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Altiris Software Virtualization Solution eliminates application conflicts in Windows systems by controlling how application files and registry settings are installed.
Click here to read the full review of Altiris Software Virtualization Solution.
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Altiris Software Virtualization Solution eliminates application conflicts in Windows systems by controlling how application files and registry settings are installed.
During tests, SVS enabled eWEEK Labs to install and then activate a wide variety of productivity applications without having to test for possible conflicts prior to deployment.
This first version of SVS—called, go figure, 2.0—is not intended to virtualize utilities that load early in the Windows boot process, including any tool that uses a file system filter driver, such as anti-virus software. This stricture also includes printer drivers. Altiris officials said a follow-on version of SVS will include the ability to virtualize even these early-loading utilities.
There are two SVS flavors: a no-cost, stand-alone SVS agent intended only for personal use and the “solution” version that we tested, which costs $29 per seat and requires installation of Altiris Notification Server, available at no additional cost.
Using SVS to prepare and deploy an application is similar to the way youd use any application software packaging tool. First, start with a base PC running the same operating system as the target systems. Then, install the SVS agent on the base machine so that it can record all the file and registry changes made during installation. Save the reference file and then use a deployment system to distribute the package to the target systems.
Simple, really.
The complex aspect of SVS was revealed when we started using the system to create what Altiris calls “data layers” for our virtualized applications. To explain, its necessary to take a step back and describe the Altiris SVS nomenclature.
To start with, VSP (Virtual Software Package) is the Altiris term for captured data managed by SVS. In our tests, we created a Microsoft Visio 2003 VSP by installing Visio on our base system.
Altiris uses “layer” to refer to all the files and registry settings that make up a virtualized application or the data associated with that application. In our case, we layered the Visio VSP on top of our base Windows XP operating system.
Finally, a VSP layer can be saved and then deployed to other target systems with the SVS agent. Altiris calls this a VSA (Virtual Software Archive). We used SVS to export the Visio files and registry settings to a VSA that we then distributed to machines in our test network. After the VSA was loaded on the target system, we imported the file and registry settings.
We then accessed the simple SVS administration interface and activated the VSP, which made Visio almost instantaneously available on our target system. It was just as easy to deactivate the VSP, which made Visio not only unavailable but also invisible on our target system. We also used the SVS interface to reset Visio after we purposely damaged several DLL files. And we did all this in about 10 minutes.
The other half of the Altiris SVS equation is how the user interacts with the tool. In this regard, IT managers will likely have their hands full with user training.
For example, with the Visio VSP active, we created a shortcut on the desktop to access Visio. When we deactivated the Visio VSP, the shortcut remained on the desktop. When we double-clicked on the shortcut, we received a Windows error message saying that the action was not valid for currently installed products.
On the one hand, this error message is correct because, with the Visio VSP deactivated, Visio was, in fact, “not installed” on the system. Support staff at Altiris indicated that if we clicked on the shortcut the first time the application ran, the shortcut would be virtualized with the rest of the program and would go away. While this worked on subsequent machines that we tested, we can see how stray shortcuts might lead to help desk calls. Therefore, we encourage Altiris officials to more actively track shortcuts to virtualized applications.
The default action for VSP applications is to shut down and deactivate when Windows closes. There is a handy option that starts all VSP layers when Windows starts. This also starts all VSPd applications, with no further action required than turning on the machine and booting up normally.
In this version of SVS, only the activate and deactivate functions can be delegated to reduced-privilege users. Local administrator users have more latitude, including the ability to delete layers.
Next Page: But SVS isnt without its faults.
But SVS isnt without
its faults”>
There are two problems with the current approach. The first is that the “delete layer” selection is right underneath the “reset layer,” which could lead to all sorts of issues. The most obvious issue is that resetting is intended as an extremely low-cost, self-help solution for road warriors who have mucked up their systems. With a slip of the mouse, the user could easily hit “delete,” and then the situation becomes another high-cost help desk ticket. Altiris officials told us that a future release of the product would allow the SVS administrator to make available whatever SVS options he or she wished.
The second problem is that the current configuration of SVS encourages IT managers to set up users as local administrators, an action we do not recommend.
Virtualized applications almost always create data that is needed after the virtualized session ends. To accommodate this, SVS uses the aforementioned data layers, a special form of VSP for capturing files such as documents and spreadsheets.
We created data layers using either file extensions, such as .doc or .xls, or by directory. Even existing files on the system, once modified in any way, will be included in a hidden SVS area. This area can be reset, with the result that all data is lost. It is therefore imperative to explain to users who have the power to reset their systems that they should pretty much never reset the data layer.
Changes to programs, such as when we changed the settings in our Firefox browser by adding bookmarks and customizing the home page, are stored in a writable layer in the VSP of the application. We didnt have to do anything special to set up this writable data layer; it comes as a default with any application VSP. However, the dreaded VSP reset warning applies to the customizations made in applications, as it does to data stored in an SVS layer. Once reset, all customizations made to an application are gone.
To help with the ins and outs of using SVS, and to provide online support, sample applications, best-practice guidelines and access to the no-cost, personal-use version of SVS, Altiris has created a site called Juice.
Next page: Evaluation Shortlist: Related Products.
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Citrixs Access Platform Uses hardware and software to deliver applications to a wide variety of operating systems and platforms not supported by SVS (www.citrix.com)
Microsofts Windows Vista Vista is slated to have file and registry protection similar to that in SVS but without the centralized management features (www.microsoft.com)
Softricitys SoftGrid 4.0 SoftGrid is an on-demand software tool that delivers virtualized applications each time the product is used (www.softricity.com)
Technical Director Cameron Sturdevant is at cameron_sturdevant@ziffdavis.com.
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