VMware App Volumes is a real-time application delivery system that allows administrators to assign applications to users and groups in Horizon. App Volumes uses virtual disks called packages to store and deliver applications. When a user logs on to a desktop, the App Volumes agent attaches the assigned packages to the desktop and merges them with the OS disk. The user can then access the applications as if they were natively installed.
App Volumes is a suitable solution for deploying an application to specific users in an instant-clone desktop environment with the following characteristics:
The application needs to be updated very frequently: App Volumes allows administrators to update applications in real time by using the update or push-image operations. These operations replace the existing packages with new ones that have the latest updates applied, without affecting the user data or settings. The updated packages are delivered to the users at the next login or refresh.
The application needs to be installed as soon as possible: App Volumes allows administrators to install applications quickly and easily by using a clean packaging system and capturing the application installation process. The resulting package can be assigned to users or groups immediately, without requiring any recomposing or rebooting of the desktops.
The application is not multi-user aware: App Volumes allows administrators to deliver applications that are not multi-user aware by using writable volumes. Writable volumes are user-specific virtual disks that store user-installed applications, data, and settings. Writable volumes can be attached to desktops along with application packages, and they can isolate the user-installed applications from the system-installed applications.
The other options are not suitable for meeting the requirements:
VMware Horizon Published Application: This option allows administrators to publish applications from RDS hosts to users in Horizon. However, this option requires a separate RDS infrastructure and licensing, and it does not support instant updates or writable volumes for user-installed applications.
VMware Dynamic Environment Manager: This option allows administrators to manage user profiles and policies in Horizon. However, this option does not deliver or update applications, and it does not support writable volumes for user-installed applications.
VMware ThinApp: This option allows administrators to package applications into portable executables that can run on any Windows system without installation. However, this option requires a separate packaging process and licensing, and it does not support instant updates or writable volumes for user-installed applications.
References: App Volumes Architecture, Updating Applications in Real Time, Writable Volumes Overview, and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]
