VMware THIN4-CL-C Deployment Guide - Page 24

run the application regardless of network connectivity. End user devices that are occasionally or always offline will require this deployed execution mode. Requirements Distribution of the packages to the local operating system is required in this model. A number of options exist to fulfill this requirement: Active Directory based publishing via Group Policy, 3rd party software deployment solutions, and/or custom scripted mechanisms. Users who are occasionally offline must have all applications and components deployed before working offline. Subsequent application deployment and updates are subject to network availability or a delayed update tactic such as providing CD's or USB devices with updates. Recommendations Integrate the delivery of packages, which can be large .exe or .msi files, with your existing organizational process. An existing process, such as Active Directory publishing via Group Policy, will have an already established support structure and administration workflow. You can use Group Policy to deploy software to groups, OU's, or individuals. See the following KB article for details: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324750 Benefits Once the application package is delivered, application performance and availability is not subject to network or storage dependencies. Choosing a Sandbox Location When users execute virtualized application, ThinApp stores changes that the application makes in the user's sandbox. Most often administrators choose to keep the sandbox in the user's profile. The user's sandbox can also be in a central location for either deployed or streamed execution mode to allow users to retain their individual application settings across multiple devices. VMware recommends that you configure your packages to keep user settings for applications in the sandbox but keep user data such as documents and spreadsheets stored in their local file system or on a central home drive location, not in the user's sandbox. This will allow the user to access their data regardless of the location of their sandbox or their application. Desktop Integration Mechanisms Registering Applications to the Desktop Virtualized Applications integrate with the desktop in the following ways:  Windows Shortcuts on the Start Menu and Desktop  File Type Associations  Entries in Add/Remove Programs The process of registering applications to the desktop makes use of the ThinReg utility whether the package is deployed as an .Exe based package or in an MSI wrapper. MSI-based Packages via Group Policy An organization with an established mechanism for deploying MSI files, such as Active Directory, can simply deploy these packages in the same manner that they would deploy native applications. 24