SOFTGRID APPLICATION VIRTUALIZATION
The SoftGrid Sequencer is a wizard-based tool that packages and virtualizes Windows applications for real-time delivery as network services. Leveraging expertise gained from sequencing over 25,000 applications, the Sequencer quickly packages even the most complex applications. A 1.5 GB application such as Cerner Millennium can take just an hour to package. The entire Microsoft Office suite takes 10 minutes. The Sequencer uses a once-per-application process to protect the application's integrity and does not modify its source code. The Sequencer performs several functions.

SoftGrid application virtualization can drastically reduce the complexities inherent in deploying and updating applications to desktops, laptops, and terminal servers. Application virtualization enables applications to run without the need to ever install a product on a desktop, laptop or server. Since applications are no longer installed on the client there is absolutely no impact on the host operating system or other applications. SoftGrid is the most extensive virtualization technology on the market; it virtualizes per user, per application instance, every key application component, as well as windows services. As a result, application conflicts, and the need for regression testing, are totally eliminated.

TAKE's team have been working with SoftGrid application virtualization since 2006. We have extensive experience in v3 and v4 of the product suite. Our experience goes beyond basic sequencing and includes event scripting (which is often required for terminal server/Citrix/roaming user environments), OSD customization, management tool integration and in 'virtual layer' debugging.

CITRIX PACKAGING
We have a great deal of experience in producing streamlined Citrix packages that install on both a desktop and Citrix server without the need for a Transform. The creation of Windows Installer MSI packages for Citrix servers presents some unique challenges. Frequently the drive letter configuration is different to the desktops. Self repair is not always desirable. Animations and other graphical settings are sometimes required to be tempered to spare bandwidth. Shadow keys and Terminal Server compatibility keys need to be configured. These are all challenges that we are familiar with and meet on a daily basis.

Citrix Packaging ensures repeatability, which is very important in a load balancing situation. You don't want clients receiving different application behavior depending on which server they are assigned. Citrix Packaging will prevent this. It can be argued that a Citrix server is more important than a desktop client due to the fact that its’ operation affects multiple users. If you have your applications packaged you can have your server back up and running in a fraction of the time. Another benefit is the implementation of component and conflict management to ensure harmony on servers. Ensuring that one application does not break another when installed, removed, upgraded, patched or repaired.

WINDOWS VISTA PACKAGING
Windows Vista is Microsoft’s exciting and eagerly awaited new operating system. With it come the usual challenges of ensuring hardware and software are compatible with the new desktop environment. These days you also need to think about your existing and future application packages. If your packages were created for a previous version of Windows there is a real possibility that a significant number will fail to install on Windows Vista. This is mainly due to the security changes within the operating system, and affects the way in which custom actions can be implemented. The new security model also affects the general operation of the installed software. Local Administrators are no longer an option under Windows Vista. This presents challenges when packages have been created without considering the need for functionality in an environment where users have restrictive permissions to both the file system and the registry.

We have been working with Windows Vista in preparation for businesses requirements since the first betas were available. During this time we have gained a great insight into what does and does not work in the Windows Vista packaging arena. We can help with migrating your current application portfolio to Vista as well as packaging any new requirements that you may have for you desktop migration project. Save time and money by utilizing our skilled resources in application packaging for Windows Vista.