System Center Configuration Manager 2007 : Distributing Packages - Creating Advertisements (part 6)

Creating the Advertisement

After completing initial preparation, create an advertisement that will tie the virtual application to a test collection, using a specified distribution point. Navigate in the ConfigMgr console to Site Database -> Computer Management -> Collections -> Adobe Reader Deployment . Right-click and select Distribute Software. Perform the following steps:

1.	After the Welcome screen, select an existing package (in this case, the Adobe Reader Virtual application shown in Figure 14). The Distribute Software to Collection Wizard will adapt its steps to facilitate distributing virtual applications. Figure 14. Distributing the Adobe Reader virtual package
2.	Specify the distribution point to use for the virtual application. This example uses the Bluebonnet distribution point, because it is the only DP available within this site, as shown in Figure 15. When you are testing virtual application deployment, specify those distribution points closest to the systems you are testing. Using local distribution points increases the speed of the virtual application deployment and decreases the overhead on the network when virtual applications deploy. Figure 15. Specifying distribution points for the Adobe Reader virtual package
3.	The next page shows the virtual program already defined, because no program configuration is required for virtual applications. The package is defined as Adobe_Reader_Adobe_9_MNT, and the virtual application is defined as [Virtual application]. Both of these fields are grayed out, as shown in Figure 16. You can verify this under Site Database -> Computer Management -> Software Distribution -> Packages by comparing virtual applications to nonvirtual applications. Figure 16. Specifying the program for the Adobe Reader virtual package
4.	Specify the name of the advertisement. This defaults to the name of the virtual application combined with the name of the target collection, as shown in Figure 17. Figure 17. Specifying the advertisement name for the Adobe Reader virtual package
5.	Take the defaults on the Advertisement Subcollection page, which will advertise to the members of the collection and its subcollections. You should also accept the defaults on the Advertisement Schedule page. This will advertise the virtual application after the time it was created, without an expiration date, and download the content from unprotected distribution points and run it locally, as shown in Figure 18. Figure 18. Specifying the advertisement schedule for the Adobe Reader virtual package
6.	On the Assign Program page, you will determine whether to assign the virtual application, which makes the program mandatory for members of the collection. This will be configured with the default, which is not mandatory (see Figure 19). However, after testing is complete you will most likely assign the virtual application so users do not need to specify they want to install it. Figure 19. Specifying the assignment for the Adobe Reader virtual package
7.	As with other software distributions in ConfigMgr, the next page shows a summary of the advertisement you are creating. This is followed with a progress page, and then a final confirmation page. ConfigMgr will advertise the virtual application to members of the collection once the wizard completes. You can check the status of the package and whether it is distributed to the distribution point using the System Status section of the console under Site Database -> System Status -> Package Status. Figure 20 shows the Adobe Reader package has been targeted to one distribution point and installed on one distribution point. Figure 20. Checking the status of the Adobe Reader virtual application package
8.	After verifying the virtual application has reached the distribution point, you can monitor the status of the virtual application distribution either within the ConfigMgr console under Site Database -> System Status -> Advertisement Status or by checking the individual systems. For debugging purposes, this was not defined as a mandatory advertisement, so you will need to choose to install the virtual application on a client system. After the advertisement is available, the application will display that it requires a download and then that it is in the process of downloading (see Figure 21). Figure 21. Steps for the distribution of a nonmandatory virtual application distribution
9.	Once distribution of the virtual application completes, the Adobe application is available on the Start menu, as highlighted in Figure 22. Figure 22. The Adobe Reader virtual application on the Start menu of a client

After the Adobe Reader virtual application is available, you can run it and view PDF files, thus providing a good test of the application functionality. Figure 23 shows the Adobe Reader virtual application running. The building-block icon shown on the task bar (at the bottom right of the figure) indicates this is a virtual application.

Figure 23. The Adobe Reader virtual application running on a client system

The Adobe Reader virtual application is a good example of how you can integrate virtual applications with ConfigMgr, providing an extremely flexible method to distribute applications. The following material is recommended for additional reading on App-V and ConfigMgr:

• App-V 4.5 documentation— http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/appvirtualization/cc843994.aspx

• Raymond Chow’s experiences with integrating ConfigMgr and App-V— http://mymomexperience.blogspot.com/2008/05/marrying-sccm-r2-and-softgrid-45.html

• Steve Rachui’s post on the process of deploying virtual applications in Configuration Manager— http://blogs.msdn.com/steverac/archive/2008/12/22/deploying-virtual-apps-with-sccm.aspx

• Desktop Control’s blog on integrating ConfigMgr and App-V— http://desktopcontrol.blogspot.com/2008/09/app-v-application-deployment-in.html