RES PowerFuse and Novell ZENworks Application Virtualization 8

This article will explain how Novell ZENworks Application Virtualization 8 (powered by Spoon) works together with RES PowerFuse.

Introduction
Novell ZENworks virtualized applications run in an isolated environment that’s immune to conflicts with internal applications. Each virtualized application is packaged with all application files, settings, runtimes, and components needed to run immediately. Applications act just like they would if they were installed locally, but your operating system, registry and run-time environments remain unchanged.

Packaging
The Novell ZENworks Application Virtualization Studio is used to create virtual application packages that can be launched as normal applications. During the capture process of an application, the user registry (HKEY_CURRENT_USER) and the user profile (%USERPROFILE%) are set to MERGE isolation by default. This setting takes care of writing personalization outside the sandbox in the registry and profile directory.

The sandbox itself can be found in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Novell\Sandbox\<Application Name>. Files are untouched, while the registry changes are encapsulated in a file called Xregistry.bin.

Tested applications
PSPad 4.5.4 with default settings.  This application uses the user profile to save personalization.
Wink 2.0 with default settings. This application uses the user registry to save personalization.

Below some screendump of the Wink 2.0 package:

Wink 2.0 Filesystem Isolation

Wink 2.0 Registry Isolation

RES PowerFuse
Because all personalization is written outside the sandbox, configuration of a managed application will function by default. Also the Zero Profile mode: track specified settings will function as usual.

Be sure not to select Generic Isolation Integration:

Have fun with RES PowerFuse and Novell ZENworks Application Virtualization 8.