Lab 04: App Volumes package conversion using the App Volumes Tools

Objective and Tasks

This lab will teach you to install the App Volumes Tools and use its 'appcapture' tool to convert existing App Volumes Package from the existing VHD format to a VMDK. Suitable for App Volumes managing VDI on vSphere storage, and an MSI format output allowing for software delivery tools like Workspace ONE UEM to deliver MSI based applications to Windows endpoints (with App Volumes Agent installed)

  1. Install the App Volumes Tools on a standalone Windows endpoint
  2. Converting Package formats with App Volumes Tools

Note: App Volumes Manager can deliver App Volumes Packages to both physical and virtual Windows endpoints

Expand or collapse content Task 1: Install the App Volumes Tools on a standalone Windows endpoint

Leverage the clean installation snapshot of the App Volumes packaging machine from vCenter. Install the App Volumes tools and take a new snapshot, which will be used to capture in the next task.

  1. Navigate to vCenter from the vSphere browser tab
  2. Within the vCenter web console, identify and Power ON the App Volumes packaging virtual machine
    • Navigate to vcenter01 > DC1 > Cluster1
    • From the appvolprov-01a VM, select Snapshots tab
    • Click and select the 'baseline' snapshot
    • Click on the REVERT button
  1. Once you have confirmation of completion the Revert Snapshot task in the Recent Tasks tab, power ON the appvolprov-01a VM
    • Right click on the appvolprov-01a VM
    • Select Power > Power On
  2. From the appvolprov-01a VM Summary tab
    • Click on the Launch Web Console button
  3. In the Appvolprov-01a tab, log into the VM
    • Username: Administrator
    • Password: Pa$$w0rd
  4. Install the App Volumes Tools
    • Open the File Explore
    • Navigate to the file share '\\Labfiler\Resources\Software\AppVolumes\appvol2603\installation'
    • Double-click on the Setup.msi file
  5. Follow the below install workflow
    • In the installer screen, click on Next
    • Select Install App Volumes Tools
    • Click Install
    • Click on Next
    • Click on Install to start the installation of the 'App Volumes Tools'
    • Complete the installation, click on Finish
    • Click on Yes to reboot the VM
  6. Confirm installation once the VM has restarted
    • Log back into the VM
    • Username: Administrator
    • Password: Pa$$w0rd
    • Once logged into the Desktop, go ahead and Shutdown the Appvolprov-01a VM
    • This step takes a while, but ensure the VM is shutdown, then close this 'appvolprov-01a' browser tab
  7. Go back to vCenter browser tab and take a new snapshot of the current state of the VM
    • From the vCenter tab in Google Chrome
    • Navigate to vcenter01 > DC1 > Cluster1
    • Confirm the appvolprov-01a VM is in the powered OFF state before proceeding to the next step
    • On the appvolprov-01a VM, select the Snapshots tab
    • Ensure that the 'baseline' snapshot is already highlighted
    • Click on the TAKE SNAPSHOT button
      • Take Snapshot - Name: AV_Tools_ready_for_capture
      • Optional: provide a description
      • Ensure both check boxes are unchecked
      • Click on the CREATE button
      • Validate output should reflect the below hierarchy having two snapshots under the baseline snapshot

The following setup allows for the administrator to capture from the App Volumes Tools snapshot as well as the Agent snapshot. Or can be used to capture from the Tools snapshot and validate initial delivery to the Agent snapshot, if the environment is limited with just one VM to capture and test.

Expand or collapse content Task 2: Converting Package formats with App Volumes Tools

This section will focus on converting an existing App Volumes Package in the VHD format to a VMDK and MSI format, which can be ported into App Volumes infrastructure configured with 'vCenter' as the Machine Manager type. And the MSI conversion allows for the application to be distributed via software delivery solutions like Workspace ONE UEM

  1. Prepare the packaging machine be initiating a snapshot revert to a clean and ready state
    • From the appvolprov-01a VM, From the Snapshots tab
    • Confirm the snapshot selection highlights the 'AV_Tools_Ready_for_capture' snapshot
    • Click on the REVERT button
  2. On confirmation of completion the Revert Snapshot task in the Recent Tasks tab, power ON the appvolprov-01a VM
    • Right click on the appvolprov-01a VM
    • Select Power > Power On
  3. Log into the Appvolprov-01a VM
    • Click on the Summary tab
    • Click on the Launch Web Console button
    • In the Appvolprov-01a tab, log into the VM
    • Username: Administrator
    • Password: Pa$$w0rd

App Volumes Tools /CONVERT capabilities can be referenced from the product documentation - https://docs.omnissa.com/AppVolumesAdminGuide-V2606/WindowsCommand-LineArgumentsfortheAppVolumesApplicationCaptureCommand-LineProgram

  1. Map the File Explorer to App Volumes storage
    • Go to the 'Scripts' shortcut on the Desktop
    • Double-click and launch the script 'MapAppVolumesStorage'
    • You will receive confirmation of successful mapping to Z: drive
  2. Create and save to folder on Desktop
    1. Create a Folder AVPackages
  1. Copy VHD and JSON files to the appvolprov-01a packaging machine
    • From the File Explore, go to the packages folder in App Volumes Storage
    • Nagivate to Z:\appvolumes\packages location
  2. Copy the Notepad++ VHD and JSON files from the packages folder to the AVPackages folder on the Desktop
    • VHD file: NotepadPP!2D!8!2D!9!2D!7.vhd (identified as Hard Disk Image File type)
    • JSON file: NotepadPP!2D!8!2D!9!2D!7.json (identified as JSON File type)

Enable the file extension from the File Explorer View > Show > File Name Extensions

  1. Close the File Explorer window to the App Volumes storage path
  1. Open and keep the File Explorer to the AVPackages folder to the side of your Desktop
  2. Open an elevated command prompt
  3. Initiate App Volumes Tools 'appcapture' command to convert the Notepad++ VHD package to VMDK
    • Copy the below command into the command prompt and run it
    • appcapture.exe convert /file "C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\AVPackages\NotepadPP!2D!8!2D!9!2D!7.vhd" /format VMDK
  1. Go back to the AVPackage folder and confirm the generation of the new 'NotepadPP!2D!8!2D!9!2D!7.vmdk' VMDK file

The VMDK can now be moved to the vSphere Datastore(s) that house the App Volumes Infrastructure and the appvolumes\packages folder structure.

Once uploaded, log into the App Volumes Manager and carry out an Import operation, followed by Renaming the Application / Package to suite the environment. Followed by Setting the CURRENT Marker and Assignments

  1. Initiate App Volumes Tools 'appcapture' command to convert the Notepad++ VHD package to MSI
    • Copy the below command into the command prompt and run it
    • appcapture.exe convert /file "C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\AVPackages\NotepadPP!2D!8!2D!9!2D!7.vhd" /format MSI
  1. Go back to the AVPackage folder and confirm the generation of the new 'NotepadPP!2D!8!2D!9!2D!7.msi' MSI file

The MSI file can be used with Workspace ONE UEM or other software delivery solutions to deliver this App Volumes MSI Package.

The Windows Endpoint should have App Volumes Agent 2412 or higher (same or higher version of the App Volumes Tools that was used to capture the MSI package)

  1. Clean up task, shutdown the appvolprov-01a packaging virtual machine and close the browser tab.

This concludes this section of the  lab to convert App Volumes Package formats between VHD, VMDK and MSI package types using App Volumes Tools

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