VMware THIN4-CL-C Getting Started Guide - Page 10

Introduction to VMware ThinApp Application Link Application Link connects deployed applications. For example, you can establish a relationship between a deployed instance of Microsoft Office 2003 and a new Microsoft Office plug‐in. Application Link enables you to establish a link between applications without having to encapsulate them into the same executable package. Terminal Server and MetaFrame Support You can use the same ThinApp packages on terminal servers and desktop PCs without changes. You can run multiple versions of an application simultaneously on the same server without conflicts because of the registry and file‐system isolation that ThinApp provides. You can update applications without having to stop currently running copies. Virtual File System ThinApp supports packages greater than 4GB in size. It also supports sandboxing, isolation, and system merge modes for specific registry subtrees. Sandboxed files can be scanned and blocked by anti‐virus software. The virtual file system is stored in macro format, remapping shell folders automatically. The virtual file system automatically migrates Side by Side (SxS) from Windows XP to Windows Vista. Virtual Registry The ThinApp virtual registry is a visible application, not the entire system. The following virtual registry features are supported: „ Executable files contain a read‐only image of the registry. „ The virtual registry is merged onto the system registry. „ Application specific registry sub trees are automatically isolated from the host PC to prevent conflicts with locally installed versions. „ The sandbox stores runtime modifications as "diffs." „ The registry can contain per‐user data (HKEY_CURRENT_USER). „ The registry can contain SID‐specific user data. „ The registry can be reset to a captured state by deleting the sandbox. „ The virtual registry is shared by all applications in the same sandbox. „ Automatic backup and restoration occur upon disk corruption (common USB flash). „ Dynamic Path Relocation is applied to all registry reads and writes allowing instant operating system and PC migration. For more information, see "Dynamic Path Relocation" on page 15. Virtual COM Virtual COM provides the following features: „ In‐process COM from virtual DLLS. „ No system registration. „ No extracting DLLs or OCXs to file system. „ Out‐of‐process COM/DCOM. „ Executable‐based COM without installation. „ Service‐based COM with virtual services. 10 VMware, Inc.