App-V 5.0 Technology Comparison Against App-V 4.6

Had to create an overview for a customer, so here it is:

Advantages

  • Complete new technology. From scratch! (However approach is still the very same).
  • AssetDrive is gone (no Q:\ Drive Anymore). Was replaced by “Primary Installation Folder” which is now also deprecated (at least “visible”)
  • New File Format: APPV instead of SFT+OSD. Based on AppX Format (Windows 8.x Apps) and will probably also match or be very similar to “Universal Apps” / “Project Centennial” Packages
  • No sfttray.exe launcher anymore: Applications are launched directly by calling the native executable inside the “App-V Package Store”.
  • Advanced OS integration possibilities handled by the App-V Client. Those registration are physically and can be seen by other applications, e.g.:
    • Shell Extensions (since SP2)
    • FTAs
    • COM Objects
    • Software Clients (Registry)
    • Application Capabilities (Registry)
    • URL Protocol Handler
    • App Path (Registry)
    • Browser Helper Objects (IE) (Since SP2)
    • ActiveX Controls (IE) (Since SP2)
  • Per Machine Scripts which are run by the System Account. This allows you to bundle Shims or Drivers together with the App-V Package.
  • Powered by PowerShell: All aspects of App-V can/are handled with PowerShell
  • No more 4 GB Package limit
  • Plain File system instead of proprietary files (Package Store & Delta Cache)
  • No “hardcoded” Streaming Server URL inside the AppX Package
  • Mainstream support is not ceased by 14th July 2015.
  • Mainstream support till 9th January 2018
  • Bundling of App-V Applications into the same Virtual Environment is much easier and hassle free (Connection Groups).
  • SAP Gui (certain versions) is officially supported as an App-V 5.0 Package (However, BEX Analyzer not!)
  • Office 2013 is officially supported as an App-V 5.0 Package

Disadvantages

  • Implemented Copy-On-Write prevents any write access to certain file types inside an App-V Bubble (e.g Self Updating packages are not possible anymore!)
  • Due to new App-V design certain applications break due to long (real) path as everything resides under C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\AppV\ … {PGuid} .. {VGuid}..
  • App-V 5.0 does no longer contain Security Descriptors.
  • Applications which trigger an UAC prompt do not work “__COMPAT_LAYER=RunAsInvoker” trick does not work anymore. Workaround: Shim file must be created which is installed as MachineScript.

 

More stuff on the web:

http://virtualvibes.co.uk/app-v-4-6-to-5-0-comparison-cheat-sheet-2/

http://www.brianmadden.com/blogs/timmangan/archive/2013/01/23/an-explanation-of-app-v-4-vs-5.aspx ( Video)

SAP Gui Support:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/appv/archive/2014/12/15/sap-gui-recipe-for-microsoft-app-v-5-0.aspx

Office 2013 Support:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2915745

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2772509