Application Virtualization and the commoditization of Windows Installer packaging technology

Packaging tools for creating MSI and App-V packages should be free, and for most enterprises today they are free. System Center Configuration Manager comes with a free utility for creating and editing MSI packages and App-V comes with a free utility for creating and editing App-V packages. The reason these fully functional packaging and sequencing technologies are included at no cost is that the package creation process in and of itself it does not provide any inherent value to the enterprise. In fact packaging is simply a necessary evil to realizing the higher level strategic value to organizations of the technologies they support. For application virtualization, the value is in portability of applications and reduced management and testing costs.

App-DNA™ Blog | Application Virtualization and the commoditization of Windows Installer packaging technology