Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V)

Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) can make applications available to end user computers without having to install the applications directly on those computers. This is made possible through a process known as sequencing the application, which enables each application to run in its own self-contained virtual environment on the client computer. The sequenced applications are isolated from each other. This eliminates application conflicts, but the applications can still interact with the client computer.
The App-V client is the feature that lets the end user interact with the applications after they have been published to the computer. The client manages the virtual environment in which the virtualized applications run on each computer. After the client has been installed on a computer, the applications must be made available to the computer through a process known as publishing, which enables the end user to run the virtual applications. The publishing process copies the virtual application icons and shortcuts to the computer—typically on the Windows desktop or on the Start menu—and also copies the package definition and file type association information to the computer. Publishing also makes the application package content available to the end user’s computer.

The virtual application package content can be copied onto one or more Application Virtualization servers so that it can be streamed down to the clients on demand and cached locally. File servers and Web servers can also be used as streaming servers, or the content can be copied directly to the end user’s computer—for example, if you are using an electronic software distribution system, such as Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007. In a multi-server implementation, maintaining the package content and keeping it up to date on all the streaming servers requires a comprehensive package management solution. Depending on the size of your organization, you might need to have many virtual applications available to end users located all over the world. Managing the packages to ensure that the appropriate applications are available to all users where and when they need access to them is therefore an important requirement.

Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) for Windows 10 delivers Win32 applications to users as virtual applications. Virtual applications are installed on centrally managed servers and delivered to users as a service in real time and on an as-needed basis. Users launch virtual applications from familiar access points and interact with them as if they were installed locally.

With the release of Windows 10, version 1607, App-V is included with the Windows 10 for Enterprise edition. If you’re new to Windows 10 and App-V, you’ll need to download, activate, and install server- and client-side components to start delivering virtual applications to users. If you’re already using App-V, performing an in-place upgrade to Windows 10 on user devices automatically installs the App-V client and migrates users’ App-V applications and settings. For more information about how to configure an existing App-V installation after upgrading user devices to Windows 10, see Upgrading to App-V for Windows 10 from an existing installation.

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