Maximize MSIX Application Compatibility, Portability, Performance, and Usage Data
Since launch, Numecent’s Cloudpager platform has supported the deployment and management of Microsoft MSIX containers. Today, we are excited to announce enhanced support for MSIX containers with our new MSIX optimization capabilities.
This new optimization capability accelerates MSIX application delivery, improves launch performance, expands deployment options, enables comprehensive application usage reporting, and extends the unique benefits of Cloudpager policies to MSIX packages.
As seen in the video above, Cloudpager now automatically detects when an MSIX application is uploaded to the platform and optimizes them so you can extend all Cloudpager platform capabilities to your existing MSIX packages, including reporting, policies, and deployments to all Storefront options – such as App Attach and Intune Storefronts.
What Are the Benefits of MSIX Optimization in Cloudpager?
Real-Time Application Usage Reporting
Optimizing MSIX applications within Cloudpager instantly expands your visibility into deployments and usage. Previously, admins could only meter Cloudpaging and App-V container usage. Now, Cloudpager will be able to track and report on MSIX application data in real time.
The Desktop feature which can be leveraged by administrators to provide remote support. This enables administrators to view view which applications have been assigned to a given user, the current status of applications, remove application containers, or even terminate application containers actively running on employee desktops. With this update, Cloudpager now supports viewing and managing optimized MSIX applications, optimized App-V applications, and of course our own Cloudpaging application container format.
Application Deployment Policies and Restrictions
Policies in Cloudpager, a customer favorite, can be utilized to enforce licensed policies such as limiting access to MSIX applications using certain constraints such as ensuring user does not use the application on more than two devices, perhaps contractors have access revoked on a certain date, et cetera.
Trust Policies can also be utilized to restrict the applications to certain versions of the Windows operating system or even to certain groups of devices for example. I actually just published a blog the other day Trust Policies usage, which you can check out here for more details and videos.
Improved Application Deployment Speed and Performance
Automated Pre-Fetch
Optimized MSIX applications also benefit from our patented prefetch capabilities, which can be utilized to accelerate launch performance for certain applications. When an application is deployed with Cloudpager and a user launches the application for the first time, the Numecent client software analyses the launch, detects what components or prerequisites the application needs to launch, then makes sure those items are delivered first to speed up the initial launch for subsequent employees. This can be particularly useful for larger applications.
Customers like PTC use this feature to accelerate deployments of large engineering applications from more than 25 minutes to less than 2 minutes.
Machine Learning
Cloudpager of course brings these capabilities even further by utilizing Machine Learning to continuously refine the pattern captured for the launch optimization, essentially improving the performance further over time.
Enhanced Deployment Flexibility and Integrations
Workpods
Cloudpager’s Workpods provides the ability to dynamically deliver virtually any Windows applications to any Windows endpoint, as shown in the demo video earlier. That said, the platform is all about flexibility. While Workpods are for auto-deploying applications to your employees, you can enable self-service application access or integrate to third-party solutions via Storefronts.
Cloudpager Storefronts
Cloudpager Storefronts enables Admins to publish applications to a web-based storefront for employees to access on-demand. Here, they can select applications from a curated list to add to their own device
Cloudpager also natively integrates to App attach in Azure Virtual Desktop and Microsoft Intune. Those integrations are available within the Storefront tab, as well. The App Attach Storefront enables you to natively publish applications from Cloudpager into App attach in Azure Virtual Desktop, where Admins can use the Azure entitlement process to assign applications to group of users, associate applications to AVD host pools and leverage Azure LogAnalytics reporting for application usage.
The platform also features Intune Storefronts, which offers a similar workflow for publishing application containers into your Intune tenant. Cloudpaging application containers will be available as Win32 package types and can be assigned to relevant groups of users or devices for deployment or made available via the Company Portal app.
Leverage Cloudpager for MSIX Application Container Management
While Cloudpager supported MSIX since its inception, the MSIX optimization feature enhances the experience when using MSIX applications bringing MSIX closer to Cloudpager feature parity with Cloudpaging application containers. As MSIX continues to gain traction, customers will find the best experience for managing MSIX application containers with Cloudpager!
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