AdminStudio: Features

With this capability, you can automate the many routine tasks that you perform, freeing up time to focus on analyzing the results. You can choose from a variety of industry standards such as .NET, PowerShell and scripting languages such as VB Script, to communicate with AdminStudio, so you can use the method most familiar to you.

AdminStudio maintains the applications in an easy-to-navigate Application Catalog, providing a tree-view of the catalog that displays all available applications and the deployment formats available for each application. This view shows, at a glance, the applications included and what deployment types are available for each application. This greatly simplifies management of the applications.

Application Manager's Import Wizard now offers a new option on the Select Package Source panel to perform a bulk import of applications from Configuration Manager 2012, while maintaining its support for package import from earlier releases of Configuration Manager.

If you select the "Show only good candidate packages (MSI)" option, AdminStudio will check the packages in the Microsoft Configuration Manager 2007 server to determine if they are good candidates for migration to Configuration Manager 2012, and filters the list accordingly.

Filtering speeds the adoption of Configuration Manager 2012 by enabling you to quickly identify and migrate good candidates before moving on to those that require more work.

Suitability Test Results on Virtualization Suitability View

In order to perform Server App-V suitability testing, AdminStudio includes five new virtualization suitability tests:

• Detects ASP.NET and /or IIS applications—ASP.NET and IIS applications are supported by Server App-V, but fail for App-V, ThinApp, and XenApp.
• Detects WMI provider applications—WMI provider applications are supported by Server App-V, but fail for App-V, ThinApp, and XenApp.
• Detects J2EE server applications—J2EE server applications are not supported by any virtualization format.
• Detects unsupported applications (error category)—Looks for files matching a black list, such as files associated with Symantec, McAfee, and Exchange Server. These applications are not supported by any virtualization format.
• Detects unsupported applications (warning category)—Looks for files matching a black list, such as files associated with SQL Server. A warning is generated for all virtualization formats.

AdminStudio automatically creates tag files for application packages in two ways:

1. When you import an application package into the AdminStudio Application Catalog.
   NOTE: The first time you open an Application Catalog database from an earlier release of AdminStudio, you have the option to re-import all of your MSI packages and automatically create software tags for them all.
2. When you convert a legacy package to a Windows installer package.

Automatic tagging eliminates the need to manually tag each application, a time-consuming and error-prone process. You can view and edit the tag file information for each application using a new, easy-to-follow view,so you can tell at a glance the tagging status of each application. In this way, you can ensure that all applications have comprehensive and accurate tags to enable effective application asset management.

The enhanced Application Manager and Application Catalog allows the centralized management of Windows Installer packages (MSIs) alongside virtual application packages, enabling virtual packages to be handled with the same process and tools as Windows Installer packages (MSIs) – removing the costs and complexity of maintaining two separate solutions and repositories.

Continuous management reporting provides an overall view of the application estate's readiness for each application, to provide decision support on choosing the appropriate delivery/deployment technology. Predefined reports on application deployment types and application validation are also included.

AdminStudio and Workflow Manager (sold separately), the premier MSI packaging and software packaging management solution, are fully integrated to help you streamline and standardize your packaging process.

AdminStudio and Workflow Manager now share the same Application Catalog, so package-related data in AdminStudio and packaging process management data in Workflow Manager are linked and accessible via AdminStudio's Report Center and can feed into your CMDB. It provides a foundation for Definitive Software Library (DSL) support in your ITIL or Microsoft MOF and BDD implementations.

Additional integration enhancements include:

• AdminStudio's Job Manager, Report Center, and Web Console now share a tabbed interface with Workflow Manager, making it easy to jump back and forth from different functional areas.
• You can now associate an application request in Workflow Manager with a package from either the AdminStudio or Workflow Manager UI, so you can quickly move from an application request progress report to a report on how that package was prepared for deployment.
• All security settings (users, roles, and permissions) for AdminStudio and Workflow Manager are managed from the same UI.
• When defining a Workflow Manager template, you can choose to define a workflow phase as an AdminStudio workflow project, and you will receive progress notification from AdminStudio as the project steps are completed.

As you use AdminStudio to complete tasks, the percentage of work completed for each step is indicated by Workflow Manager. In addition, rollback of a workflow with an AdminStudio step is reflected in the associated Workflow Manager project.  

With this capability, you can automate the many routine tasks that you perform, freeing up time to focus on analyzing the results. You can choose from a variety of industry standards such as .NET, PowerShell and scripting languages such as VB Script, to communicate with AdminStudio, so you can use the method most familiar to you.

For large organizations with packaging teams in multiple locations, AdminStudio can automatically synchronize all your Application Catalogs, making the most recent packages and packaging data available in each location. (Applies to Microsoft SQL Server 2005 databases only.)

AdminStudio has the tools that enable you to package Windows Installer applications (both 32-bit and 64-bit) applications and test for application compatibility with new Windows 7 tests.

Windows 7 migrations have significant impact on an IT organization in terms of time, budget and internal reputation. Ensuring application compatibility and deploying applications for optimal performance and functionality is an essential requirement. AdminStudio includes support for Windows 7, including several enhancements to the AdminStudio Repackager: default Repackager exclusions list, updated process exclusions, improved functionality for capturing side-by-side assemblies, improved handling of user data, and the incorporation of the Build Engine from InstallShield.

Find and resolve common Windows 7 deployment issues with 12 new Windows 7 compatibility tests. Test for Per User setups, AdminUser or Privileged Launch conditions, and Windows 7 Protected Files and Registry Keys, and more

Plus, AdminStudio itself runs on Windows 7, so you can follow best practices by performing MSI repackaging and testing on machines running the same Windows 7 OS as your target environment

AdminStudio automatically converts your InstallScript MSI setups into 100% pure MSI installations, making them easier for you to handle.

AdminStudio automatically preserves the Windows Installer database portion of the InstallScript MSI setup and merges it with the properties of the InstallScript code. The end result is a pure, industry-standard MSI package that provides all the reliability and timesaving benefits of the Windows Installer service.

Migrating software to the Windows Installer (MSI) format is the first step to ensuring its successful deployment, long-term reliability, and problem-free coexistence with the other applications installed in your environment.

Only AdminStudio has the ability to convert any setup into a pure MSI package. The enhanced Repackager does all the work for you quickly and accurately. No more waiting for snapshots or scrolling through file exclusion lists— all the system changes made by a setup — and only those changes — are automatically captured. You get the most accurate MSI possible, and you get it in far less time.

Only Solution for Packaging InstallShield Setups
AdminStudio is the only tool that can see inside native InstallShield setups, automatically capture their information, and accurately convert them into MSIs. No matter if the original installation is 100% InstallScript™ or an InstallScript MSI mix, only AdminStudio can repackage it into a pure, accurate MSI.

AdminStudio can also automatically convert Microsoft® Configuration Manager(formerly SMS), Novell ZENworks®, WinINSTALL®, and Wise® WSE software packages directly into robust MSIs without repackaging.

AdminStudio's Repackager now captures context data during the MSI repackaging process, so you can better understand the consequences and complications surrounding a package. AdminStudio provides you with complete information for decision making and makes it easier for you to repackage applications that had been previously challenging, such as Microsoft Office® and Adobe Reader®, for both traditional deployments and application virtualization projects.

One of the biggest reasons you use an MSI packaging solution is to quickly and accurately convert legacy setups to reliable MSI packages.

AdminStudio's Repackager now has enhanced installation monitoring technology that provides dramatic performance improvements in converting setup executables into Windows Installer packages.

Using installation monitoring technology, Repackager automatically monitors a system for any processes that are created during an installation and identifies any files, shell links, registry entries, and other items that are added, modified, or removed by the legacy installation.

No more waiting for snapshots or scrolling through file exclusion lists — all the system changes made by a setup — and only those changes — are automatically captured. Repackager can then convert this data into a reliable MSI package. You get the most accurate MSI possible, and you get it in far less time.

90% of the world's software installations are created using InstallShield technology. AdminStudio is the only tool that can see inside native InstallShield setups, automatically capture their information, and accurately convert them into MSIs. No matter if the original installation is 100% InstallScript™ or an InstallScript MSI mix, only AdminStudio can repackage it into a pure, accurate MSI.

AdminStudio comes with automated SmartScan technology that automatically extracts information that other packaging tools miss. It scans the InstallShield Setup.exe for any missing files, registry items, and shortcuts not captured by the Repackager (such as OS-dependent files and language-dependent files) and adds them to the project in a color-coded format, so you always know why they were added. You also have the option to include or exclude this additional information in the MSI packages you build.

SmartScan also accurately preserves the original feature organization of your InstallShield scripted setups, so you can modify a single package countless ways without having to waste valuable time repackaging again and again.

AdminStudio makes it easy for systems administrators to convert Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager(formerly SMS), Novell ZENworks®, WinINSTALL®, and Wise® WSE software packages directly into robust MSIs without having to waste time packaging.

AdminStudio's automated Converter rapidly copies all file and registry data from those legacy setups into a new AdminStudio project, so you can bypass repackaging and automatically convert the installations directly into reliable MSIs, saving you time and improving the quality of your packages.

 

To ensure undesirable files are never included in your MSI packages, AdminStudio offers the Global Exclusions Editor. Simply tell the Global Exclusions Editor what files you never wish to deploy with any package, and they will be automatically blocked from the MSIs you create. Items can be added or removed from the list at any time.

MSI packaging can be extremely time consuming and inaccurate if performed manually or with inferior tools. The results are often low-quality MSI packages with incomplete functionality that perform poorly once deployed.

AdminStudio has the timesaving tools you need to package your software quickly and correctly.  AdminStudio automated tools and intelligent wizards speed you through a structured MSI packaging process based on best practices that you can tailor to fit your company's standards. It recognizes issues and automatically recommends the best ways to correct them, enabling you to prepare reliable packages in far less time.

The solution categorizes application issues, presenting them in a single view that visually indicates which issues are automatically resolvable, which are fixable and which will be complex to resolve. Suitability testing eliminates the trial-and-error approach to migrating applications to virtual formats.

Suitability Test Results on Virtualization Suitability View

Convert multiple applications at a time. Detects and converts packages that contain custom actions on a virtual machine. Automated approach is 9x faster than manual conversion tools. 

Detects and converts packages that contain custom actions on a virtual machine. Automated approach is 9x faster than manual conversion tools.

AdminStudio gives you the ability to quickly convert applications into Microsoft® App-V™, VMware® ThinApp™* and Citrix® XenApp™ virtual packages. It's the only packaging solution that lets you choose from multiple virtualization formats, so you can pick the format or formats that best fits different situations.

AdminStudio comes with Microsoft, VMware and Citrix Assistants that save you time and effort by walking you through the virtualization process in minutes, including the customizing of virtual packages. It gives you complete control over every aspect of virtual packages, from modifying registry settings to controlling isolation options at a granular level, quickly and easily.

*Requires separate purchase of VMware ThinApp

Simultaneously create a 64-bit Windows Installer package (MSI) and a 64-bit Microsoft App-V package, saving time and effort. AdminStudio accelerates virtual deployments by reformatting applications into the App-V format natively, without the use of the multi-step App-V Sequencer tool. At this time, AdminStudio will be the only application readiness solution set that can natively support the App-V format, reducing costs and increasing reliability for App-V implementations.

InstallShield has the tools to support Windows 7, including the ability to create applications that meet Microsoft's requirements for the "Compatible with Windows 7" logo.

InstallShield includes support for installing applications on Windows Server 2008 R2, including building conditions for features and components. Integrating Windows Installer 5 features, InstallShield allows users to take advantage of new MSI 5 functionality, including: creating per-user applications and quicker installations for large packages.

For those packages you wish to deploy with a user interface, new multilingual support lets you localize the UI into as many as 33 runtime languages, eliminating hours of installation dialog and message box translation effort.

Supported languages

Chinese (Simplified)	Greek
Chinese (Traditional)	Hungarian
English	Italian
Basque	Norwegian
Bulgarian	Polish
Catalan	Russian
Croatian	Thai
Czech	Turkish
Danish	Portuguese (Brazil)
Dutch	Portuguese (Portugal)
Finnish	Romanian
Indonesian	Serbian
Japanese	Slovak
Korean	Slovenian
French (Canada)	Spanish
French (France)	Swedish
German

With AdminStudio, you can quickly customize MSI and virtual packages to meet the needs of every group in your enterprise.

The AdminStudio Editor enables you to directly edit any part of an MSI installation, such as adding or modifying files or registry entries, adding merge modules and Web services, modifying any user interface elements you choose to display, and changing shortcuts.

AdminStudio is now powered by the latest version of the world's leading MSI authoring and editing tool, InstallShield®, which includes the ability to natively create an App-V installation, support for MSI 5.0 and more

Plus, the AdminStudio Editor makes it easy to edit Microsoft® App-V™, VMware® ThinApp™ and Citrix® XenApp™ virtual packages, from modifying registry settings to controlling isolation options at a granular level, quickly and easily. (Please note: App-V, ThinApp and XenApp support requires the purchase of the AdminStudio Virtualization Pack.)

AdminStudio also provides a fast way to build Windows Installer transforms (MST files) for modifying MSI packages.

*Requires separate purchase of VMware ThinApp

 

AdminStudio gives you tremendous flexibility in your package build formats, helping ensure the packages you deploy fit your company's specific standards and processes.

It now includes the new ability to build installations with a single external CAB file, which enables you to keep your MSIs smaller while making rebuilding and deploying the MSI less time consuming.

AdminStudio Editor is powered by InstallShield, the world's standard in MSI authoring and editing. Editor makes it easy to author your own MSI installations (including Windows Vista-compatible setups), upgrades, patches, and transforms.

Editor has unparalleled Windows Installer support, giving you complete control over your MSI installations. Use Editor's powerful wizards, task-based views, and a full Direct Table Editor to easily enable your installs to leverage Windows Installer service benefits (such as install-on-demand, auto-repair, and installation rollback).

With Editor you can easily create or edit an MSI file directly using rich views and create or edit a transform based on an existing MSI file. Plus Editor gives you enhanced control and error management capabilities with the MSI Debugger, MSI differencing tools, and instant access to Error Central.

Editor offers you maximum power and flexibility by enabling any level of install customization. Source code control integration makes MSI project versioning possible, while the automation interface dramatically increases the number of ways in which projects can be updated. Editor's simplified patch and upgrade creation, clean build system support, debugging, and build report tools also assist in your product lifecycle management.

AdminStudio provides the fastest way to build Windows Installer transforms (MST files) for adding files, changing registry settings, adding license keys, removing registration wizards, or making other modifications to your MSI package without modifying the base MSI file.

AdminStudio's Response Transform Wizard enables the creation of a transform by simply running through the installation process. All of the selections you make are automatically captured in a transform. You can also easily edit transform files using the same tool and user interface you use for authoring and editing your MSI installations.

AdminStudio automatically creates tag files for application packages in two ways:

1. When you import an application package into the AdminStudio Application Catalog.
   NOTE: The first time you open an Application Catalog database from an earlier release of AdminStudio, you have the option to re-import all of your MSI packages and automatically create software tags for them all.
2. When you convert a legacy package to a Windows installer package.

Automatic tagging eliminates the need to manually tag each application, a time-consuming and error-prone process. You can view and edit the tag file information for each application using a new, easy-to-follow view,so you can tell at a glance the tagging status of each application. In this way, you can ensure that all applications have comprehensive and accurate tags to enable effective application asset management.

Drag and drop applications into the testing process to receive a summary report on the compatibility of all applications. Applications can be loaded for testing in minutes rather than days. Quickly understand how many applications will require fixing for deployment on Windows 7 providing the ability to prioritize application deployments. Identifies both installation package and application code compatibility issues, ensuring near 100% confidence in testing results.

Fast, consistent approach ensures that packages are of high quality. Eliminates the needs for skilled, expensive packaging resources to fix the majority of installation package issues, saving time and money.

Import multiple Web site addresses (URLs) or Web applications at one time and test to ensure they render correctly in Internet Explorer 8 & 9 and check for missing elements on pages due to browser incompatibility.

Every time you distribute applications and patches you run the risk of creating software conflicts that crash other applications and disrupt systems across your environment. AdminStudio gives systems administrators everything needed to prepare conflict-free, reliable software packages for deployment.

First, it gives you the ability to quickly convert applications into Microsoft®
App-V™, VMware® ThinApp™* and Citrix® XenApp™ virtual packages. Virtual packages prevent software conflicts by running in their own isolated environment.

Second, AdminStudio's ConflictSolver lets you test your MSI packages and patches for conflicts against any application and operating system in your enterprise before you deploy. Depending on the conflict, AdminStudio either instantly corrects it or helps you fix it according to your corporate standards.

ConflictSolver has a Process Assistant to guide you through the conflict detection and resolution process. Plus, the Web-based Job Manager helps speed up conflict testing by letting you schedule common tasks — such as package import, validation, and conflict resolution — to run automatically, day or night. No human intervention is required.

Finally, AdminStudio also has the Application Isolation Wizard that can automatically scan MSI packages to determine if they are fully isolated and using only local resources and DLLs. If there is a problem, the Application Isolation Wizard can partially or totally isolate an application before you deploy it, ensuring installed applications are unaffected by the rollout.

*Requires separate purchase of VMware ThinApp

 

 

Establishing corporate standards for the way your software is configured gives you a more consistent and manageable infrastructure and lets IT solve post-deployment application problems faster. AdminStudio's Rules Wizard gives you the ability to easily create your own custom business rules that automatically identify and correct applications that violate your corporate standards.

You can easily create corporate validation rules that run against every application to ensure your guidelines are always followed — and no programming is needed. AdminStudio offers an intuitive, easy-to-use, wizard-driven approach to creating custom rules that detect missing or incorrect package data in any MSI table in the Application Catalog.

Once created, your custom rules can be shared and used anytime by other members of your desktop management team, making your collaborative projects even more efficient. The custom rules work exactly like AdminStudio's predefined conflict-checking rules and integrate throughout the system in all user interfaces and reports.

AdminStudio maintains the applications in an easy-to-navigate Application Catalog, providing a tree-view of the catalog that displays all available applications and the deployment formats available for each application. This view shows, at a glance, the applications included and what deployment types are available for each application. This greatly simplifies management of the applications.

Application Manager's Import Wizard now offers a new option on the Select Package Source panel to perform a bulk import of applications from Configuration Manager 2012, while maintaining its support for package import from earlier releases of Configuration Manager.

If you select the "Show only good candidate packages (MSI)" option, AdminStudio will check the packages in the Microsoft Configuration Manager 2007 server to determine if they are good candidates for migration to Configuration Manager 2012, and filters the list accordingly.

Filtering speeds the adoption of Configuration Manager 2012 by enabling you to quickly identify and migrate good candidates before moving on to those that require more work.

Microsoft, Novell, and Citrix have even named AdminStudio their preferred packaging solution, recommending that their customers use it to prepare software for deployment.

Just tell the AdminStudio Distribution Wizard the deployment solution you wish to use, and the wizard automatically creates the system-specific files necessary to successfully deploy your package.

AdminStudio also has a Configuration Manager Web Console that simplifies and streamlines Configuration Manager distributions. All your Configuration Manager installation administration needs — including targeting, publishing, advertising, and uninstallation — are met from this Web-based interface.

For those organizations not using a third-party deployment solution, AdminStudio also facilitates distributing your packages via network destinations, FTP servers, administrative installations, and more.

With this capability, you can automate the many routine tasks that you perform, freeing up time to focus on analyzing the results. You can choose from a variety of industry standards such as .NET, PowerShell and scripting languages such as VB Script, to communicate with AdminStudio, so you can use the method most familiar to you.

AdminStudio maintains the applications in an easy-to-navigate Application Catalog, providing a tree-view of the catalog that displays all available applications and the deployment formats available for each application. This view shows, at a glance, the applications included and what deployment types are available for each application. This greatly simplifies management of the applications.

Application Manager's Import Wizard now offers a new option on the Select Package Source panel to perform a bulk import of applications from Configuration Manager 2012, while maintaining its support for package import from earlier releases of Configuration Manager.

If you select the "Show only good candidate packages (MSI)" option, AdminStudio will check the packages in the Microsoft Configuration Manager 2007 server to determine if they are good candidates for migration to Configuration Manager 2012, and filters the list accordingly.

Filtering speeds the adoption of Configuration Manager 2012 by enabling you to quickly identify and migrate good candidates before moving on to those that require more work.

Suitability Test Results on Virtualization Suitability View

In order to perform Server App-V suitability testing, AdminStudio includes five new virtualization suitability tests:

• Detects ASP.NET and /or IIS applications—ASP.NET and IIS applications are supported by Server App-V, but fail for App-V, ThinApp, and XenApp.
• Detects WMI provider applications—WMI provider applications are supported by Server App-V, but fail for App-V, ThinApp, and XenApp.
• Detects J2EE server applications—J2EE server applications are not supported by any virtualization format.
• Detects unsupported applications (error category)—Looks for files matching a black list, such as files associated with Symantec, McAfee, and Exchange Server. These applications are not supported by any virtualization format.
• Detects unsupported applications (warning category)—Looks for files matching a black list, such as files associated with SQL Server. A warning is generated for all virtualization formats.

AdminStudio automatically creates tag files for application packages in two ways:

1. When you import an application package into the AdminStudio Application Catalog.
   NOTE: The first time you open an Application Catalog database from an earlier release of AdminStudio, you have the option to re-import all of your MSI packages and automatically create software tags for them all.
2. When you convert a legacy package to a Windows installer package.

Automatic tagging eliminates the need to manually tag each application, a time-consuming and error-prone process. You can view and edit the tag file information for each application using a new, easy-to-follow view,so you can tell at a glance the tagging status of each application. In this way, you can ensure that all applications have comprehensive and accurate tags to enable effective application asset management.

The enhanced Application Manager and Application Catalog allows the centralized management of Windows Installer packages (MSIs) alongside virtual application packages, enabling virtual packages to be handled with the same process and tools as Windows Installer packages (MSIs) – removing the costs and complexity of maintaining two separate solutions and repositories.

Continuous management reporting provides an overall view of the application estate's readiness for each application, to provide decision support on choosing the appropriate delivery/deployment technology. Predefined reports on application deployment types and application validation are also included.

The solution categorizes application issues, presenting them in a single view that visually indicates which issues are automatically resolvable, which are fixable and which will be complex to resolve. Suitability testing eliminates the trial-and-error approach to migrating applications to virtual formats.

Suitability Test Results on Virtualization Suitability View

Convert multiple applications at a time. Detects and converts packages that contain custom actions on a virtual machine. Automated approach is 9x faster than manual conversion tools. 

Detects and converts packages that contain custom actions on a virtual machine. Automated approach is 9x faster than manual conversion tools.

Drag and drop applications into the testing process to receive a summary report on the compatibility of all applications. Applications can be loaded for testing in minutes rather than days. Quickly understand how many applications will require fixing for deployment on Windows 7 providing the ability to prioritize application deployments. Identifies both installation package and application code compatibility issues, ensuring near 100% confidence in testing results.

Fast, consistent approach ensures that packages are of high quality. Eliminates the needs for skilled, expensive packaging resources to fix the majority of installation package issues, saving time and money.

Import multiple Web site addresses (URLs) or Web applications at one time and test to ensure they render correctly in Internet Explorer 8 & 9 and check for missing elements on pages due to browser incompatibility.

InstallShield has the tools to support Windows 7, including the ability to create applications that meet Microsoft's requirements for the "Compatible with Windows 7" logo.

InstallShield includes support for installing applications on Windows Server 2008 R2, including building conditions for features and components. Integrating Windows Installer 5 features, InstallShield allows users to take advantage of new MSI 5 functionality, including: creating per-user applications and quicker installations for large packages.

AdminStudio has the tools that enable you to package Windows Installer applications (both 32-bit and 64-bit) applications and test for application compatibility with new Windows 7 tests.

Windows 7 migrations have significant impact on an IT organization in terms of time, budget and internal reputation. Ensuring application compatibility and deploying applications for optimal performance and functionality is an essential requirement. AdminStudio includes support for Windows 7, including several enhancements to the AdminStudio Repackager: default Repackager exclusions list, updated process exclusions, improved functionality for capturing side-by-side assemblies, improved handling of user data, and the incorporation of the Build Engine from InstallShield.

Find and resolve common Windows 7 deployment issues with 12 new Windows 7 compatibility tests. Test for Per User setups, AdminUser or Privileged Launch conditions, and Windows 7 Protected Files and Registry Keys, and more

Plus, AdminStudio itself runs on Windows 7, so you can follow best practices by performing MSI repackaging and testing on machines running the same Windows 7 OS as your target environment

InstallShield 2010 has the tools to support Windows 7, including the ability to create applications that meet Microsoft's requirements for the "Compatible with Windows 7" logo.

InstallShield 2010 SP1 includes support for installing applications on Windows Server 2008 R2, including building conditions for features and components. Integrating Windows Installer 5 features, InstallShield 2010 SP1 allows users to take advantage of the cool new MSI 5 functionality, including: creating per-user applications and quicker installations for large packages.

Simultaneously create a 64-bit Windows Installer package (MSI) and a 64-bit Microsoft App-V package, saving time and effort. AdminStudio accelerates virtual deployments by reformatting applications into the App-V format natively, without the use of the multi-step App-V Sequencer tool. At this time, AdminStudio will be the only application readiness solution set that can natively support the App-V format, reducing costs and increasing reliability for App-V implementations.

AdminStudio gives you the ability to quickly convert applications into Microsoft® App-V™, VMware® ThinApp™* and Citrix® XenApp™ virtual packages. It's the only packaging solution that lets you choose from multiple virtualization formats, so you can pick the format or formats that best fits different situations.

AdminStudio comes with Microsoft, VMware and Citrix Assistants that save you time and effort by walking you through the virtualization process in minutes, including the customizing of virtual packages. It gives you complete control over every aspect of virtual packages, from modifying registry settings to controlling isolation options at a granular level, quickly and easily.

*Requires separate purchase of VMware ThinApp

AdminStudio now provides unprecedented support for managing virtual applications, making it as easy as managing MSIs.

AdminStudio now stores virtual application files and related metadata in the same location as the binaries and information on your non-virtual packages. Now you can always know who is touching an application before and after deployment, who initially requested it, which groups was it requested for, what are its contents, and who tested it.

Packagers can also see at a glance which applications in their environment are MSIs and which ones are in virtual formats.

AdminStudio is now powered by the latest version of the world's leading MSI authoring and editing tool, InstallShield® 2009.

New enhancements include support for Windows Installer 4.5, Visual Studio® 2008, installation chaining, and Arabic and Hebrew setup text. It also has four new graphical InstallShield MSI tools that make it far easier to troubleshoot MSIs.

AdminStudio's Repackager now captures context data during the MSI repackaging process, so you can better understand the consequences and complications surrounding a package. AdminStudio provides you with complete information for decision making and makes it easier for you to repackage applications that had been previously challenging, such as Microsoft Office® and Adobe Reader®, for both traditional deployments and application virtualization projects.

Virtual applications cut IT costs by eliminating the possibility of conflicts with other applications and the base OS.

AdminStudio now gives you the power to quickly create, edit, and test Thinstall* virtual applications. Thinstalled applications require no client-side agents or server infrastructure, making them ideal for many environments.

AdminStudio can automatically convert MSIs directly to Thinstall virtual packages with a few simple mouse clicks. It comes with a Thinstall Assistant that saves you time and effort by walking you through the virtualization process.

*Requires separate purchase of Thinstall Virtualization Suite 3.2 from Thinstall

AdminStudio gives you complete control over every aspect of Thinstall virtual packages, from modifying registry settings to controlling isolation options at a granular level, quickly and easily.

AdminStudio's Thinstall Assistant walks you through the entire virtual package customization process, making it easy for those unfamiliar with Thinstall to edit packages.

With AdminStudio, you have the power to:

• Specify the profile name, description, and version
• Include diagnostic tools with a Thinstall package
• Specify the OS and language requirements for client workstations
• Add files and folders to a Thinstall package
• Control the display of predefined folders
• Specify hard coded destination directories
• Set isolation options
• Create, delete, include, exclude, or rename profile shortcuts

*Requires separate purchase of Thinstall Virtualization Suite 3.2 from Thinstall

For large organizations with packaging teams in multiple locations, AdminStudio can automatically synchronize all your Application Catalogs, making the most recent packages and packaging data available in each location. (Applies to Microsoft SQL Server 2005 databases only.)

For Citrix Presentation Server customers, AdminStudio now gives you the power to quickly create, edit, and test Citrix virtual profiles for application streaming.

AdminStudio automatically converts MSIs to Citrix virtual profiles for streaming with a few simple mouse clicks. It has a Citrix Assistant that saves you time and effort by guiding you through the entire virtualization process.

AdminStudio can also repackage your legacy EXEs into Citrix virtual profiles without wasting time on snapshots.

Plus, AdminStudio's Editor makes it easy to customize every aspect of Citrix virtual profiles, from modifying registry settings to controlling isolation options at a granular level, quickly and easily.

AdminStudio gives you complete control over every aspect of Thinstall and Citrix virtual packages, from modifying registry settings to controlling isolation options at a granular level, quickly and easily.

The separate AdminStudio Thinstall and Citrix Assistants walk you through the entire virtual package customization process. No matter which system you use, AdminStudio makes it easy for those unfamiliar with Thinstall or Citrix technologies to edit packages for virtualization.

With AdminStudio, you have the power to:

With AdminStudio, you can quickly customize MSI and virtual packages to meet the needs of every group in your enterprise.

The AdminStudio Editor enables you to directly edit any part of an MSI installation, such as adding or modifying files or registry entries, adding merge modules and Web services, modifying any user interface elements you choose to display, and changing shortcuts.

AdminStudio is now powered by the latest version of the world's leading MSI authoring and editing tool, InstallShield®, which includes the ability to natively create an App-V installation, support for MSI 5.0 and more

Plus, the AdminStudio Editor makes it easy to edit Microsoft® App-V™, VMware® ThinApp™ and Citrix® XenApp™ virtual packages, from modifying registry settings to controlling isolation options at a granular level, quickly and easily. (Please note: App-V, ThinApp and XenApp support requires the purchase of the AdminStudio Virtualization Pack.)

AdminStudio also provides a fast way to build Windows Installer transforms (MST files) for modifying MSI packages.

*Requires separate purchase of VMware ThinApp

 

AdminStudio and Workflow Manager (sold separately), the premier MSI packaging and software packaging management solution, are fully integrated to help you streamline and standardize your packaging process.

AdminStudio and Workflow Manager now share the same Application Catalog, so package-related data in AdminStudio and packaging process management data in Workflow Manager are linked and accessible via AdminStudio's Report Center and can feed into your CMDB. It provides a foundation for Definitive Software Library (DSL) support in your ITIL or Microsoft MOF and BDD implementations.

Additional integration enhancements include:

• AdminStudio's Job Manager, Report Center, and Web Console now share a tabbed interface with Workflow Manager, making it easy to jump back and forth from different functional areas.
• You can now associate an application request in Workflow Manager with a package from either the AdminStudio or Workflow Manager UI, so you can quickly move from an application request progress report to a report on how that package was prepared for deployment.
• All security settings (users, roles, and permissions) for AdminStudio and Workflow Manager are managed from the same UI.
• When defining a Workflow Manager template, you can choose to define a workflow phase as an AdminStudio workflow project, and you will receive progress notification from AdminStudio as the project steps are completed.

As you use AdminStudio to complete tasks, the percentage of work completed for each step is indicated by Workflow Manager. In addition, rollback of a workflow with an AdminStudio step is reflected in the associated Workflow Manager project.  

AdminStudio Editor is powered by InstallShield, the world's standard in MSI authoring and editing. Editor makes it easy to author your own MSI installations (including Windows Vista-compatible setups), upgrades, patches, and transforms.

Editor has unparalleled Windows Installer support, giving you complete control over your MSI installations. Use Editor's powerful wizards, task-based views, and a full Direct Table Editor to easily enable your installs to leverage Windows Installer service benefits (such as install-on-demand, auto-repair, and installation rollback).

With Editor you can easily create or edit an MSI file directly using rich views and create or edit a transform based on an existing MSI file. Plus Editor gives you enhanced control and error management capabilities with the MSI Debugger, MSI differencing tools, and instant access to Error Central.

Editor offers you maximum power and flexibility by enabling any level of install customization. Source code control integration makes MSI project versioning possible, while the automation interface dramatically increases the number of ways in which projects can be updated. Editor's simplified patch and upgrade creation, clean build system support, debugging, and build report tools also assist in your product lifecycle management.

 

At the core of AdminStudio is the Application Catalog. This centralized database is a comprehensive repository containing every application (including both MSI and virtual packages), patch, operating system, and related data in your enterprise.

Using AdminStudio's Web-based interface, you can run searches of the Application Catalog from anywhere to quickly locate applications, groups of packages, merge modules, patches, and more. You never again have to guess whether or not a package is in your environment — with the Application Catalog, you always know. Applications can be quickly located, checked out, edited, and re-imported as needed.

Packages in the catalog can be grouped to mirror your baseline systems or any user group and business unit in your environment, making it easier to test new packages before deployment and centrally manage installed applications.

For large organizations with packaging teams in multiple locations, AdminStudio can automatically synchronize all your Application Catalogs, making the most recent packages and packaging data available in each location.

CMDB Support for ITIL, MOF, or BDD Implementations
AdminStudio and Flexera Software's Workflow Manager (sold separately) now share the same Application Catalog, so package-related data in AdminStudio and packaging process management data in Workflow Manager are linked and accessible via AdminStudio's Report Center and can be integrated into your CMDB. It provides a foundation for Definitive Software Library (DSL) support in your ITIL or Microsoft MOF and BDD implementations.

 

 

 

AdminStudio has comprehensive reporting functionality that enables you to generate reports from the data stored in the Application Catalog, making it easier for you and your team to centrally manage your environment.

Report Center enables you to generate detailed, customizable reports on packages with particular characteristics, including files, shortcuts, registry entries, and more. These reports not only improve the quality of the packaging process, they are invaluable in assisting with quickly diagnosing and repairing application problems.

Reports are accessible anywhere via the Web-based interface and can be exported into numerous file formats for easy sharing and archiving. Report Center has also been enhanced with a streamlined UI, links to important package data, and improved search features that make it even easier to find the data you need. Plus, you can enter custom SQL queries to generate reports on all data on a given package.

CMDB Support for ITIL, MOF, or BDD Implementations
AdminStudio and Workflow Manager (sold separately) now share the same Application Catalog, so package-related data in AdminStudio and packaging process management data in Workflow Manager are linked and accessible via Report Center and can feed into your CMDB. It provides a foundation for Definitive Software Library (DSL) support in your ITIL or Microsoft MOF and BDD implementations.

Application Manager provides a single, user-friendly view into all the data and packages in the Application Catalog. It includes a summary dashboard showing high-level statistics, a list of recently modified packages, and recent catalog management activity.

You can also run searches of the Application Catalog from anywhere to quickly locate applications, groups of packages, merge modules, patches, and more, so you never have to guess whether or not a package is in your environment.

Packages in the catalog can be grouped using the Web-based interface to mirror your baseline systems or any user group and business unit in your environment, making it easier to test new packages before deployment and manage installed applications.

One of the biggest reasons you use an MSI packaging solution is to quickly and accurately convert legacy setups to reliable MSI packages.

AdminStudio's Repackager now has enhanced installation monitoring technology that provides dramatic performance improvements in converting setup executables into Windows Installer packages.

Using installation monitoring technology, Repackager automatically monitors a system for any processes that are created during an installation and identifies any files, shell links, registry entries, and other items that are added, modified, or removed by the legacy installation.

No more waiting for snapshots or scrolling through file exclusion lists — all the system changes made by a setup — and only those changes — are automatically captured. Repackager can then convert this data into a reliable MSI package. You get the most accurate MSI possible, and you get it in far less time.

AdminStudio automatically converts your InstallScript MSI setups into 100% pure MSI installations, making them easier for you to handle.

AdminStudio automatically preserves the Windows Installer database portion of the InstallScript MSI setup and merges it with the properties of the InstallScript code. The end result is a pure, industry-standard MSI package that provides all the reliability and timesaving benefits of the Windows Installer service.

90% of the world's software installations are created using InstallShield technology. AdminStudio is the only tool that can see inside native InstallShield setups, automatically capture their information, and accurately convert them into MSIs. No matter if the original installation is 100% InstallScript™ or an InstallScript MSI mix, only AdminStudio can repackage it into a pure, accurate MSI.

AdminStudio comes with automated SmartScan technology that automatically extracts information that other packaging tools miss. It scans the InstallShield Setup.exe for any missing files, registry items, and shortcuts not captured by the Repackager (such as OS-dependent files and language-dependent files) and adds them to the project in a color-coded format, so you always know why they were added. You also have the option to include or exclude this additional information in the MSI packages you build.

SmartScan also accurately preserves the original feature organization of your InstallShield scripted setups, so you can modify a single package countless ways without having to waste valuable time repackaging again and again.

AdminStudio makes it easy for systems administrators to convert Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager(formerly SMS), Novell ZENworks®, WinINSTALL®, and Wise® WSE software packages directly into robust MSIs without having to waste time packaging.

AdminStudio's automated Converter rapidly copies all file and registry data from those legacy setups into a new AdminStudio project, so you can bypass repackaging and automatically convert the installations directly into reliable MSIs, saving you time and improving the quality of your packages.

 

To ensure undesirable files are never included in your MSI packages, AdminStudio offers the Global Exclusions Editor. Simply tell the Global Exclusions Editor what files you never wish to deploy with any package, and they will be automatically blocked from the MSIs you create. Items can be added or removed from the list at any time.

AdminStudio gives you tremendous flexibility in your package build formats, helping ensure the packages you deploy fit your company's specific standards and processes.

It now includes the new ability to build installations with a single external CAB file, which enables you to keep your MSIs smaller while making rebuilding and deploying the MSI less time consuming.

The Application Catalog now provides a single source not only for all the descriptive data about your applications, but also the binary files (MSI and supporting files) themselves, making data and actual packages easy to locate and access. This includes support for multiple versions of an application. It enables IT members to quickly locate and check out the latest version of a package, ensuring work isn't mistakenly performed on out-of-date versions.

For those packages you wish to deploy with a user interface, new multilingual support lets you localize the UI into as many as 33 runtime languages, eliminating hours of installation dialog and message box translation effort.

Supported languages

Chinese (Simplified)	Greek
Chinese (Traditional)	Hungarian
English	Italian
Basque	Norwegian
Bulgarian	Polish
Catalan	Russian
Croatian	Thai
Czech	Turkish
Danish	Portuguese (Brazil)
Dutch	Portuguese (Portugal)
Finnish	Romanian
Indonesian	Serbian
Japanese	Slovak
Korean	Slovenian
French (Canada)	Spanish
French (France)	Swedish
German

AdminStudio provides the fastest way to build Windows Installer transforms (MST files) for adding files, changing registry settings, adding license keys, removing registration wizards, or making other modifications to your MSI package without modifying the base MSI file.

AdminStudio's Response Transform Wizard enables the creation of a transform by simply running through the installation process. All of the selections you make are automatically captured in a transform. You can also easily edit transform files using the same tool and user interface you use for authoring and editing your MSI installations.

Validate your MSI packages to ensure they conform to Microsoft guidelines—including the Microsoft Windows Vista Quality program—using built-in QA tools like Microsoft ICEs and the MSI Debugger.

In addition, AdminStudio's automated dependency scanning guarantees that you've included all the necessary files within your package.

Every time you distribute applications and patches you run the risk of creating software conflicts that crash other applications and disrupt systems across your environment. AdminStudio gives systems administrators everything needed to prepare conflict-free, reliable software packages for deployment.

First, it gives you the ability to quickly convert applications into Microsoft®
App-V™, VMware® ThinApp™* and Citrix® XenApp™ virtual packages. Virtual packages prevent software conflicts by running in their own isolated environment.

Second, AdminStudio's ConflictSolver lets you test your MSI packages and patches for conflicts against any application and operating system in your enterprise before you deploy. Depending on the conflict, AdminStudio either instantly corrects it or helps you fix it according to your corporate standards.

ConflictSolver has a Process Assistant to guide you through the conflict detection and resolution process. Plus, the Web-based Job Manager helps speed up conflict testing by letting you schedule common tasks — such as package import, validation, and conflict resolution — to run automatically, day or night. No human intervention is required.

Finally, AdminStudio also has the Application Isolation Wizard that can automatically scan MSI packages to determine if they are fully isolated and using only local resources and DLLs. If there is a problem, the Application Isolation Wizard can partially or totally isolate an application before you deploy it, ensuring installed applications are unaffected by the rollout.

*Requires separate purchase of VMware ThinApp

 

 

Establishing corporate standards for the way your software is configured gives you a more consistent and manageable infrastructure and lets IT solve post-deployment application problems faster. AdminStudio's Rules Wizard gives you the ability to easily create your own custom business rules that automatically identify and correct applications that violate your corporate standards.

You can easily create corporate validation rules that run against every application to ensure your guidelines are always followed — and no programming is needed. AdminStudio offers an intuitive, easy-to-use, wizard-driven approach to creating custom rules that detect missing or incorrect package data in any MSI table in the Application Catalog.

Once created, your custom rules can be shared and used anytime by other members of your desktop management team, making your collaborative projects even more efficient. The custom rules work exactly like AdminStudio's predefined conflict-checking rules and integrate throughout the system in all user interfaces and reports.

Microsoft, Novell, and Citrix have even named AdminStudio their preferred packaging solution, recommending that their customers use it to prepare software for deployment.

Just tell the AdminStudio Distribution Wizard the deployment solution you wish to use, and the wizard automatically creates the system-specific files necessary to successfully deploy your package.

AdminStudio also has a Configuration Manager Web Console that simplifies and streamlines Configuration Manager distributions. All your Configuration Manager installation administration needs — including targeting, publishing, advertising, and uninstallation — are met from this Web-based interface.

For those organizations not using a third-party deployment solution, AdminStudio also facilitates distributing your packages via network destinations, FTP servers, administrative installations, and more.