Microsoft Unveils Plans for the MSI Utility for Microsoft Virtualization at VMworld

Now I am so glad that this is announced. As I am very excited to talk about this product and the benefits we are all going to have at using it. Chad posted on the SoftGrid Blog today and a news article when up from the announcement at VMWord. 

Microsoft unveiled the plans for its new application virtualization interoperability with SMS/SCCM, third party ESD systems and standalone clients at VMworld. The MSI Utility for Microsoft Application Virtualization is a solution accelerator which enables the distribution of virtual applications without streaming.  Instead, it is using Windows Installer (previously known as Microsoft Installer) -- a standard format and a service for deployment, configuration and component management on Microsoft Windows systems -- to load and publish virtual applications.

The solution extends the deployment capabilities of SoftGrid Application Virtualization by providing a distribution method interoperable with a broad range of software distribution systems, such as Microsoft SMS or System Center Configuration Manager for enterprise wide deployments, or a network share or CD for simpler deployment scenarios.  Virtual applications distributed via the MSI Utility for Microsoft Application Virtualization are configured using the Windows Installer service and fully loaded into the SoftGrid cache for use in a stand-alone mode, without connectivity to System Center SoftGrid Virtual Application Server.

This solution accelerator is a successor to and a substitute for the Microsoft SoftGrid SMS Connector.  It extends the utility of the SMS Connector in several dimensions and provides interoperability between SMS/SCCM, third party ESD systems and SoftGrid 4.1 SP1/4.2. 

For more information on this Press Pass, please browse to the link below:

https://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2007/sep07/09-11virtualization.mspx

Comments

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  one other piece is to keep an eye on the installer teams blog! http://blogs.msdn.com/windows_installer_team They will be the first to know and answer the questions :o)

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  yeap we certainly are http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms123402.aspx Note  Windows Installer 4.5 will be available as a redistributable for Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP1 and later, and Windows Server 2003 SP1 and later. Also the boys are blogging this over at http://blogs.msdn.com/windows_installer_team/archive/2007/06/25/windows-installer-4-5-beta-accepting-nominations.aspx and you can download it via connect!

• Anonymous
  March 26, 2008
  Is it any coincidence that both Microsoft Application Virtualization and Microsoft Windows Installer latest versions are both 4.5?  Are Microsoft now extending the Windows Installer technology (service) to interact with other installation / deployment technologies.