End User Computing

9. Integration of ThinApp Packages with App Volumes and Dynamic Environment Manager

As a minimum requirement, you must complete Lab 18 and all the dependent labs of Lab no. 18 before starting this lab.

Overview

The following are tasks you will have to complete to ensure you understand the base platform and requirements to be in place to perform successful ThinAPP captures.

Pre-lab tasks (to validate)

Accounts for all resources are administrator for local access and [email protected] for domain access

Password for ALL accounts is Pa$$w0rd

Virtual Machine roles

On the ControlCenter server,
- Open your Site 1 and Site 2 Chrome Browser and select the vCenter Icon.
  - Log in as [email protected]
  - Password Pa$$w0rd
For ThinApp
- ProjectVM-02a. This the VM we save our ThinApp Projects
- CaptureVM-02a. This the VM we refer to as a Clean VM. We perform our ThinApp captures on this VM
- W11Master-01a. This VM will be our TEST best for validating the package Capture.
- ControlCenter
- Location of the Configuration and Profile shares
- Domain Controller configured AD templates on the Corp OU
For App Volumes
- AppVol-01a.techseals.co.
  - App Volumes Manager Sever
- AppVolProv-01a
  - App Volumes Provisioning Machine
Dynamic Environment Manager -
- Demprofiler-02a
  - DEM Profiler captures on this machine
Ensure that your W11Master-01a and AppVolProv-01a have been reverted to Snapshot
- After revert to current snapshot has completed, Power on both your VM's

Part 1. Preparing for the ThinAPP Capture

On your Control Center server
- open your Site 2 Chrome Browser
  - on the Favourites Bar
    - select the vcenter-02a shortcut

In the vSphere client area
- in the username area
  - enter [email protected]
- in the password area
  - enter Pa$$w0rd
- at the bottom of the screen
  - select LOGIN

In the vSphere client
- select and right-click CaptureVM-02a
  - from the dropdown
    - select Snapshots > Take Snapshot....

In the Take snapshot window
- in line with Name
  - enter ThinAPP Captures
- next to include virtual machine's memory
  - uncheck the checkbox
- at the bottom of the window
  - select CREATE

One of the things we learned in our testing is the App Volumes Tools cannot co-exist with the App Volumes agent.

If the App Volumes Agent is already installed and one then installs the App Volumes Tools the App Volumes Agent is automatically removed.
This is exactly the scenario we have in our lab with the AppVol-01a provisioning machine. In the next steps we will REVERT the vSphere snapshot so that we have the App Volumes agent available again

On your Control Center server
- open your Site 1 Chrome Browser
  - on the Favourites Bar
    - select the vcenter-01a shortcut

In the vSphere client area
- in the username area
  - enter [email protected]
- in the password area
  - enter Pa$$w0rd
- at the bottom of the screen
  - select LOGIN

In the vSphere client
- select and right-click appVolprov-01a
  - from the dropdown
    - select Snapshots > Manage Snapshots

In the appVolprov-01a Snapshot Manager area
1. select the baseline snapshot
2. select REVERT

In the Revert to select snapshot window
- select REVERT

In the vSphere Client
- select and right-click appVolprov-01a
  - from the pop-out window
    - select Power > Power On

Part 2. Capturing a ThinApp Package

On your ControlCenter Desktop
- open your Remote desktops \ Site 2 folder
  - launch the CaptureVM-02a.RDP shortcut

On the CaptureVM-02a Desktop
- double-click the SetupCapture shortcut
  - In the Open File - Security Warning window
    - select Run
  - on the Setup Capture - Welcome window
    - select Next

On the Setup Capture - Ready to Prescan
- select Prescan

wait for Pre-Scan to complete
- This is very slow, it could take up to 10 minutes
When you reach the Setup Capture - Install Application window
- Do Not select Postscan

On the CaptureVM-02a desktop
- open the Software shortcut
  - open the Applications folder

In the Applications folder
- select the latest version of the Notepad++ installer
  - right click
    - Open
      - select Run
        
        select OK > Next > I Agree > Next > Next >
        
        on the Choose Components window
        
        next to Create Shortcut on Desktop
        
        select the checkbox
        
        select Install
        
        select Finish

On the Notepad++ window
- Menu Bar
  1. to the right
    - select the QUESTION MARK icon
  2. from the dropdown
    - select Update Notepad++
  3. Or It could say No Update is available
    - select Close
    - Note the goal is to have no Update available
- continue updating until there is no Update available
- to close the existing session of Notepad++
  - select Yes,

If you get any error messages whilst the install proceeds select IGNORE

On the CaptureVM-02a
- right-click the START button >
  - select Run
    - in the Run window
      - next to Open:
        
        type %Temp%
        
        select OK
    - select the npp.8.6.x.x.Installer.x64 installer
      - right click
        
        select Delete
    - Empty the Recycle Bin

Note Step 7 is only necessary if you had to download Updates, if you did not have to download updates move on to Step 8

On the CaptureVM-02a
- on the Setup Capture - Installation window.
  - select Postscan

The Postscan will take approximately 5 minutes

On the Setup Capture - Postscan Warnings window
- select Next

On the Setup Capture - Entry Points window
- next to Show entry points used for debugging
  - select the checkbox,
    - next to cmd.exe
      - select the checkbox,
    - next to regedit.exe
      - select the checkbox,
- select Next

On the Setup Capture - Omnissa Workspace ONE Access window
- select Next

On the Setup Capture - Groups window
- select Next

On the Setup Capture - Isolation window
- select Next

On the Setup Capture - Sandbox window
- select Next

On the Setup Capture - Customer Experience Improvement Program window
- next to Join the Omnissa Customer Experience Improvement
  - select the checkbox ,
- select Next

On the Setup Capture - Project Settings window
- select Next

On the Setup Capture - Package Settings window
- in front of Generate MSI package
  - select the check box
    - select Save

The Save operation will take about 3 minutes

On the Setup Capture - Save Warnings window
- select Next

Setup Capture - Ready to Build window
- select Build

The build operation will take about 40 seconds

On the Setup Capture - Build Project window
- select Finish

In the File Explorer window
- Copy the Notepad++ (.msi), (.exe) and (.exe.alt) files
  - on the Capture VM Desktop
    - open the Software folder shortcut
      - within the Software folder
        
        open the ThinApp folder
      - within the ThinApp folder
        
        Paste the copied ThinAPP Notepad++ files
      - on the Capture VM Desktop

Observe where the .msi and .exe have been saved
Notice that the UNC path points to the BIN folder on your ProjectVM machine

On the ControlCenter server
- on your Site 2 Chrome browser,
  - vCenter server session.
    - In the Hosts and Clusters Inventory
      - select your CaptureVM-02a
        
        Right-Click
        
        select Snapshots > Revert to Latest Snapshot
      - in the Revert to Latest Snapshot window
        
        select REVERT

In the vSphere client.
- In the Hosts and Clusters Inventory
  - select your CaptureVM-02a
    - Right-Click
      - select Power > Power On

Part 3. Integrating ThinApp with App Volumes

On your ControlCenter desktop
- open the site 1 Chrome browser
  - in the Favourites bar,
    - select the App Vol shortcut,
  - in the App Volumes Manager console
    - below the Username area
      - enter Administrator
    - below the Password area
      - enter Pa$$w0rd
    - select LOGIN

in the App Volumes Manager console
- select INVENTORY > Applications
  - select CREATE

On the Create Application page,
- In the Name section
  - type NotePad++ ,
    - select CREATE
  - In the Confirm Create Application window,
    - select CREATE

in the App Volumes Manager console
- Packages tab
  - in the Name: field
    - enter Notepad ++
  - in the Description: field
    - enter this is a ThinApp version of Notepad++
      - select CREATE
  - on the Confirm Create package window
    - select CREATE

In the App Volumes Manager console
- select the Packages Tab
  - expand Notepad++
    - select PACKAGE

On the Package for Notepad++ window
- next to Find Packaging Computer:
  - select SEARCH

On the Package for Notepad++ window
- in line with TECHSEALS\AppVolProv-01a
  - select radio button
    - In the bottom right-corner of the window
      - select PACKAGE
  - on the Confirm Start Packaging, window
    - select START PACKAGING

On your ControlCenter Desktop
- open the Remote Desktops > Site 1 folder
  - launch the AppVolProv-01a.RDP shortcut

Note if the App Volumes Packaging prompt is not show from the Taskbar , reboot the virtual machine

On the AppVolProv-01a desktop
- on the Taskbar,
  - notice you have a prompt,
    - App Volumes - Packaging in Progress
- from the Desktop
  - select the Software shortcut
    - within Software
      - open the ThinApp folder.
  - within the ThinApp folder
    - double-click the Notepad++ .msi
      - In the Open File - Security Warning window
        
        select Run
      - when the installer is complete
        
        from the desktop
        
        using the shortcut
        
        launch Notepad++ ,
        
        Close Notepad++
- Close the File Explorer window

On the AppVolProv-01a machine
- on the App Volumes- Packaging in progress window
  - select OK
- on Installation Complete?
  - select Yes
- on the Finalize Package window
  - select Finalize
- on the Restart Required window
  - select OK

On the ControlCenter server
- from the Remote Desktops > Site 1 folder
  - launch the AppVolProv-01a.RDP shortcut
    - on the Packaging successful window
      - select OK
- switch to the Site 1 vCenter server
  - select AppVolProv-01a
    - right-click
      - select Snapshots > Revert to Latest Snapshot
      - select REVERT

Part 4. Integrating and Configuring RDSH, with App Volumes in Omnissa Horizon

This approach is a new feature in App Volumes 4.1.x

It is considered best practice to provision the app for the platform you will deliver too
However have captured a ThinAPP Application that makes it more platform neutral.

Step 1: Configuring the App Volumes Assignment

From your Site 1, App Volumes Manager Admin console session
- select the INVENTORY > Applications tab
  - expand Notepad++
- in line with Notepad++
  - select the check box
    - select ASSIGN

In the Assign Application: Notepad++ window
- in line with Search Active Directory,
  - enter RDS
    - select SEARCH

In the Assign Application: Notepad++ window
- in line with TECHSEALs\RDSBLR-0101$ and TECHSEALs\RDSH-0102$
  - next to Available
    - select the checkboxes
      - select ASSIGN

In the Confirm Assign window
- select ASSIGN

On the ControlCenter server,
- switch to your vCenter Admin console
  - for both RDS-0101 and RDS-0102
    - right click
      - select Power > Restart Guest OS,
      - On the Confirm Guest Restart window, select YES

After reboot give the application delivery about 2 minutes

In the vSphere Client
- for both RDSBLR-0101 and RDS-0102
  - select LAUNCH WEB CONSOLE
    - log in as
      - Username: Administrator
      - Password: Pa$$w0rd

On the RDS server desktop
- to validate its functionality.
  - Launch Notepad++
    - Close the application when done
      - Log off from the RDS servers

Step 2: Configuring the Horizon Entitlement

On your ControlCenter server,
- on your Site 1 Chrome browser.
  - on the Favourites bar
    - launch the Horizon Site 1 shortcut
- in the Horizon admin login Console .
  - In the Username area
    - enter Administrator
  - In the Password area
    - enter Pa$$w0rd
  - select SIGN IN

In the Horizon Admin Console,
- expand Inventory
  - select Applications
    - In the Application Pools area
      - select ADD
        
        select Add Manually

In the Add Application Pool window
- enter the following
  - below* ID
    - enter NotepadPLUSPLUS
  - below Display Name
    - enter Notepad++
  - below Version
    - enter version 1.1
  - below Publisher
    - enter Techseals
  - below *Path
    - enter

C:\Program Files\Notepad++ (64-bit x64) (Omnissa ThinApp)\Notepad++.exe

Start Folder
- C:\
next to Pre-Launch
- select the checkbox
select SUBMIT

In the Add Entitlements window
- select ADD

In the Find User or Group window
- next to Name/User name
  - enter Developers
    - select Find
      - Under Name
        
        in front of Developers
        
        select the checkbox
        
        select OK

In the Add Entitlements window
- select OK

Step 3 : Testing the Notepad++ Application

On your Controlcenter server desktop
- open the Remote Desktops\Site 1 folder
  - launch W11Client-01a.RDP

On the w11client-01a desktop
- launch your Horizon client
  - In the Horizon Client
    - select corp.techseals.co

On the w11client-01a desktop
- on the Horizon client login window
  - in the User name area
    - enter [email protected]
  - in the password area
    - enter Pa$$w0rd
      - select Login

On the W11Client-01a desktop
- on the Omnissa Horizon Client
  - launch Notepad++

You will notice the Application launches but any custom configuration or settings pertaining to the application the user changes will be lost
in the next Part we will build a custom configuration Dynamic Manage Application Profiler, to ensure that we are able to retain configurations

In the next Part the Admin will pre-define configurations and these will be enforced on delivery. Look out for the Fully Enforced Configuration . If we had chosen to use Default Configuration the user would be allowed to change the settings and these would be saved

Part 5. Building a custom configuration for Dynamic Environment Manager to work with a ThinApp Application

Section 1: Capturing a Notepad++ ThinApp configuration DEM Application Profiler

On your ControlCenter Desktop,
- open your Site 2 - Seattle Chrome browser shortcut.
  - In Bookmarks bar,
    - select the vCenter-02a shortcut.
      - in the vSphere login
        
        in the username area
        
        enter [email protected]
        
        in the password area
        
        enter Pa$$w0rd

in the vCenter admin console
- select DemProfiler-02a
  - right click,
    - select Snapshots
      - Take Snapshot
- In the Take VM Snapshot window
  - next to Name
    - enter Pre-App Capture
  - next to Include virtual machine's memory
    - uncheck the checkbox
      - select CREATE

From your ControlCenter server
- open the Remote Desktops folder
  - launch the DEMProfiler-02a.RDP shortcut
    - login as [email protected]
      - with the password Pa$$w0rd

On the DEMProfiler desktop
- open the software shortcut,
  - In Software
    - open the Applications folder
      - select the npp.8.7.57.Installer.x64 installer
        
        right-click
        
        select Open
        
        accept all the defaults
        
        select OK > Next > I agree > Next > Next > Install > Finish
  - When you are prompted to update, download and install the application update
- once Notepad++ has been installed.
  - Close All windows

From the DEMProfiler Desktop
- open the DEM Application Profiler Console

In The DEMProfiler Console
- select the Settings tab,
  - enable the following
    - in front of Support HKLM
      - select the Check box
    - in front of Warn if Project Not Saved
      - select the Check box
    - in front of Show Unsupported File Access
      - select the Check box
- select the Program Analysis tab
  - select Start Session
  - in the Current Flex Config file Contents ..... prompt window
    - select Yes

In The DEMProfiler Console
- In the Start Application to Analyze window
  - under Program from Start Menu
    - expand Programs
      - select the Notepad++ shortcut
    - to Start New Analysis.
      - select OK

You will notice Notepad++ launching

In the Notepad++, session
- select the Settings > Preferences,
- In the General area
  - next to Fluent UI:large
    - select the radio button
  - below the Tab Bar
    - in front of Multi-line and Vertical
      - select the checkboxes
- to close Preferences.
  - select the Close button
- close Notepad++
- to close the Profiling Finished window
  - select Ok

In the DEMProfiler Console
- To center of the page,
  - make sure the Optimization level for this exercise is 1

In the DEMProfiler Console
- select Save > Save Config File with Predefined Settings
  - In the Save As window
    - open the Applications folder
      - next to File name
        
        enter Notepad++Developers
      - select Save
  - to close the Predefined Settings window
    - select OK

Switch to your vSphere client,
- select DEMProfiler-02a,
  - right click >
    - select Snapshot >
      - revert to Latest Snapshot
    - In the Revert to latest snapshot window
      - select REVERT

Section 2. Performing DEM based configuration

On your ControlCenter server
- from the Taskbar
  - launch your DEM shortcut
- under General,
  - select the Applications folder,
    - in top left-corner
      - select Refresh Tree

On the Dynamic Environment Manager MMC
- under Applications,
  - select the Notepad++Developers configuration

In the Notepad++Developers properties
- select the Predefined Settings tab
  - select Default Settings ,
    - select Edit
      - In the Edit Predefined Settings window
        
        next to Name:
        
        enter Notepad++ for Developers (ThinApp)
        
        next to Type:
        
        select Fully Enforced Settings

On Edit Predefined Setting window
- select the Conditions Tab
  - select Add
    - select Group Membership
      - next to Member of Group
        
        select Browse
  - In the Select Group window,
    - type Developers
      - select Check Names
    - select OK twice >
  - to close the Edit Predefined Setting window
    - select Save

In the Notepad++Developers properties
- select the DirectFlex tab,
  - next to enable ThinApp 5.2 support
    - select the checkbox
  - below Executables
    - select %ProgramFiles%\Notepad++\notepad++.exe
      - select Edit
        
        Remove the entire path with the exception of notepad++.exe
        
        change notepad++.exe to notepad++.exe
        
        select OK
  - select Save Config file

Part 6. Testing our Notepad++ ThinApp / App Volumes / Dynamic Environment Manager Integration with Horizon Published Apps and Desktops

On your Controlcenter server desktop
- open the Remote Desktops\Site 1 folder
  - launch W11Client-01a.RDP

On the w11client-01a desktop
- launch your Horizon client
  - In the Horizon Client
    - select corp.techseals.co

On the w11client-01a desktop
- on the Horizon client login window
  - in the User name area
    - enter [email protected]
  - in the password area
    - enter Pa$$w0rd
      - select Login

On the W11Client-01a desktop
- on the Omnissa Horizon Client
  - launch Notepad++

On the W11Client-01a desktop
- on the Omnissa Horizon Client
  - Note that the DEM Pre-defined settings have been retained in the application

This concludes this lab

Omnissa Product Specialist and Technical Enablement

End User Computing

9. Integration of ThinApp Packages with App Volumes and Dynamic Environment Manager

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