Novell ZENWORKS APPLICATION VIRTUALIZATION 8.0.1 -... User manual

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AUTHORIZED DOCUMENTATION
ZENworks Application Virtualization User Guide
ZENworks Application Virtualization
8.0.1
August 20, 2010
User Guide

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4ZENworks Application Virtualization User Guide
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7 Novell ZENworks Application Virtualization
2OVERVIEW
Thank you for using Novell ZENworks Application Virtualization!
This product will allow you to convert your Windows, .NET, Java, AIR, Flash, Shockwave, or
other Windows-compatible application into a self-contained virtual application that can be
streamed from the web and run instantly on an end-user device. Unlike traditional deployment
methods, virtual applications do not require reboots, administrative privileges, or separate setup
steps for external components and runtimes. Virtual applications are isolated from other system
applications, preventing DLL conflicts and other deployment nightmares.
This guide explains how to use ZENworks Application Virtualization to create your own virtual
applications and begin enjoying the benefits of this next-generation deployment technology.

8 Novell ZENworks Application Virtualization
2.1 WHAT IS A VIRTUAL APPLICATION?
A virtual application is a virtual machine image pre-configured with all of the files, registry data,
settings, components, runtimes, and other dependencies required for a specific application to
execute immediately. Virtual applications allow application publishers and IT administrators to
significantly reduce the costs and complexity associated with development, setup, configuration,
deployment, and maintenance of software applications.
For example, a publisher of an application based on the Microsoft .NET Framework or Java
runtime engine might create a virtual application combining the application with the required
runtime engine. An end-user can run this application immediately, even if the user has not
installed the required runtime engine, or has an incompatible runtime engine installed. This
improves both the user experience and reduces test and support complexity associated with
deploying the application.
Because virtual applications run in isolated execution environments, it is possible to
simultaneously execute multiple applications which would otherwise interfere with one another.
For example, applications which overwrite system DLLs or require different runtime engine
versions can all run simultaneously on a single host device. As an additional advantage, virtual
applications can provide access to internal virtualized copies of privileged system resources,
allowing unprivileged users to directly execute many applications without security exceptions or
irritating Vista UAC prompts.
Unlike other virtualization systems, Novell virtual application technology:
•Does not require any "player" software or separate installation: Novell virtual
applications are executable files that run immediately on the end-user machine without
changes to system infrastructure.
•Does not incur significant processing or filesystem overhead: Novell low-overhead
virtualization technology allows applications to run with essentially the same
performance characteristics as native executables.
•Does not require any operating system to be installed onto the virtual application: Novell
virtual apps provide all required virtualized operating system functionality within the
internal virtual environment.

9 Novell ZENworks Application Virtualization
2.2 ZENWORKS APPLICATION VIRTUALIZATION FEATURES
OVERVIEW
Use ZENworks Application Virtualization to:
•Create virtual applications that can be streamed from the web: Eliminate long downloads
and installs, and run virtual apps from any desktop with broadband Internet access.
•Create an application as a single executable that runs immediately: Package all
application files, registry settings, runtimes, and components into a single executable that
runs immediately.
•Run Java and .NET without separate runtime installations: Java and/or .NET-based
applications run immediately, with no separate installation steps or runtime versioning
conflicts.
•Improve desktop security: Execute your applications without granting administrative
permissions to end-users. Stabilize desktop images by deploying applications in
sandboxed virtual environments.
•Eliminate third-party setup dependencies: Integrate third-party components, COM/VB
controls, and content viewers such as Acrobat, Flash, and Shockwave, directly into your
application.
•Eliminate Vista UAC prompts and compatibility errors: Deploy Novell virtual apps
regardless of access to privileged system resources, relieving users of annoying Vista
UAC prompts.
•Leverage Terminal Services and Citrix investments: By isolating applications from global
resource areas, Novell virtual application technology allows non-compliant
applications to function properly in Terminal Server and Citrix environments.
•Deploy instantly on USB drives: Improve mobile worker productivity by placing your
Novell virtual application onto a USB flash-memory drive. Run your application
immediately on remote PCs, with no installation steps, administrative privileges or driver
installations.
•Dramatically reduce test and support costs: Eliminate versioning conflicts, dependencies,
and "DLL hell". Reduce test complexity and eliminate support requests associated with
dependency installation and inter-application resource conflicts.

10 Novell ZENworks Application Virtualization
2.3 DO NOVELL VIRTUAL APPLICATIONS REQUIRE ANY DEVICE
DRIVERS?
No. Novell virtualization takes place entirely in user-mode, so no device drivers are installed or
required.

11 Novell ZENworks Application Virtualization
2.4 HOW IS NOVELL VIRTUALIZATION DIFFERENT FROM
HARDWARE VIRTUALIZATION?
Unlike hardware virtualization systems such as Microsoft Virtual PC and VMware, the Novell
application virtualization system virtualizes only those operating system features required for
application execution. This allows virtualized applications to operate extremely efficiently, with
essentially the same performance characteristics as native executables.
Advantages of Novell virtualization over hardware virtualization include:
•Optimal performance: Novell virtual apps execute at essentially the same speed as
applications running natively against the host hardware, with only a small additional
memory footprint. By contrast, applications running within hardware-virtualized
environments experience significant slowdowns and impose a large memory footprint
because the virtual machine must include an entire virtualized host operating system.
•Dramatically reduced application size: Novell virtual apps require a disk footprint
proportional only to the size of the virtualized application, data, and included
components. As a result, Novell virtual apps are typically small enough to be
conveniently and quickly downloaded by end-users. Hardware virtualization requires
an entire host operating system image, including many basic subsystems that are already
present on the end-user device. Each virtual machine may occupy several gigabytes of
storage.
•Ability to run multiple virtual applications: Because of low-overhead characteristics, it is
possible to run multiple simultaneous virtual environments per processor. Conversely,
due to the high overhead of hardware virtualization, only a very small number of
hardware-virtualized environments per processor can be run.
•Reduced licensing costs: Novell does not require the purchase of separate operating
system licenses to use a virtual application. Hardware virtualization systems require a
host operating system in order function, possibly imposing additional licensing costs and
restrictions.
Hardware virtualization may be appropriate in certain specialized scenarios, including:
•Non-Windows operating systems: Novell virtual apps run only on the Windows operating
system. Hardware virtualization can execute any operating system compatible with the
underlying virtualized hardware, such as Linux.
•Kernel mode virtualization: The Novell Virtual OS only virtualizes user-mode operating
system features, whereas hardware virtualization systems emulate the entire OS stack,
including kernel mode components. Applications requiring device drivers or other non-
user-mode software may require a hardware-virtualized environment to function
properly.
You should carefully evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of different virtualization
approaches before deciding on a technology to adopt for your deployment scenario.

12 Novell ZENworks Application Virtualization
2.5 WHAT PLATFORMS ARE SUPPORTED?
ZENworks Application Virtualization supports the following platforms for virtual application
build, snapshotting, and execution:
•Windows XP Professional
•Windows Embedded XP
•Windows 2000 Professional
•Windows 2000 Server
•Windows Server 2003, all editions
•Windows Vista, all editions
•Windows Server 2008, all editions
•Windows 7
ZENworks Application Virtualization supports these operating systems running within VMware
and Microsoft hardware virtualization and hypervisor environments.
ZENworks Application Virtualization also has limited support for the Windows Preinstallation
Environment (WinPE), though certain applications depending on operating system features
unavailable in WinPE may not function properly.
ZENworks Application Virtualization creates 32- and 64-bit executables. Both 32-bit (under 32-
bit mode) and 64-bit executables can be run on x64-based platforms.