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Microsoft opens betas on virtual app control and App-V update

Free add-ons for MDOP customers

Microsoft has released a pair of beta applications for its virtualization customers aimed at improving the access and control of its virtual applications.

The first beta is a new function dubbed Microsoft User Experience Virtualization (UE-V), which lets users, or IT managers, select application settings and synchronize them with different machines running Windows 7, Server 2008 R2 and Windows 8, when the latter ships. Redmond is promising faster boot times and seamless integration with the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP), although presumably after the beta is finished.

"UE-V came from discussions with customers and industry experts on the need to provide a consistent experience for users across their many devices, as it would be difficult to impossible to create the same experience across every managed device," said Karri Alexion-Tiernan, director of product management at Microsoft in a blog posting. "By implementing UE-V, IT departments can enable a consistent experience for users who have multiple devices provided by their company or choose to bring their personal PC or tablet to work."

The second beta is an upgrade to version five of Microsoft's App-V engine and adds the ability to stream applications as needed to clients, and set up connection groups that let multiple applications communicate. Management comes via a web portal and the beta supports PowerShell as part of Microsoft's efforts to encourage IT managers back to the command line.

Once the beta sessions are complete both will go live as part of MDOP, and Redmond is not planning to charge extra for them. But as Microsoft gives with one hand it also takes away with the other. The MDOP Asset Inventory Service is being scrapped, apparently after customers complained that there were better tools out there. ®

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