Symantec Workspace Streaming - Prepopulating Startup Blocks

Streaming and Traditional Software Delivery - The Best of Both Worlds

Using Symantec Workspace Streaming (SWS) to deliver applications to end users is a very effective way to deliver software. The streaming server delivers the startup block as soon as the user clicks on the application icon. Many customers ask if there is a way to deliver the startup block using traditional methods while delivering application functionality using streaming technology. With the release of Symantec Workspace Streaming 6.1 you now have the option of using the best of both traditional software delivery and application streaming. Using Snapshot Startup Blocks you can have bandwidth throttling and automated "Set and Forget" license management.

Snapshot Startup Block Creation

SWS currently allows for the prepopulation of startup blocks for Snapshot packages. The creation of the streaming startup blocks takes place when the package is processed by the Streaming Composer. To enable the creation of snapshot startup blocks you will need to add the following line to the Packager.ini file which is located in the %ProgramFiles%\Symantec\Endpoint Virtualization\WorkSpace Streaming\Composer folder. You will add the line to the [packager] section of the INI file.

packager.config.preloadpackage=true

Once you have completed the packaging process you will be have an additional folder in the location you chose to store the package. The folder name will be SSB and will have the Snapshot Startup Block files you will use to populate the target machine. Note: The reason that this parameter is not included by default is that it will add to the size of the working folder where the package is created.

Files created once above option is set:

Creating the Snapshot Startup Block Package

We now have the files we need to prepopulate the startup block. We need to build the configuration file that the streaming agent executable AppMgrCmd.exe will use to populate the startup block. The easiest way to build this file is to upload the package to the streaming server and stream it to a test machine. Note: Remember that the package is in every way like a normal streaming package so you should test to make sure the package is functional whether or not you are pre-populating the startup block. Once you have streamed the application to the test machine run the following command:

%ProgramFiles%\Symantec\Endpoint Virtualization\WorkSpace Streaming\Agent\bin\AppMgrCmd.exe -l

This will provide a listing of all of the applications that have been streamed to the machine. Find the application that you have created the Streaming Startup Blocks for in the previous step. Copy the PackageGUID to the clipboard. Run the following command to create the INI file that will be used to prepopulate the package:

%ProgramFiles%\Symantec\Endpoint Virtualization\WorkSpace Streaming\Agent\bin\AppMgrCmd.exe -ci <Path to output INI> <GUID from Previous Step>
Example: AppMgrCmd.exe -ci c:\Firefox.ini 876FF3A03CB7406082141E83A429764A 

In the example above a file called Firefox.ini will be created on the root of C:\

Creating the Deployment Package

We now have the pieces we need to start building the deployment package. This package can be delivered using any traditional software methodology.

Add Package Information to the INI File

The INI file that was created in the previous step needs a couple of modifications. We must add an entry for the package location. The INI entry required is PackageLocation and this will point to the location of the files created by the Streaming Composer. If you create a WiseScript deployment package you would specify the path there. In this example I am going to put the files on a network share. For this example I have added the following line to the INI file

PackageLocation=\\svspro-svr\Wise Share Point\Firefox SSB

I have also placed the INI file in the location specified above. There are now 4 files on the share (AppInfo, Firefox.ini, SSB1, and SSBBlockList. This is all that is need to pre-populate the startup block.

Pre-Installing the Startup Block

Now that all the pieces are in place we can pre-install the startup block on any machine that has the SWS agent installed. All we need to do to pre-install the startup block is run the following command:

"%ProgramFiles%\Symantec\Endpoint Virtualization\Workspace Streaming\Agent\bin\AppMgrCmd.exe" -i <Path to INI>
Example: "%ProgramFiles%\Symantec\Endpoint Virtualization\Workspace Streaming\Agent\bin\AppMgrCmd.exe" -i "\\svspro-svr\Wise Share Point\Firefox SSB\Firefox.ini"

Note: You would probably want to include the -s switch above so your users wouldn't see any of the dialog boxes that are presented while loading the startup block.

The application startup block is not pre-installed on the machine. You have the benefit of using license management for the application, and users will only stream down the parts of the application that they need which is usually a very small percentage of the total application.

Conclusion

Using Snapshot Startup Blocks you can use traditional software delivery methods to deploy the majority of an application with all of the benefits of bandwidth throttling and blackout periods while still getting the benefits of application streaming. It really is the best of both worlds.