log size and number of copies to keep.

· New Require Authorization configuration to specify if already cached apps still require user authentication and authorization in order to launch.

· All permissions settings visible through the App Virtualization Client.

· Disconnected Operation configuration.

· Client user interface settings that control how the Tray behaves.

We’ve also documented nearly 100 registry settings that will be posted as a Knowledge Base article titled “Description of the Application Virtualization Client 4.5 Registry Entries” shortly. The ADM Template is for the values that will be most commonly manipulated. The KB article will document the next most likely keys to be modified, in order to increase understanding of what the configuration settings include.

Our ADM Template allows controlling Preferences (not GP Policies). For an explanation of the difference, please see the Group Policy Team Blog. A new, optional Application Virtualization Client install switch is available that makes Preferences simpler to manage: /KEEPCURRENTSETTINGS. If present, setup will not overwrite registry settings in the area that the ADM Template Preferences are placed. Specify that setup switch to ensure the client will not overwrite any Preferences that are set prior to client installation. Existing registry configuration is respected by default in the case of an upgrade so no switch is needed.

Michelle Escalante | Program Manager | Microsoft Application Virtualization