SoftGrid Sequencing Guidelines

February 01, 2008

Microsoft has released a Best Practices guide for Application Virtualization or SoftGrid v.4.2 app sequencing that was compiled from the MCS group. Here are some of the highlights in the first two sections followed be the TOC's. There is far too much information to be effectively summarized here. Great work!

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Highlights of the Sequencer setup recommendations

Sequence on a machine that is the oldest OS that the sequenced app will run on.
If Office is part of your base image, install it on your Sequencer.
Create an ODBC DSN setting as part of your Sequencer's base images. This will keep you from virtualizing all the ODBC DSN registry keys in the event the app you are sequencing creates any ODBC settings.
Create a fake printer as part of your Sequencer's base image.
Everyone knows to create the Q drive on a separate partition right??? Everyone nod Yes..
Put your %TEMP% directories and scratch directories on different physical drives for better performance while sequencing an app.
Make sure you turn off all those auto start programs on your sequencer box. Like your AV client, Adobe speed launcher, and search programs, Explorer, anti-spyware programs.

Highlights of recommendations for sequencing

Know the app you are going to sequence. Know if there are dependencies on other apps, know the install process, know if there are post install processes you have to complete.
Document all the above (commonly called a recipe) so someone else can do this or so you remember what to do when you finally get back to sequencing the app.
Put relevant comments about the sequencer into the comments filed, your name, date, OS, SP, apps as part of the base sequencer image.
Yes, you still need to use the 8.3 directory names.
Configure and test the sequenced app during the Install phase. If you make changes to the preferences as part of your normal install of the app, do it when you sequence the app as well. And make sure the app runs as normal before you seal it, get rid of any registration dialogs or other annoying things the app does the first couple of times it runs.
Don't stop the monitor until all apps have been installed.

Here is the rest of the TOC so you can see what else this guide includes.

Gauging Applications for Sequencing.............................................................................................. 20
Sequencing Limitations .................................................................................................................... 21
Sample Sequencing .......................................................................................................................... 22
Package Configuration.......................................................................................................... 22
Application Wizard ................................................................................................................ 23
Saving the Package ....................................................................................................... 25
Application Package Upgrade............................................................................................... 25
Compression of the SFT ....................................................................................................... 27
Advanced OSD Scripting ...................................................................................................... 27
Advanced Sequencing Techniques .................................................................................................. 34
Sequencing Applications That Cannot Install to Q:\ .............................................................. 34
Sequencing Web Based Applications ................................................................................... 35
Sequencing for an OS other than the one required by the application. ................................ 35
Sequencing applications that require access to local devices and or resources .................. 36
Sequencer Log Files ............................................................................................................. 36
Finding Additional Information ......................................................................................................... 36
Error Codes and the Microsoft Knowledge Base .................................................................. 36
SoftGrid Team Blog .............................................................................................................. 37
SoftGrid Product Documentation .......................................................................................... 37
SoftGrid Related Technical Discussion Forums and Web Sites ........................................... 37