The Official MDOP Blog

MDOP 2009 R2 for Windows 7 is now available!

Just in time for Windows 7, today we are announcing the availability of Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 2009 R2! If you are an MDOP customer, you can download MDOP 2009 R2 through Microsoft Volume Licensing Site (MVLS).  For others who wish to evaluate MDOP products, the MDOP software is available at MSDN and TechNet (in accordance with your MSDN or TechNet agreements, except for AIS).

We're seeing great adoption of MDOP products world-wide, so today I thought I'd share what we're hearing from some of our customers and partners. We also have MED-V and AIS updates at the end - so read all the way through!

With Windows 7 right around the corner, you might ask why should I be thinking about MDOP?
Well if you're running a business, MDOP can provide immediate savings with little IT investment, especially when integrated into your Windows 7 plans:

• Optimize Windows 7 deployment using Application Virtualization, reducing PC provisioning time, simplifying application delivery and update, and increasing productivity with user roaming
• Enhance Windows 7 manageability, by addressing common system/application failures (with DEM), repairing unbootable PCs (with DaRT), and controlling Group Policy change (with AGPM)

Many IT organizations have already adopted MDOP for their Windows desktops

MDOP has been licensed for over 21 million desktops worldwide!
In a recent survey completed for Microsoft by Answers Research, and including 1000 IT professionals across five countries, we learned several interesting facts:

• 66% of MDOP customers deployed three or more of the MDOP products
• 52% of them deployed MDOP across more than half of their PCs
• 94% of MDOP customers said they would recommend MDOP to a colleague
• When comparing MDOP and non-MDOP customers, customer satisfaction with Software Assurance increases by 25%

MDOP deployments are not limited to one industry - they are happening across all verticals: Healthcare (Swedish Medical Center, Baptist Health, Vancouver Coastal Health), Education (Universita di Lingue e Comunicazione, Fairfax County Public Schools, California State University, Humber College), Pharmaceutical and Manufacturing (Aurobindo Pharma, Heidelberger, Ingersoll Rand , Picard Surgeles) and Government (City of Zurich, State of Indiana, Algerian National Policy, London Borough of Camden, Legislative Yuan - Taiwan).

You can read one of the 44 MDOP case-studies at the Microsoft Case Study site.   

MDOP 2009 R2 simplifies Windows 7 deployment and management

We see several early adopter Windows 7 business customers piloting MDOP. They are waiting for MDOP 2009 R2 to continue their MDOP deployment on Windows 7.

For instance, BMW completed a proof of concept of application delivery with Application Virtualization. "We expect cost savings on desktop support once we start deploying App-V with Windows 7," said Mr. Bernhard Huber, Head of IT Workplace Systems at BMW. "We are also considering AGPM [Advanced Group Policy Management] and MED-V [Enterprise Desktop Virtualization] at a later stage of Windows 7 deployment."

Heinz Koehler, VP of Infrastructure for E.O.N., Power and Gas Company with 85,000 desktops that are being upgraded to Windows 7, talks about MDOP: "We also expect to use App-V to help reduce the packaging and testing costs of applications and use MED-V to help resolve any application compatibility issues."

"...MDOP, specifically App-V, has been a hidden gem our customers have found to help them quickly deploy, and then easily manage and maintain their applications in an efficient manner.  In an economy when they are being asked to do more with less, the timing couldn't have been better for MDOP 2009 R2 to help our clients meet their IT initiatives...," said Rand Morimoto, President of Convergent Computing.

Watch a webcast with CDW on October 26, to learn more about CDW deployment of MDOP Application Virtualization on Windows 7.

MDOP deployment requires minimal investment and provides immediate benefits

 "Virtualizing a large percentage of your applications is not as daunting as you think. Our customers are taking the fast track to implementing application virtualization by easily converting their existing MSI to virtual formats," said Maureen Polte, Director of Product Management for Flexera Software, the makers of AdminStudio. "Implementation timelines are being met, teams are having smoother rollouts and up to 80 percent of their applications are quickly virtualized."

Matt Ondrejko , Director at EnPointe says: "We are set to complete 13 Proof of Concepts by the end of year, showcasing Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack. The process takes only 5-7 days and we view MDOP PoC as an important step in preparation for Windows 7"

It's important to remember that MDOP is not all about virtualization. MDOP 2009 R2 has updates for AGPM, DEM and DaRT, and our partners see their customers quickly deploying those products and gaining significant benefits from increased control and better desktop monitoring and troubleshooting.
For example, Scott Swegles of Pontis Research said: "While our MDOP POCs are driven by virtualization initially because of the tremendous value it brings, in a matter of hours we can also have Advanced Group Policy Manager running and open a whole new level of control and efficiency in managing desktops. AGPM solves the lack of an approval mechanism and audit trail that was keeping many organizations from taking advantage of Group Policies."

"The visibility that MDOP Desktop Error Monitoring (DEM) provides an organization is incredible, being able to have a central database that all desktop errors roll up into is a powerful tool for the help desk technicians when working through probable cause analysis," said Michael Van Cleave, Technical Specialist - Monitoring and Management, CDW.

Learn more about MDOP 2009 R2 and MDOP beta products

You could read more about the features of MDOP 2009 R2 in this post or watch videos and demos for each of our products as part of our "New Efficiency" joint Windows event at http://www.thenewefficiency.com/ or at www.microsoft.com/mdop .

While not part of this release, there are two additional products that could help you in the migration process to Windows 7:

• Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) V 1.0 SP1 - This updated tool will support Windows 7 and enable enterprise deployment of virtual Windows XP environments to support incompatible applications. A Beta version of MED-V 1.0 SP1 will be available by the end of 2009 and final release is scheduled for the first quarter of calendar year 2010.
• Asset Inventory Service (AIS) 2.0 - AIS 2.0 can track your existing assets to improve Windows 7 deployment planning and will have a series of enhancements that customers have requested: Enhanced hardware inventory, new Silverlight-based user interface, scale to 100,000 PCs, improved volume license reconciliation and ability to track virtual applications. The AIS 2.0 beta is now available (registration closes by October 24th) and the final release will be available in H2 CY2010

AGPM 4.0 and DaRT Technical Documentation Now Live

Following last week’s announcement about the release of MDOP 2009 R2 many of you have asked for more information and technical details.  To help you learn more about the cool new features and Win 7 support for AGPM 4.0 and DaRT 6.5 we have now posted the technical documentation online. 

Here are some of the key links you might be interested in reading:

AGPM 4.0

·         What's New in AGPM 4.0

·         Step-by-Step Guide for Microsoft Advanced Group Policy Management 4.0

·         Operations Guide for Microsoft Advanced Group Policy Management 4.0

·         Release Notes for Microsoft Advanced Group Policy Management 4.0

DaRT 6.5

·         Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset 6.5

·         Release Notes for Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset 6.5

Asset Inventory Services (AIS) BETA sign up open!

Today, I am happy to announce that sign up for the Asset Inventory Services (AIS) 2.0 BETA sign up is open!  AIS 2.0 will release in the second half of 2010.

AIS 2.0 will have a series of enhancements that many of you have been vocal about for some time now.

Specifically:

·         Enhanced hardware inventory capabilities

·         New and improved user interface (V 2.0 will be Silverlight-based)

·         Redesigned client technology

·         Scalable to support organizations of up to 100,000 PCs

·         Improved volume license reconciliation capabilities

For those that sign up now and are accepted into the program there will be a BETA release in November where selected MDOP customers, non-MDOP customers, and partners can get advance access to the technology.  We ask participants to submit their feedback to us on their experiences with the tool and will consider this input for the RTW version.

Call to Action:

Sign up is open NOW!  If you are interested in applying for this opportunity, please complete the following survey by Thursday October 24th, 2009.

https://connect.microsoft.com/InvitationUse.aspx?ProgramID=3615&InvitationID=AIS2-FTVM-82QY&SiteID=310

If you are selected to participate, you will be notified via email no later then November 1st.  Selected participants should be prepared to deploy the AIS client to a number of test machines, participate in newsgroup discussions, and provide feedback.

More information on the BETA:

Available BETA Features:

·         Current AIS 1.5 functionality (but no history)

·         Hardware inventory per PC

·         'Computers' view with drill-down filters and sortable columns

·         New User interface

·         Licensing enhancements

Participation:

1.       Please note that there will be no migration path from this BETA.  Once the beta is completed, all data will be deleted.

2.       In order to use the BETA service, you will be required to indicate acceptance of the AIS privacy statement

3.       The Connect site will be used for all BETA communications

MDOP 2009 R2: What's New in MDOP for Windows 7

Today I am excited to announce that Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 2009 R2 will be released in late October 2009 and will add Windows 7 support for all components, except for MED-V. Server and management components will support Windows 2008 R2.

Additionally, we are working to ensure that MED-V will support Windows 7, in the first quarter of calendar year 2010 via MED-V 1.0 SP1.

With its virtualization technologies and manageability components, MDOP 2009 R2 is an essential part of your Windows 7 planning and deployment strategy.

This is a great opportunity to highlight the key innovations of MDOP 2009 R2 and talk about how MDOP can help you rapidly migrate to Windows 7, deploy applications with greater ease, resolve application incompatibility, and reduce desktop management costs.

Optimize Windows 7 Application Deployment Using App-V

With Application Virtualization (App-V) you can transform applications into centrally-managed virtual services:

• Reduce the costs of application deployment and increase user productivity - deliver most applications without actually installing them. Updates are made easier, application conflicts are minimized, and IT can spend less time in regression testing. For users, once they are granted access, the application is delivered and available instantly, following the user to enable easy roaming between corporate PCs.
• Reduce your base image footprint and new PC provisioning time - separate your applications from the base image, and minimize the number of applications installed after the image is deployed.

Windows upgrade is the best time to adopt App-V - as part of Windows 7 deployment all applications are tested and re-deployed. This is a great time to take a look at your application delivery strategy and adopt Application Virtualization with minimum overhead and cost.

You can read more in the App-V Cost Reduction Study - savings of $156/PC/Yr in direct costs (11.6% of PC TCO) plus $125/PC/YR in user productivity gains.  The sources of direct savings generated by App-V are across automated deployment, patching/updates, non-standard applications, image management, PC provisioning and replacement, and installation risk, as well as user productivity gains. 

• Maintain user productivity regardless of application format - integration with the Windows 7 UI maintains the user experience and productivity as virtual applications behave just as regularly installed applications. Users are able to pin applications to the taskbar and leverage jumplists to navigate between applications.
• Increased IT control with AppLocker integration - enforcing compliance of virtual applications with AppLocker policies, and providing consistent policy management for all application types.
• Make users productive anywhere and save on IT infrastructure using BranchCache - virtual applications traverse the WAN only once and are available to users faster through local BranchCache points, eliminating the need for an IIS Server in every branch.
• Secure application delivery with BitLocker ToGo - IT administrators can confidently deliver virtual applications on a secured USB drive, as the associated applications are protected against unauthorized use. Only authorized users have access to the applications, including remote users who may not have connectivity to corporate network.
• Integrate with third-party LDAP directories - reduce administrative overhead for customers who maintain their user accounts in a third-party LDAP directory, and enable Kerberos via Active Directory trust.

Once available, App-V 4.5 SP1 can be deployed immediately to production environments running XP, Vista, Windows7, and Windows Server 32-bit platforms. For customers preparing to run App-V on 64-bit Windows Client and Server platforms they can download App-V 4.6 Beta at Microsoft Connect.   App-V 4.6 will be available in H1 2010.

Enhance Windows 7 Manageability with AGPM, DaRT, and DEM

Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM) 4.0 enhances governance and control over Windows 7 Group Policies through change management and role-based administration, so you can control, review and track changes made to Group Policy Objects (GPOs) by different IT personnel. There are two great additions to AGPM that will make your Group Policy Management even easier than before:

• Manage group policies across different domain forests - ability to copy Group Policy Objects (GPOs) from one domain forest to another, even if the two domains are not physically connected, easily creating a new controlled GPO or replacing an existing one.
• Makes GPO tracking easier with new search and filter capabilities - ability to filter GPOs according to various attributes, such as name, state, or comment. You can also search for GPOs that were last changed by a particular administrator or on a particular date.

Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) 6.5 enhances diagnostics of Windows 7 (and Windows Server 2008 R2) with no infrastructure investment. DaRT may repair unbootable devices, and recover data from them. DaRT 6.5 makes data recovery easier for IT Pros, by presenting system drive letters, as they are mapped when logging normally into Windows

Desktop Error Monitoring (DEM) 3.5 provides insights into application and operating system failures, allowing helpdesk to be more proactive in troubleshooting PCs, without installing an agent to the endpoint. DEM 3.5 now introduces new reports to enhance desktop monitoring: Top System Errors  (the top reasons for "blue screen" errors happening on the network) and Top Application Errors (the top application errors on the network in the last 60 days grouped by computer name or user name).

Facilitate your OS Upgrade Process with AIS and MED-V

Use the Asset Inventory Service (AIS) to map which applications are running in the existing environment before upgrading to Windows 7. AIS can consolidate license use data from multiple locations, even when those do not have local IT staff. AIS is an online service and does not require server infrastructure.

Address application compatibility with Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V), which will enable you to run applications that are not yet supported or tested on Windows 7, in a virtual Windows XP environment.

How Do I License MDOP 2009 R2 and Where Do I Get the Software?

MDOP is available as an additional subscription for Software Assurance customers for less than $10 per desktop per year. Since July 1^st, 2009, Microsoft has made it easier to license MDOP through the platform Enterprise Agreement (EA). Two new SKUs have been created to include MDOP: Professional Desktop with MDOP, Enterprise Desktop with MDOP. Visit Microsoft Licensing Site for additional details.

I encourage you to learn more about the MDOP by visiting the MDOP web site or the MDOP section on TechNet.  You can also contact your Microsoft sales representative to learn more about MDOP 2009 R2 release and its licensing options.

MDOP 2009 R2 will be available for download to our MDOP subscribers, late October 2009, through the Microsoft Volume Licensing Site (MVLS).  For others who wish to evaluate MDOP products, the software will become available shortly after the release in MSDN and TechNet in accordance with MSDN and TechNet agreements.

Why do I need another Anti-Malware tool?

Many people know that DaRT 6.0 added a new feature called System Sweeper, which is in an offline anti-malware tool.  This has led to a frequent question, which is, “With so many different anti-malware offerings from Microsoft why do I need another?”

It’s important to remember that a defense in depth strategy is the best way to protect your PC.  Having multiple layers of security that a hacker or malware application has to go through is far better than a single universal security application. 

For enterprises, Microsoft provides solutions like Forefront Client Security.  There are also products like the Malicious Software Removal Tool, Windows Defender, or Windows Live One Care. There is also the newly announced Morro.  DaRT, however, plays a different role in your anti-malware strategy from these other products.

Today’s malware is getting more advanced and is utilizing tools like rootkits.  Rootkits are designed to hide the infecting program from the operating system and make it invisible.  Applications with real-time scanning support, like Forefront, are designed to detect malware trying to get onto to a PC and remediate it where possible.  Malware is just like viruses in the real world:  while we create medications to help prevent us from getting sick, every so often something new and unforeseen slips in and infects people before a vaccine can be created.  Despite best efforts, no real-time scanner is 100% effective 100% of the time, and that’s were DaRT comes in.

With rootkits, malware that slips by real-time scanners can hide from the OS and the scanner.  Because the DaRT recovery disk boots from the CD into a WinRE environment. the main OS from the hard drive is in an offline state.  This means that the rootkit is rendered powerless to hide from System Sweeper. 

You create the recovery disk on the network administrator’s machines and supply the original Windows media to create the disk.  This helps ensure that the boot files on the CD are clean and not infected by the rootkit.

Because DaRT allows you, as the administrator, to control what tools are on the recovery disk, it is easy to create a System Sweeper-only disk to provide to end users, without having to worry about security around other DaRT tools.

With DaRT you can download the latest signatures, either at the time you create the recovery disk or at run time when you run the System Sweeper tool, either from a USB drive or from the Internet.  This allows you to have a disk with the most current signatures.  However, over time you don’t have to burn new CDs, rather, you can download the latest when you need them.

 The answer to the question, “Which one do I use?” is “Use both.”  Remember to layer your defense and use all of the tools in your toolbox to keep your network safe, stable, and malware free.  This means using a real time scanner like Forefront Client Security and also an offline scanner like DaRT’s System Sweeper.

App-V 4.6 Public Beta now available for download!

App-V partners bring solutions to customers at MMS 2009!

Hello from the Las Vegas where another Microsoft Management Summit (MMS) is underway after two great keynote sessions!  This is a second year at The Venetian in the heart of Vegas and our 3rd year with App-V under the MDOP product suite.   Sean’s back at it and working hard to help partners extend App-V and bring new innovative solutions to market.

At TechEd EMEA in November of last year we announced partnerships with various ISVs in the industry.  Over the past year we’ve been working with partners who have developed some great solutions around App-V all with a common thread of speeding up deployments of one of Microsoft’s fastest selling products.  Take a look and see how these partners can help solve your business challenges.

• Acresso Software, makers of AdminStudio and InstallShield, are showing the GA version of the AdminStudio support for speeding App-V implementations. Announced in Nov at TechEd EMEA, the beta feedback for this new support of converting existing MSI’s to the SFT format is continuing with a lot of buzz coming into this event. One beta tester was able to convert 238 applications to the SFT format in under 2 hours! Needless to say this is a great help in moving more quickly to App-V. Acresso is showing the speedy process in a partner technical showcase Wednesday morning, Efficiently Managing Your Desktop Strategy for Application Virtualization. 

Acresso delivered a standing room only session at MMS today and customers were buzzing about the new App-V integration on the showroom floor all day.

Check out http://www.acresso.com for more information about Adminstudio or to download the trial version on their latest release!

• App-DNA, creators of AppTitude has been introduced to a number of App-V projects over the past year including one of the largest App-V deployments in Europe. With their ability to provide insight into potential issues across an entire collection of applications means that projects can, initially, be more accurately planned and estimated reducing the risk of. In addition to planning and remediation reporting, AppTitude can be used to provide the sequencing platform either as a command-line driven or GUI based activity where install and sequencing steps are automatically documented with screenshots providing recipes and valuable information for any future updates. Knowing when an application has incompatible components or is inherently unsuited to application virtualization saves significant amounts of time. App-DNA even has future plans to focus on a number of upcoming development initiatives on App-V analysis, importing and extended reporting to further improve the efficiency of App-V adoption.

Check out www.app-dna.com for additional information on how this product can help you review you application portfolio and determine which applications are candidates for virtualization.

• Blue Coat Systems, a technology leader in Application Delivery Networking, has joined the Microsoft System Center Alliance to enhance and support Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007 and Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) over the Wide Area Network (WAN) to branch offices for remote workers. Blue Coat will participate and exhibit at Microsoft Management Summit 2009 from April 27-May 1, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Blue Coat ProxySG appliances can optimize and accelerate the delivery of on-demand Microsoft App-V applications for remote users situated across WAN links.

In Blue Coat performance tests, Microsoft Office Word 2007 delivered through App-V benefited from a 70 percent improvement in the amount of time to load the application remotely and a 98 percent reduction in WAN bandwidth consumption. Most importantly, ProxySG provides optimization for App-V using application level optimization via its HTTP and RTSP proxies, delivering almost 2x performance compared to competition.

Blue Coat will deliver a session at MMS on Thursday April 30 at 11:45 AM PDT.  For more information please visit http://www.bluecoat.com

• Certeon just announced at MMS their support for Microsoft APP-V and SCCM 2007 R2 with their aCelera product. aCelera is a virtual appliance (running on Hyper-V, managed through SCVMM) that accelerates application deployment, access and management throughout a distributed enterprise.  Since aCelera is a virtual appliance, the time to bring an APP-V infrastructure live is drastically reduced.   In testing conducted by Certeon aCelera Virtual Appliances reduced APP-V and SCCM application deployment times over the WAN by more than 95% without the need for proprietary hardware appliances.   It also helps the APP-V update process by only sending the delta differences for virtual application file versions between servers.  For example, if Microsoft Office was packaged originally with an 800 MB SFT file and was later updated with a 1 MB patch then instead of transferring 801 MB to the branch it is now reduced to just the 1 MB transfer with Certeon aCelera! aCelera software also accelerates business applications such as Microsoft Office, SharePoint/MOSS, and Exchange through the same infrastructure. 

For more information please visit http://www.certeon.com

• FullArmor is a bit unique this year at MMS since they are announcing the availability of two separate products that integrate with Microsoft System Center.  
•  FullArmor AppPortal is a software + services offering built on top of Windows Azure that provides scalable App-V virtual application deployment and management.  The App-V virtual applications are run in standalone mode requiring only the App-V client, which makes it ideal for the SMB and consumer markets.  Through AppPortal for Windows Azure, App-V virtual applications can be pushed to the endpoints silently by the administrator.  Also, a white list of applications can also be published by the administrator to be downloaded and used on a self-service basis.  Detailed software inventory and tracking simplifies subscription license management.  AppPortal for Window Azure is an ideal solution to enable App-V virtual application deployment and management without any upfront costs in servers or datacenters.
• ProvisionPortal integrates with System Center VMM and Operations Manager as well as Citrix Workflow Studio to automate the orchestration and provisioning of virtual and physical resources across clouds.  By integrating key automation tools together with ProvisionPortal, customers can implement their solutions to take advantage of the elastic nature of cloud computing to automatically provision exactly the right amount of resources for a given load.  ProvisionPortal enables customers to blend on-premise and off-premise clouds to optimize utilization of resources and better manage costs.

For more information please visit http://www.fullarmor.com  

• Quest Software recently announced Quest vWorkspace which integrates with Microsoft App-V by importing App-V servers and their sequenced applications, bringing the App-V resources within the vWorkspace desktop and application management infrastructure. This consolidated management infrastructure enhances deployments of the App-V applications across load-balanced terminal servers, Hyper-V virtualized Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7 virtual desktops, and physical or blade pc workstations. This empowers enterprise IT managers to seamlessly match virtualized application CPU and memory resource needs to the underlying IT physical resources. vWorkspace further extends delivery of App-V virtual application to remote connected users, at any time, from either a remote desktop session or as a seamless windowed remote virtual application. vWorkspace integrates the deployment and delivery of App-V allocations in the same way as installed applications, providing end-users a consistent desktop experience. vWorkspace integrates App-V applications with the Quest End-User Optimized Protocol enhancements to RDP to take advantage of remote session graphics and flash acceleration, latency reduction local text echo, microphone redirection, multimedia acceleration, as well as usb device redirection so that the App-V application experience is optimized to meet the end-user needs.

For more information please visit http://www.quest.com

Sean and I want to extend hardy congratulations to all of the System Center Alliance partners for their accomplishments in the past year and we look forward to what our partners can bring to market in the coming months.  If you’re an ISV  interested in integration with App-V please contact Sean.

How MED-V v2 helps you manage Windows XP Mode

I wanted to let people know we just posted the details on MED-V v2 (the next version of MED-V which we are talking about for the first time today) and how it relates to the Windows XP Mode feature of Windows 7 Professional over in the windows team blog. 

Check it out here

Announcing MDOP 2009 to include MED-V 1.0, App-V 4.5 CU1 and AIS 1.5 Updates

As part of our promise to maximize productivity, manageability and TCO for enterprise desktops, we are excited to announce our new version of Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP), available for purchase to Software Assurance customers.  MDOP 2009 includes the first release of Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V 1.0), a Cumulative Update to Microsoft Application Virtualization  (App-V 4.5 CU1) and an update to the Asset Inventory Service (AIS). Alongside these updated releases, MDOP 2009 also includes the other standard MDOP tools: Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset, Microsoft Advanced Group Policy Management, and Microsoft System Center Desktop Error Monitoring. The updates are available to 14.4 million MDOP customers.

MED-V provides deployment and management of virtual Windows desktops to enable key enterprise scenarios.    MED-V 1.0 helps enterprises upgrade to the latest version of Windows even when some applications are not yet compatible.   MED-V builds on top of Microsoft Virtual PC to run two operating systems on one device, adding virtual image delivery, policy-based provisioning and centralized management.

A recent brief by Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) emphasized some of the customer benefits of using MED-V:  "We found that MED-V really solved our application compatibility problems. It allowed us to deploy the applications that we were having difficulty with, where third party vendors were not providing a supported version. Where we used to have hundreds of images, we were able to move to one [Windows] Vista image, and use MED-V to deploy [legacy] applications on top of that," said IT Deployment Manger at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, an organization of 22,000 staff members.

"We are really happy with MED-V. We can virtualize the applications that are made only for XP, and they work fine, with all the functionality intact," said a large European telecommunications company with almost 80,000 employees.

App-V 4.5 CU1 is now available as part of MDOP 2009.  App-V 4.5 CU1 adds support for Windows 7 beta, so customers can move ahead with application testing in preparation for enterprise deployments. It also contains a few improvements such as instant access or removal of applications assigned to end users.  When Windows 7 releases, we are committed to supporting the final product within 90 days of general availability. 

AIS 1.5 update, now available to all MDOP end users through Windows Update, enhances the license reconciliation feature and the task scheduler. It now provides a detailed report for each application (e.g. whether license type is retail or volume license) to simplify license inventory tasks and to improve licensing compliance. The inventory scan scheduling has been improved to ensure data is collected even from devices that are turned off regularly.

MDOP 2009 is available for MDOP subscribers at Microsoft Volume Licensing Site (MVLS).

Get your applications virtualized on Windows 7 Beta with Microsoft App-V

Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) Beta is publicly available

A message from my colleague, Ran Oelgiesser, Senior Product Manager for MED-V:

In May 2008, Microsoft closed the acquisition of the desktop virtualization vendor Kidaro, which soon became Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) – the sixth product in MDOP. I came to Microsoft with this acquisition, and today I’m proud to let you all know that MED-V 1.0, the first product from the Kidaro technology, is available in beta today.   Simply register at https://connect.microsoft.com/site/sitehome.aspx?SiteID=665 and download the beta software. For an easy start, on the site, we also prepared a Quick Start guide to walk you through the installation and testing of MED-V 1.0 beta.

For those of us on the MED-V product team, our primary goal was to deliver an enterprise virtualization solution for the compatibility challenges that IT teams have with some of their line-of-business applications, during the upgrade to new operating systems (like Windows Vista). With MED-V 1.0, you can easily create, deliver and centrally manage virtual Windows XP or 2000 environments (based on Microsoft Virtual PC 2007), and help your users to run legacy applications on their Windows Vista desktops. No need to wait for the testing and migration of those incompatible applications to complete.

The final version of MED-V 1.0 is slated to release in the second quarter of this year as a part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack. As you know, the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) is a suite of virtualization and management technologies that extends the Windows platform by enabling user productivity anywhere, greater IT control of the desktop, and streamlined PC management.

Finally, I want to invite you to explore our new website where you can find everything you want to know about MED-V: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/enterprise/products/med-v.aspx.

Looking forward to your feedback (medvbeta@microsoft.com)!

Windows Vista's BitLocker and MDOP solutions kick off the New Year!

We understand IT is critical to your business. We hear you, our customers - both end user and IT Pro alike - you want your systems, applications and data to be available when you need it, where you need it.  I suspect you've heard many Microsoft resources demonstrating and discussing the value of combining Windows Vista and MDOP together, here is an opportunity to see it for yourself without a Microsoftie pitching to you :-) 

 
With all the technologies available in the market it can be overwhelming to determine which one to use to solve your business challenge.  Here is an example of how Windows Vista’s BitLocker and MDOP’s App-V can help you be more productive while on the road and when disaster strikes. Now you can take your profile settings, applications and data wherever you go.

We're serious about providing world class solutions to our customers but we also have a sense of humor and like to have a little fun along the way.  Are you a Ralph or a Ruby? Enjoy! 

 
Adventures in Windows Vista video.

This is a fun, yet instructive video,  showcasing with a great sense of humor the value of Windows Vista Enterprise and MDOP from an enterprise end user perspective.   Click here to watch the video. 

MDOP Comes to Convergence 2008 Copenhagen

For those of you attending the Convergence conference in Copenhagen this week, join in on the MDOP fun.  Come stop by the booth to see a demo of the upcoming Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization product, which is scheduled to release in the first half of next year.  We will also be doing an interactive session on simplifying your IT.  The talk will be from 3-4pm in room B5.3.  The session title is IDAPP03 - Simplifying Your IT Environment using Microsoft Windows.

See you there!

AIS 1.5 is Live!

As we blogged last time, AIS 1.5 was to be made available to customers in November.  The Microsoft Asset Inventory Service (AIS) team is excited to announce that AIS 1.5 is ready ahead of schedule and is available to existing users starting today.  AIS 1.5 offers new capabilities to help you better track your Microsoft Volume Licenses. Initially, AIS 1.5 will be in 'preview' form, which includes all of the new licensing features. So if you are a user of AIS today, you will notice over the coming days that you are seeing AIS 1.5 capabilities.  You do not have to do anything to upgrade to version 1.5, which is one of the really cool things about subscribing to a service is that it is updated on the service side. As for the AIS agent, you can either update it yourself, or have it self-update through Microsoft Update.  You can expect to see new areas on the AIS console when you next log in, and depending on how long it takes for all your clients to upgrade themselves (typically about 24 hours), you'll have a fresh inventory and will be able to start uploading your license agreement information.  During the preview phase, we are inviting customers to try AIS 1.5 out and to provide their feedback and input on their experience. We hope to use this feedback to improve the service further before making the final release available. Note that this is not beta quality software, but is ready-for-primetime!   To submit feedback on your 1.5 experience, please go to our feedback forum at http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/ais/threads/.    All current users of AIS will also be receiving an email directly from us to prompt them that this version of the service is now available.

ApenTech's aspenONE Process Engineer solution is virtualization ready!

TechEd EMEA was great this year! There were so many partners on the expo floor but one ISV that wasn't there but whom I did have a chance to talk to is Aspen Technology. I was lucky enough to talk to Al Cassista, Microsoft Alliance Director for AspenTech. AspenTech is one of the first ISV’s to issue their own declarative support statement for running their applications on App-V.

SeanDô – Hi Al, thanks for taking a few minutes to talk to me today. I’m keen to hear more aboutt AspenTech and your engineering suite.

AC - aspenONE™ Process Engineering, which is "Virtualization Ready", is an integrated lifecycle solution that helps companies optimize process designs and operations, leading to safer, competitive and more reliable process plants. It supports the entire engineering lifecycle – from conceptual design through to plant startup and operations support – providing a significant competitive advantage and sustained economic value. By using consistent models based on consistent data throughout the lifecycle, reliable insights are gained into plant behavior, enabling safer and smarter decisions with the greatest economic value. Companies are able to reduce capital and operating costs, increase engineering efficiency and quality, and accelerate time-to-market with payback in months instead of years.

SeanDô - So, as an application that runs on the desktop, how does aspenONE provide a business value in conjunction with App-V?

AC - Using Microsoft Application Virtualization, AspenTech customers can accelerate the deployment of aspenONE updates as well as enable customers to run multiple versions of our software simultaneously. Virtualization also transforms aspenONE into a centrally managed virtualized service, resulting in dynamic delivery of software that is never installed on the client device, never conflicts, and minimizes tedious application compatibility testing.

SeanDô – Sounds like a great story, running aspenONE on App-V. When can our customers get access to this “Virtualization Ready” product?

AC - aspenONE V7 is shipping now.  For more information, contact Al Cassista, Microsoft Alliance Director, +1 781-221-5268, al.cassista@aspentech.com

Thanks for the information Al. I am thrilled to see an ISV such as AspenTech adopt this new technology and see such great success so quickly. I think you will start to see many more ISV’s following suit.

That wraps up our Partner series.  I hope you've learned alot about the great solutions that are integrated with App-V, we're excited to partner with them to bring great technology to our joint customers!