David Butler-McAllister on Access IT Automation

Clarity. Control. Confidence. How Capture Shift Completes Your SCCM to Intune Migration

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 08:21:52 +0100

SCCM to Intune migrations are messy and complex, so the first blog in this series demonstrated how you can get clarity – being able to see your full app estate in one place.

In SCCM to Intune Migrations, Clarity Shows You the Estate. Control Is What You Do with It

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:37:16 +0100

We all know that SCCM to Intune migrations are complex. In fact, we opened with that very point in the first blog in this series. That blog focused on the importance of clarity, i.e., being able to see your full SCCM app estate in one place. But what happens next? You can see your SCCM app estate, but what do you do with it? For that, you need control.

Clarity is What’s Missing from Your SCCM to Intune Migration – Here’s How to Get It

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:48:33 +0100

SCCM to Intune migrations are notoriously messy. That’s not great news if you are planning a migration project or in the middle of one. But messy they are.

Psst… Something Big Is Dropping at the EUC Forum Spring Meeting – Spread the Word

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:53:18 +0100

As long-running sponsors and participants at various EUC Forum events, we’re always excited ahead of the next meeting. The Spring Meeting is on another level, though, as we get to take the covers off an exciting new product we have been working on – Access Capture Shift.

WinGet Vs Chocolatey for Evergreen Application Management

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 15:06:24 +0100

One of the (many) challenges to overcome with evergreen application management is where to source application files. The Evergreen AI feature of our Access Capture product enables evergreen application management, i.e., the automated identification, download, packaging, and testing of applications ready for publishing and deployment. This is usually applications that are commonly used and frequently updated.

9 App Management Trends Enterprises Should be Aware of in 2026

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 10:40:42 +0100

Application management never stands still as technologies, processes, strategies, and priorities continuously evolve. In this blog, we are exploring the main app management trends for 2026, especially those that apply to enterprise organizations.

Automation First Approach

Automation has been a feature of the app management landscape for some time now. At Access IT Automation, for example, we have been helping enterprises automate application management tasks for over 10 years.

Automated Driver Patching at Enterprise Scale – The Future is Now, and the Benefits Are Enormous

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 17:35:07 +0100

Keeping drivers patched and up to date across all endpoints in a large enterprise organisation is a notoriously difficult and resource-intensive challenge. It’s a task that is essential, but it is also risk-enhancing, time-consuming, and highly inefficient. But there is an alternative – automated, evergreen driver patching at enterprise scale.

No More Trade-Offs: Automating App Management Without Sacrificing RBAC or Compliance

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 12:05:53 +0100

Role-based access control (RBAC) is essential in almost all enterprise organisations. This especially applies in highly regulated organisations such as companies in the financial services sector. Even when tightly defined, RBAC takes time and effort to both set up and manage. Tools like Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) make RBAC easier through robust identity and access management (IAM). It does this while also enhancing the user experience.

The Rise of Intune as the De Facto Endpoint Management Solution

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 11:02:39 +0100

When it comes to endpoint management, there are two options available in the Microsoft stable of products – SCCM and Intune. SCCM is the older, trailblazing, and incredibly sticky version of the two. Intune is the younger, more agile, and impatient heir.

SCCM – Legacy Devices and Business as Usual

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 11:12:55 +0100

Walking into the office of an executive in a large, global corporation, you are likely to find multiple screens connected to an advanced enterprise desktop environment, a smartphone also hooked into the company’s IT infrastructure, and a laptop giving the executive full connectivity to the apps and data she needs when outside the office.

Are Your Users Happy With Their HARDWARE and SOFTWARE? Put Them in Control!

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 11:20:05 +0100

Putting users in control of their hardware and software in a large enterprise organisation? Heaven forfend! Even if users could get their heads around the massive array of choices available, they’d make the wrong decision anyway. It took years for IT teams to gain precise control over specifying desktops, allocating VDI resources, and deciding which apps get installed where. Now is not the time to go backwards.

To Deploy or Not to Deploy – How Do You Update Your Desktop Software?

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 14:58:10 +0100

There is a famous joke by the late, great Irish comedian Dave Allen about the Irish skill of giving directions:

“I suppose Ireland is the best place in the world for directions. People will say to you, ‘I wouldn’t start from here if I were you’.”

What Hardware Does Your Next Desktop Refresh Contain?

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 08:38:15 +0100

In enterprise organisations, choosing the right hardware strategy for end users during a desktop refresh cycle can feel a bit like playing a game of Monopoly. This is especially the case when the desktop refresh is part of a major migration project (such as a Windows migration), but it can also be the case when no large-scale migration is involved.

Physical Desktop/Laptop First Strategy: A Cyclical Trend or the New Way Forward

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:21:55 +0100

We are technology innovators at Access IT Automation, but there is something associated with this label that has never sat well with me – the expectation to always be an advocate for the latest tech and digital approach.

“Upgrade, upgrade, upgrade – we have to!”

Evergreen – 3rd Party Application Version Updates

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 11:30:33 +0100

Keeping commonly used and frequently updated applications up to date in large enterprise organisations is like doing the washing in a household with multiple teenage children. Just as you load the overworked washing machine with the final batch from the laundry basket, in walks a teenager multitasking on their phone with an armful of clothes to start filling the basket up again.

Self-Service: The Next Evolutionary Stage of Application Management Automation

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 14:14:28 +0100

Automation has been a key priority for organisations across all industries for decades, with adoption accelerating in recent years through the development of new technologies, including AI. It makes sense. Software applications and machines can work faster than people. They don’t make mistakes, they don’t need holidays, and they can operate 24/7 if required.

2025 is the Year of Application Package Format and Deployment Platform Choice. It’s Time to Invest AND Divest!

Wed, 21 May 2025 08:54:58 +0100

As the years tick by, enterprise businesses invest enormous amounts of money in software and the deployment solutions needed to get applications onto end-user devices. Many of these investments are made with the best of intentions, such as to enhance workplace productivity, facilitate innovation, and deliver on IT project objectives. However, these investment decisions are also often made without an overview of the bigger, enterprise-wide picture.

The Rise of AI, Cloud PCs, and GPUs! What About Your Personas?

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 13:46:01 +0100

In large migration and IT infrastructure change projects (such as migrating users to Windows 11), strategy development and decision-making are often centred on technology.

Back in the technology olden days (i.e., a few years ago), it was all about checking system requirements and hardware compatibility when upgrading users and devices to a newer operating system version.

Demystifying UEM, EUC, and DEX – Understanding the Options, Differences, and Limitations

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 10:07:08 +0100

Unified Endpoint Management (UEM), End User Computing (EUC), and Digital Employee Experience (DEX) all exist in the same technology realm. While there are (many) crossovers and similarities between the three, there are differences. Those differences are important to understand to ensure you implement the products, platforms, and solutions that your business needs.

Will the VDI Market Play Out Like Apple and Android?

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 06:00:52 +0100

As the virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) market continues to mature, it is interesting to observe trends, predict customer preferences, and compare with other technology markets. One comparison that is growing in relevance is the mobile operating system market.

Are You Part of the Windows 10 End-of-Life 62% Club?

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 09:39:11 +0100

It is a big number, 62 percent. It’s bigger than 35 percent and way bigger than was hoped for by Microsoft when developing its Windows 11 rollout strategy.

We are, of course, talking about the transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11, and when Microsoft wants everyone to complete that transition.

App Packaging in Modern Formats – the Final Piece of the CI/CD Software Development Puzzle

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 07:33:11 +0100

CI/CD (continuous integration and continuous delivery) is a software development approach that automates app building, testing, and deployment to accelerate the delivery of incremental code changes and speed up release cycles. It works well in a wide range of circumstances, but there are inefficiencies in the process when it comes to packaging applications in modern formats such as AppV, MSIX, app attach, App Volumes, Cloudpaging, and FlexApp.

We Just Got VDI to Work with GPUs – Now We Have to Get on Top of NPUs

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 08:01:56 +0100

AI is changing technology everywhere you look. AI tools and functionality are being incorporated into apps and platforms of all types and sizes, with Microsoft arguably leading the charge. We are even getting a new key on our keyboards – the AI key. Processors are also changing as manufacturers are increasingly offering AI-focused machines that come with NPUs (neural processing units). What are NPUs, do users in your organisation need them, and what impact will NPUs have on virtual environments?

How Automation Can Enable Your Organisation’s Transition to Modern Application Platforms

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 09:10:34 +0100

Being frustrated with the status quo is never fun, but frustrations can lead to great things. Entrepreneur and businessman Richard Branson, for example, has said in the past that the best businesses come from people’s bad personal experiences.

Another example is Stripe, the online payment processor. Its founders have said they started the company after being frustrated with the technologies that were available at the time to allow businesses to trade online.

Calculating ROI from Automated Application Packaging and Management

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 07:09:33 +0100

The business landscape is constantly changing, never more so than after our collective experience over the last four to five years. Therefore, it is more important than ever to understand the potential return on investment (ROI) of any project or initiative you are considering. What about the ROI you can expect from automated application packaging and management?

How to Consolidate App Management Technologies, Reduce Complexity, and Improve DEX

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 10:56:01 +0100

The modern workplace is changing in a number of different ways. One of those changes is where employees work and how they use technology. In the past, most users would access one device, usually a computer with a box under the desk connected to a server in the same building. Today’s workplace is completely different.

The Difference Between Application Packages and Deployment Objects and Why It Matters

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 14:01:33 +0100

What is an application package and what is the difference between it and an application deployment object? This is a question that often causes confusion, including with technically minded people. One of the reasons is that the terms are often mashed together as “application packaging” for speed and brevity reasons. We may even be guilty of this ourselves on occasion.

Ring Deployment Model for Apps – Advantages and Best Practices for Enterprises

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 19:37:55 +0100

The ring deployment model is common practice in the world of software development. In simple terms, instead of rolling out an upgrade or new version of your application, you start small, initially restricting the rollout to a small group of users. If this is successful (or once you’ve fixed the main issues,) you then gradually increase the rollout in stages to wider groups of users (rings) until everyone is included.

Don’t Just Automate Application Management Tasks – Automate Complete Workflows

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 11:13:37 +0100

Anyone who has been involved in the packaging and testing of applications will understand how laborious the task can be. Automation tools have a transformational impact on the process, as substantial productivity gains are made through automated application packaging, testing, and deployment. That said, fully optimised improvements are only possible when the entire process or workflow is covered rather than tasks in isolation.

Guide to App Volumes User Acceptance Testing in Access Capture with Enhanced Automation

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 14:54:49 +0100

App Volumes UAT (user acceptance testing) is an essential part of application packaging and management. It requires the involvement of users because, as the name of the process indicates, it involves looking at the application as a person. The problem is there are elements of the App Volumes UAT process that are repetitive and time-consuming. That’s where Access Capture can bring enhanced levels of automation.

How to Automate App Volumes Application Packaging with Dynamic Environment Manager Integration

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 16:27:14 +0100

App Volumes is an efficient and powerful application delivery platform while Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) makes the configuration and deployment of personalised desktops easier, faster, and more efficient. Access Capture, the industry-leading product from Access IT Automation, allows you to take these innovative VMware platforms and solutions to another level with enhanced automation.

Migrating from SCCM to Intune – Why Identifying the Right Expertise is the Key to Success

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 17:12:12 +0100

Migrating from SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager, also referred to as Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager) to Intune is a significant undertaking. There are benefits from migrating that make the scale and complexity worth the effort. However, your organisation is likely to need expert help at both project and specific task levels. That means identifying the right expertise to ensure success.

Getting a Grip: The Consequences of AI

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 09:13:05 +0100

AI continues to be one of the biggest topic areas in technology after ChatGPT and other consumer-friendly AI tools became widely available around the start of 2023. The nature of the discussions around AI ranges from over-excited technology enthusiasts claiming that AI will solve all humanity’s problems to doomsday prophets predicting we are on a path to artificially intelligent entities taking over the earth.

Why Self-Service is the Future of App Packaging and Testing

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 09:45:27 +0100

Application packaging and testing are essential processes in enterprises and large organisations to streamline and standardise the deployment of apps on user devices. The question of how app packaging and testing processes are completed is becoming more and more important. There are several options, including sticking with the same manual processes that have been used for decades. Semi-automation is another option, as is automated self-service.

How Smoke Testing on Multiple Operating Systems Reduces Application Failure Risks

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 11:43:14 +0100

Moving users to a new operating system (OS) presents a range of challenges and risks, including application failure risks, i.e., where an application fails to install or launch on the new OS build. It is crucial to identify and rectify these issues long before the new OS build gets anywhere near users. Smoke testing is the solution.

Deploy Access Capture Via Azure Marketplace to Minimise Complexity and Reduce Costs

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 10:21:51 +0100

If you use Azure Marketplace, you will know it simplifies the process of finding, trying, and buying cloud software and services. It is a convenient and efficient way to extend the capabilities of your environment, including giving your organisation the automation and application management capabilities of Access Capture.

Are Your Assets Near Deprecation? Should You Consider DaaS?

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 15:01:00 +0100

When your on-premises assets are near deprecation, it is an ideal time to consider alternative options, including DaaS (desktop as a service). In other words, should you replace your deprecated on-premises VDI or physical desktop infrastructure, or should you move to DaaS?

Windows Package Manager & WinGet Applications – Is This the End for Application Packaging?

Wed, 17 May 2023 11:45:28 +0100

Windows Package Manager & WinGet Applications – Is This the End for Application Packaging?

Windows Package Manager is a Microsoft tool that makes it easy to manage software applications. You simply use the winget command line tool to find and install the applications you need. You can also manage applications using the winget command line tool in Windows Package Manager, including upgrading, configuring, and removing apps. So, is this the end of application packaging? Not quite yet – and probably not any time soon.

Think App Package and Delivery Formats FIRST Before You Choose Your VDI Strategy

Mon, 15 May 2023 09:17:09 +0100

There are lots of decisions that need to be taken when planning and executing a VDI, DaaS, or similar large-scale migration project. The problem is the very first decision that should be taken – the app package and delivery format you will use – is often the decision that is neglected until deep into the project. It is then often too late to fully optimise the project, so the order of your decision-making process is important.

Long Live the King of Package Formats – the MSI Installer

Fri, 05 May 2023 09:19:38 +0100

This weekend London will be full of celebration as the UK witnesses the coronation of King Charles III. The Mall and Whitehall will be packed with people looking to get a glimpse of the new King, and the day will feature golden carriages, a 700-year-old chair, orbs, sceptres, and, of course, a 360-year-old gold crown. Amid this pomp and ceremony, the King of Package Formats – MSI – will be quietly getting on with installing applications on countless desktops and servers around the world.

7 Ways a Centralised Technology Portal Streamlines Modern Technology

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 15:38:25 +0100

There is a lot of focus currently on automating business processes and tasks to improve productivity, achieve efficiency savings, and make the best possible use of resources. There are lots of automation options available, many of which are highly complex. One option that can be regarded as the lowest of low-hanging fruit is implementing a centralised technology portal.

Supporting the End User Computing Ecosystem in a Changing Business Environment

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 13:53:38 +0100

Businesses across all sectors are facing changes in the business environment and potentially disruptive challenges. These changes and challenges require new approaches and innovative thinking in a number of different areas, including end-user computing (EUC). As a result, the EUC ecosystem has never been more important.

3 Main Use Cases for Symphony Signal and How They Improve EUX

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:06:30 +0100

Effective internal communication is essential in all companies, but it is particularly important in large organisations and those with a dispersed workforce. Without effective communication, mistakes are made, opportunities are missed, productivity goes down, and employees feel disconnected.

7 Ways Smoke Testing Helps Your Operating System and/or VDI Migration

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 15:15:44 +0100

There are several essential steps in operating system or VDI migration projects. Examples of these essential steps include planning and getting end-users on board. Another is testing. Without an effective testing strategy, the migration project is more likely to fail. Smoke testing is one type of test that is crucial to the process.

Microsoft Endpoint Manager: The Future of Device Management

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 14:38:04 +0100

In organisations across most industries, the end user IT landscape is more complex now than ever before. This level of complexity has been increasing for many years, but the pandemic has accelerated the changes taking place.

Windows 11 Migrations Made Easy – an Overview of the Essential Steps

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 15:12:23 +0100

All Windows versions eventually come to the end of their life when Microsoft stops providing updates. Of course, there are performance, security, and feature benefits to migrating to a newer Windows operating system. That said, it is also a technical reality that updating must take place at some point.

Is Desktop as a Service Adoption Hype or Reality

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 17:32:04 +0100

Is Desktop as a Service (DaaS) really the future for large enterprises or SMEs? Is it being adopted on a scale that will have a significant impact on business performance, IT team productivity, or cybersecurity? Is DaaS adoption hype or reality?

6 Essential Dashboards for Monitoring Users, Assets, and Apps

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 11:25:54 +0100

The users, assets, and apps that make up your IT infrastructure produce a huge amount of data. However, data is only valuable if it is usable. This includes usable for automated processes, as well as usable for management oversight and decision-making – day-to-day decision-making through to the highest levels of strategic decision-making. This is where dashboards come in.

5 Essential Engineering Considerations for Your VDI Migration Project

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 12:41:36 +0100

There are a lot of steps involved in a VDI migration project, including planning the migration, developing a business case, and monitoring performance and user experience post-migration. There are also technical and engineering steps that you need to progress through to ensure your VDI migration project is successful.

6 Common Mistakes When Migrating to Windows 11 and How to Overcome Them

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 15:29:04 +0100

There are lots of compelling reasons for migrating your enterprise to Windows 11. As with any project of this scale and impact, there are things that can go wrong. Here are six of the most common mistakes when migrating to Windows 11, as well as tips on how you can avoid them.

VDI Migration Soft Landings – What They Are and Why They Are Important

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 15:12:24 +0100

The success of a VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) migration project largely rests on user experience. If users are happy with their new virtual desktops, the project is more likely to be a success. At the very least, a happy user is a user that has experienced no significant drop in performance and is able to complete all their tasks with a minimum amount of friction.

The Secret to Enterprise VDI Migration Success: Getting Individual Users On-Board

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 13:27:30 +0100

A VDI migration can deliver significant immediate and long-term benefits for your enterprise. Now for the bad news: your users will make or break the migration, regardless of the technical resources or tools that you throw at the project. Without the support of users, your VDI migration project will stutter, stumble, and fall. So, the secret to success is getting those users on board.

How to Create a Business Case for Your VDI Migration Project

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 17:22:38 +0100

A substantial proportion of unsuccessful VDI migration projects fail because the business case for the project is either non-existent or inadequate. Instead of having a clear business case, the motivations for implementing a VDI project often come down to costs. It is cheaper to operate with Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) than it is to operate with physical infrastructure.

What Is Modern Workplace Experience?

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 10:44:40 +0100

Over the past few years, Access IT Automation has grown from being a provider of application packaging and testing automation solutions (Access Capture) and automated endpoint management tools (such as Access Symphony and Access Fix Engine ) to creating a holistic platform that allows enterprise-size organizations to not only enable Modern Desktops, but to also constantly fine-tune their environment to walk the fine line between optimizing for user performance/experience and keeping costs as low as possible. We call this balancing act Modern Workplace Experience.

5 Common Enterprise Windows 11 Migration Mistakes You Need To Avoid

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0100

While the vast majority of large organizations are still in the trenches with Windows 10 Servicing updates and only starting to evaluate Windows 11 for a migration project later this year or (more likely) early next year, there are a few major pitfalls you can get trapped in early on that heavily impact the success of your project down the road.

How to Decide Between Stateful and Stateless VDI

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0100

When companies are considering moving to a VDI framework, they’ll have to think about whether to utilize stateful or stateless VDI designs. Companies can get massive efficiencies by moving machines to VDI. Sometimes this is done in conjunction with moving to a new operating system, or in the context of other legacy migration projects. However, in the process of planning, the company will have to figure out whether it’s best to incorporate a stateful or “persistent” model, or a stateless or “non-persistent” one.

5 Massive Advantages API-Driven App Management Provides Agile IT Organizations

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 12:42:50 +0100

Traditionally, application packaging and testing solutions required an organization to work its application management workflows around the platform’s requirements. And for some organizations that have what I call a sausage-factory-type process — meaning feed the to-be-packaged and tested applications in at the front, go through a pretty linear workflow, and receive the desired outcome at the end — this works pretty well.

Modern Desktop Optimization Hurdles & Challenges To Expect

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Transforming all or most of your IT environment from a traditional setup to a modern desktop is something we have been talking about for a long time now. Looking at our past posts, you can see the advantages of being on a modern desktop, and we believe this is where enterprises that move the fastest and adopt it quickly will have the best competitive advantage. However, embracing the modern desktop comes with a set of challenges, and today we will discuss five key ones.

Major Milestones Of 2021

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0100

I am sure your inbox has been flooded with end-of-year recap and/or look-ahead-in-2022 posts in the last month, so I hope this finds its way to the top of your inbox. Like 2020, 2021 was a year that did not go as originally planned, as the world was still dealing with the pandemic. However, the changes and challenges did not weaken our resolve. One of the primary goals of our company is (and always has been) to make businesses run more smoothly and efficiently by using automation to reduce mundane, repetitive IT tasks. To meet this goal, we are always adapting our offerings to suit the needs of our clients.

CIO & CTO Priorities in 2022 & Beyond

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 17:45:27 +0100

If there has been one common struggle over the last few years for CIOs and CTOs, it has been the constant need to do more — from OS migrations and SaaS implementations to the management of ever-increasing cybersecurity threats — and to accomplish these tasks with either stagnant or reduced resources, including budget and qualified staffing. Then when the pandemic and work-at-home orders hit, many enterprises pivoted, shifting their priorities and putting projects on hold while focusing on taking care of immediate needs until they could go back to “normal”. With it now being almost two years into the “new normal”, and with the constant changing of regulations for essential and non-essential businesses, the priorities for 2022 and beyond are more important than ever before.

3 Stats That Prove That Modern Desktop Is Now More Important Than Ever

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0100

We recently discussed what Modern Desktop Enablement is. We touched on the subject of why it is now more important than ever to enable and manage Modern Desktop in your organization, but today, we take a closer look at how this will be influenced by and have an impact on IT spending, remote work environments, and cyber security.

Automate Your App-V To MSIX Conversion With Access Capture

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Many enterprises are currently in the process of modernizing their application estates by converting their existing MSI apps and EXE files into MSIX packages. This is done to take advantage of the many benefits that come with MSIX like, for example, increased security as app packages remain current and up-to-date as they are easier to maintain, which leads to a reduction in the cost of ownership per application.

10 Modern Desktop KPIs You Need To Monitor Now

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0100

If you asked someone 10 years ago to name the most important requirements for a Modern Desktop experience, the answers would most likely have been more RAM, faster processors, and stronger graphic cards. Today, however, although making sure your PC has enough computing power to handle all of your tasks without lagging is still important, the ubiquitousness of as-a-Service applications and cloud proliferation has significantly changed what constitutes a Modern Desktop.

What Is Modern Desktop Enablement?

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Little did Microsoft know how much the world would need to rely on something they, in 2015, coined the “Modern Desktop” to describe a Microsoft 365, Windows 10, and Office 365 ProPlus based desktop. Its purpose is to let employees work from anywhere productively as they collaborate with their teammates while always staying up-to-date, secure, and compliant.

How Will The EOL Of IE 11 In June 2022 Impact Your IT Strategy?

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Internet Explorer, the web browser you either love or hate or both, is being retired by Microsoft (and relatively quickly at that) in favor of Edge, the Chromium-based browser. While most consumers won’t feel any discomfort from this, the impact on businesses ranges from security threats to LOB web applications and critical shortcuts not working. This is yet another major IT initiative organizations have to contend with, just like hardware refreshes and migrating to/updating versions of Windows 10, Office/Microsoft 365, etc., not to mention Microsoft’s other recent major announcements of Windows 11 and Cloud PC.

Large Financial Bank Cuts UAT Time By 90% With Automated Testing

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0100

We all know that automating the often tedious, lengthy, and expensive user acceptance testing (UAT) is going to result in a much faster process — but how much acceleration can you realistically expect? Today, I want to answer that question by walking you through the real-world results we achieved with a very large international investment bank.

The Difference Between VDI and Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Ever since the introduction of Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), also formerly known as Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD), we often get asked what the main differences between this solution and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) are.

While a variety of vendors have implementations of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), we are going to compare Microsoft’s VDI solution (Azure Virtual Desktop) to Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (CVAD) as this is what people commonly refer to when they say VDI.

Windows Virtual Desktop Is Now Azure Virtual Desktop

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Windows Virtual Desktop, which was first announced back in September of 2018 and was GA in September of 2019, was introduced to provide a virtual desktop/app experience using cloud technology. This service enables users to login to a virtual machine from anywhere and have a desktop experience that would feel the same to them as if they were sitting in the office. Enterprises offering Windows Virtual Desktop services would realize savings in licensing, software, and hardware costs.

Windows 10 vs. Windows 11 Lifecycle Support

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Most people know that Microsoft had announced that Windows 10 was going to be the last Windows ever released, but what most don’t know is that even Windows 10 has had an End-of-Life date from the very beginning. As it says on Microsoft’s Windows 10 Enterprise and Education Modern Lifecycle page, “Microsoft will continue to support at least one release of Windows 10 Semi-Annual Channel until October 14, 2025. The below table reflects the released versions to date.”

Creating App-Volumes With Access Capture

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0100

In November 2020, we showed you how you use Access Capture, our automated application packaging and testing solution, to automate your MSIX and app attach creation in order to accelerate your application modernization journey, and with it, enable your Modern Desktop including Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD).

What Microsoft’s Next Gen OS (Windows 11?) Could Look Like

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0100

A few days ago, Microsoft announced that on June 24th, 2021, at 11 am EST, it is hosting a special event called “What’s Next For Windows.” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Chief Product Officer Panos Panay are expected to talk about next-generation Windows.

Access Capture Is Now Hosted On Azure & What It Means For You

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Access IT Automation’s premise for 2021 and beyond is to enable Modern Desktops for enterprises everywhere and anywhere. This means that with Access IT Automation you will be able to enable all applications, all users, and all devices, whether you are utilizing our solutions on-promise, in a hybrid solution, or hosted in the cloud.

New Access Capture Feature Round-Up H1/2021

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0100

So much has happened in the last six months! We have been incredibly busy behind the scenes building and improving extremely useful features, but we haven’t publicly talked about them. For example, we have built the ability to:

Bulk create automated launch testing jobs by simply uploading them from a spreadsheet,
Create app attach at the same time as you create your MSIX packages,
Create snapshots before jobs,
Create CimFS file systems,
Support multi-session for Windows Server,
and much more.

Today, I want to highlight a few features that deserve a little more explanation: the ability to create MSIX packages from loose files directly through our API, how Access Capture can be used to create App Volumes, VMDKs, VHDs, and the ability to run Access Capture directly on Azure.

Access Capture Now Offers Multi-Session Support For Windows Server

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0100

In the past few product-oriented blog posts, we have talked a lot about getting your estate ready for the Modern Desktop using Access Capture for application packaging and testing. For example, we’ve discussed ways to help you migrate onto Windows 10 and Office 365 or manage your environment using Evergreen IT in order to keep up with the pace of updates for those products. But it is equally important to have the ability to check if your applications work in a variety of different Windows environments. Thanks to some new features, this is now easier than ever.

The Real Evergreen IT Dilemma Is Interdependency

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0100

The real problem of Evergreen IT Management isn’t figuring out how to efficiently (and, let’s face it — fast enough) migrate your entire estate from one version of Windows 10 to a newer version. It also isn’t the volume of change if you are managing your Windows 10 OS lifecycle in conjunction with Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise in addition to a continuous hardware refresh. That all can be managed very well with the right tooling and automation. The real dilemma goes much deeper.

MSIX App Attach Is Now Generally Available

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0100

If you have been following our blog for the last couple of years, you have seen that we have posted about MSIX and, in particular, MSIX app attach several times — from showing how to enable app attach for your organization to a video demo of creating an app attach using our tool, Access Capture.

3 Things You Need To Do Now To Fend Off COVID-19-Induced Windows 10 Complacency

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0100

There is a new worrisome (even if short-term) problem enterprises are currently struggling with. I call it COVID-19-induced Windows 10 Complacency. Today, I want to explain what this made-up term means and what you can do immediately to minimize or eliminate the problem. Let’s have a look.

IaaS, PaaS, SaaS — How Do They All Fit Together?

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0100

The technology industry is notorious for its love of acronyms, particularly when it comes to cloud computing. With cloud-based solutions becoming increasingly essential for every company and industry worldwide, three key cloud service models have emerged as the backbone of the cloud revolution: Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). The phrase “as-a-Service” refers to a wide variety of technology services delivered to companies or individuals via the internet by a third-party service provider.

5 Challenges To Expect When Embracing Modern Application Management

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Last week, we highlighted all the advantages you are bound to benefit from as you start your modern application management journey. And while there are many reasons why you should pursue this path as soon as possible, it isn’t all “puppies and rainbows”. We have to be realistic about our expectations and be aware of any potential speed bumps and pitfalls along the road. Today, I want to walk you through five very common, but often ignored challenges, namely:

Benefits of Modern App Management

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 00:00:00 +0100

When an enterprise does any kind of IT migration, such as an OS upgrade, it has to touch hundreds and sometimes even thousands of apps. Each app needs to be tested, repackaged, and tested again. Each application and version can take anywhere from a few hours to days to be tested. Then the entire process gets repeated every 6-12 months with each new Windows version release, depending on your chosen branch, it becomes quickly and painfully obvious that the time and manpower needed is a huge strain on IT.

Introducing IT Automation For Employees, Developers, Ops, and Technology Teams

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Traditionally, application packaging and testing was a relatively siloed process done almost entirely by specialized teams. The application owners would submit a packaging or testing request and be available to supply further information, files, or data if needed. Other than that, they had to sit tight and wait. Also developers and technology and operations teams had to rely on the application packaging and testing teams — a process that could take weeks and hold up the development process or entire IT transformation projects.

Quiz: Is End-to-End or API-Driven App Packaging & Testing Right For You?

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Application packaging and testing isn’t the same as it was 10 years ago. Traditionally, a somewhat siloed-off team took care of the actual process, but it would take days and sometimes weeks to find the right app owner, gather all the files and install instructions, and then cycle back with them again for UAT and sign-off. Now, with agile development and DevOps, this approach is impractical. For example, an internal developer might push out a new version of code three times a week and they cannot wait days every time to simply test it. Depending on what your development, packaging, testing, and release process looks like, you will need to choose a specific automation approach that is right for you.

Access Capture’s Top 5 Most Impressive Features in 2020

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0100

In the past 11 months, we have released a lot of new and exciting features and sometimes it is hard to keep track of them all. To make it easier for you, we have created an Access Capture Release Notes page. You can subscribe to it and always get the latest updates sent to your inbox as soon as they are posted. But we also wanted to take the opportunity today to highlight some of the most valuable and impressive features in a dedicated blog post. Our development team, headed up by Nik Maloney, has gone above and beyond and I am very proud of the outcome.

How To Create An MSIX With App Attach Using Access Capture [Video]

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Over the past couple of months we have written several articles about MSIX, and for good reason. Not only has MSIX replaced MSI as Microsoft’s app packaging format, but it is also materially better than MSI. By using MSIX with App Attach, Windows Virtual Desktop, and FSLogix, the process of migrating, upgrading, and keeping your apps up-to-date, in a timely and efficient manner and without productivity loss, has never been easier or more achievable.

5 Things To Keep In Mind When Finalizing Your IT Budget This Year

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0100

2020 has been a crazy year — there is no question about that. Suddenly having to switch to all of your employees working from home sent the vast majority of organizations scrambling, causing utter chaos. In fact, “companies spent an additional $15 billion a week on technology during the first wave of the pandemic, to ensure that employees could work from home safely,” according to TechRepublic.

3 Trends That Will Impact Your Evergreen IT Management Strategy In 2021 & Beyond

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0100

For the past five years (since the introduction of Windows-as-a-Service in 2015), we have talked about the necessity and benefits of Evergreen IT Management for enterprises. While both of those are still as relevant and crucial as before, there are new prevalent trends that will have a long-term impact on your Evergreen IT strategy. Today, I want to discuss the three most impactful ones: COVID-19 and the wide-spread adoption of remote work, Everything as Code (EaC), and Microsoft’s Windows Virtual Desktop.

Work From Anywhere (WFA) – Endpoint Management Considerations

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0100

“Work-From-Home” (WFH) or “Work-From-Anywhere” (WFA) quickly became the new standard when countries went on lockdown in March due to the global pandemic of COVID-19. Despite an initial scrambling to get employees set up for remote work, companies are now starting to question the amount of physical office space and business trips needed in the future as employees were still productive at home.

What Is Windows Virtual Desktop & How Does It Fit Into My Organization?

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Since its release last year, Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) has been gaining traction across multiple organizations, mainly those looking to provide a better user experience for their employees, have the latest security and feature updates, and reduce costs across their IT environment. Especially since March, WVD has become a solution that organizations started looking at for their company’s needs as most of the global workforce had to suddenly work from home.

How To Enable MSIX App Attach For Your Organization

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Despite improving app compatibility, application packaging is still a time-consuming, manual labor-intensive, and expensive obstacle organizations have to overcome. One reason is the ever-increasing number and complexity of applications within organizations, but more and more, the pace at which apps have to be packaged, tested, and deployed to keep pace with the velocity of change within the organization is becoming a huge roadblock.

Modern App Packaging 101: Quick Must-Know MSIX Core Basics

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0100

With the release of Windows 10 2004 a few weeks ago and with MSIX AppAttach in public preview, Microsoft will soon start to incentivize customers to move to its new installer technology for Windows, MSIX. MSIX is set to replace the very popular Windows Installer (MSI) and the APPX packaging format that were previously used for Microsoft Store apps.

Top 10 Benefits Of Evergreen IT Management

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Most IT executives and IT project managers instinctively know that Evergreen IT is the only way forward for managing increasingly complex IT landscapes that change faster than ever before. And while they also know this new management approach comes with numerous benefits, they often cannot place their finger on what exactly they can expect to gain. This is not surprising, as this is a new concept without many real-world results and insights publicly available.

To Management: As Migration Team Leaves, Your BAU Team Is Left Hanging

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Almost every organization is scrambling right now to get employees set up to work from home — bringing many Windows 10 migration projects temporarily to a halt. While the current pandemic might possibly result in support deadline extensions from Microsoft down the road, it is important to be aware of an emerging problem that almost every company will encounter: what happens when your migration is over?

The Basics Of Evergreen IT Management — A 101 Crash Course

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0100

If I would take the conversations I have with our clients, prospects, and partners as an indication, I would say that about 90% of enterprise IT teams are interested in Evergreen IT, but maybe only about 20% of them fully grasp the concept enough to know how to practically implement it. And it is an ambiguous concept unless you take the time to research it. This is made harder by the fact that, besides very few information sources, there isn’t much information out there.

Why Your Modern IT Strategy Needs XLAs (No, NOT The Excel Add-in)

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Lately, there is a lot of talk about XLAs! No, not the Excel add-in but rather Experience Level Agreements between a service provider and a customer with the goal of providing the best employee experience with said provider’s services.

Traditionally, software vendors had service-level agreements, or SLAs, which described expected minimum service levels that the service provider guaranteed (e.g., minimum uptimes or time to respond/repair issues) for the price someone would pay. Until now, SLAs were seen as the crucial measurement for a successful relationship between a software vendor and an enterprise IT department.

Windows 10/Office 365: One Before The Other Or Both In Parallel?

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0100

By now, I am sure you are aware that Windows 7 has gone end-of-life, with the decade-old OS having received two “final” updates.

If you are still running Windows 7 and want to have security and critical updates that Microsoft deems necessary, you need to be signed up for paid extended support called Extended Security Updates (ESU). While ESU can give you another three years of support at price levels that are easy to budget for, there are other associated risks with staying on Windows 7.

5 IT Challenges Enterprise IT Teams Will Struggle Most With In 2020

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 08:28:08 +0100

2020 is going to be a big year for enterprise IT teams, with Windows 7 support having ended on January 14th. Even though the expense of paid extended support can easily be budgeted for by most enterprises, there is still a ticking clock counting down to the day when paid support runs out, not to mention other serious risk factors.

Access Capture 2020 Roadmap (Part 1: Smoke Testing, MSIX Packaging & More In H1/2020)

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Over the past years, Access Capture has helped organizations around the world package and test applications faster, safer, more accurately, and more efficiently in an enterprise environment by automating much of the labor-intensive, costly, and tedious process.

In October 2019, we released Access Capture Version 3 which included many feature and platform improvements. We were thrilled how well it was received so we cannot wait to share with you some details on our jam-packed development calendar for 2020.

Staying On Windows 7 ESU Will Be Much More Costly Than You Might Realize

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0100

Today is the day — Windows 7 is officially at the end of its life. From now on, any organization still running Windows 7 has to go on extended support, called Extended Security Updates (ESU). At this point, if your organization hasn’t migrated to Windows 10, you will have no choice but to go on the first year of support.

App Performance Testing Is Now More Important Than Ever With Evergreen IT

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0100

When I started application packaging twenty years ago, Microsoft had only just released its installer called MSIEXEC.EXE. The primary goal of Microsoft Installer was to create a generic way to install and uninstall applications on Windows while allowing you to manage and version-control in a structured way.

Evergreen IT: A Definition In Less Than 100 Words

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0100

The term “Evergreen IT” has been around for some years. It has been defined multiple times in many different ways, but when talking to enterprise IT organizations around the world, more often than not, IT managers and executives complain that they still don’t really understand what it means.

How To Survive End-of-Life Of Office 2010 Without Breaking Your Macros

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0100

If your organization is running Office 2010 and has LOB critical macros or apps, you have a hard deadline of October 13, 2020 to migrate, or you risk continuing to use those apps and macros while running a vulnerable, unsupported version of Office.

Access Capture V3: A Must-Have For Your 2020 IT Tool Stack [Webinar]

Fri, 08 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0100

After a bit of a rough year, things are starting to look up: Gartner predicts that IT spending will bounce back to a healthy growth rate of 3.7% in 2020 — largely due to enterprise software spending.

John-David Lovelock, research vice president at Gartner, said: “The slowdown in IT spending in 2019 is not expected to stretch as far into 2020 despite concerns over a recession and companies cutting back on discretionary IT spending. […] Most companies are caught trying to either cut costs or invest for growth, but the top-performing enterprises are doing both. A core challenge facing the industry is how organizations can operate as both a traditional company and a technology company at the same time. These ‘and’ dilemmas will drive future IT spending trends.”

Windows Virtual Desktop & Its Impact On Your IT Planning

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0100

On September 30th, 2019, Microsoft’s Brad Anderson announced that Windows Virtual Desktop, Microsoft’s new cloud-based desktop and app virtualization service, is now generally available worldwide. It has been in public preview since March 2019.

The promise of Windows Virtual Desktop is to “deploy and scale your Windows desktops and apps on Azure in minutes” by delivering “simplified management, multi-session Windows 10, optimizations for Office 365 ProPlus, and support for Remote Desktop Services (RDS) environments”, according to the statement.

What Is An Automation Center of Excellence & Do You Need One?

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0100

The days when you could derive a competitive benefit by simply automating some process are long gone. It’s now a question of how effective the automation will be, rather than whether you should adopt it. In other words, the competitive advantage is realized through a holistic and strategic management of all bits and pieces of automation within an organization.

3 Types Of Automation You Need To Be Pursuing Now

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0100

IT departments are currently experiencing a dramatic increase in application requests, largely as the result of the transition to a completely mobile workforce. However, staffing has remained relatively constant, prompting many enterprises to adopt automation as a means of deploying applications more rapidly in addition to realizing other ways for IT to benefit from automation.

What Every IT Manager Should Know About Robotic Processing Automation

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0100

Digital technology has opened whole new vistas of success, profit, and agility in organizations across the globe. From the smallest startup to the vastest enterprise, Digital Transformation has forever changed the way we do business.

Agile IT Planning & Deployments To Drive Digital Transformation

Wed, 03 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0100

According to Gartner, Digital Transformation is one of THE hottest topics right now.

In a recent Gartner survey, 62% of CEOs said they have an initiative in place to make their organizations more “digital.” To support their customer engagement, businesses need to primarily solve three issues:

10 Questions To Ask Before Starting Any IT Automation Project

Mon, 06 May 2019 00:00:00 +0100

Do you rely on a series of repetitive, tedious, and labor-intensive tasks that could easily be automated? Do you need to figure out how to free up resources to drive innovation and Digital Transformation? Are you trying to dig yourself out from under a mountain of compounding IT debt? Or are you moving to an Evergreen IT management approach to increase your organizational agility? Are you trying to figure out how to continuously update your IT landscape?

SCCM 2007 Goes EoL In July 2019 — 5 Things You Have To Know Before Installing SCCM 1902

Thu, 02 May 2019 00:00:00 +0100

On July 9th, 2019, Microsoft’s iconic device management solution, System Center Configuration Manager 2007 — officially known as Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) or affectionately referred to as SCCM within most IT departments — will be retired after 12 long years of support.

Application Packaging & Testing Automation: Expectations vs. Reality

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0100

When it comes to automation, there is often a big gap between expectation and reality — often in the sense of “all or nothing”. For example, doomsday scenarios have been painted and purport that automation is a direct replacement for human labor and will put hundreds of millions out of a job. In reality, only about 7.4% of jobs are actually at risk for being replaced through technology, algorithms, bots, or artificial intelligence.

It’s Make Or Break Decision Time Re: Windows 7 — Here Are Your Options

Mon, 25 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0100

January 14th, 2020.

That is the date when Windows 7 goes end-of-life and a 10-year era ends — five years for Mainstream Support and five years for Extended Support. In addition, Office 2010 will lose support on October 23rd, 2020.

Why is Evergreen IT Important & What Does It Typically Look Like?

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0100

Are you using Evergreen IT the right way?

Long gone are the days when you migrated your entire user base to a new version of Windows as a huge, high-risk, big-bang project every few years. For most organizations, OS updates happen every 12-24 months and only take about 6 months to complete.

Microsoft Desktop App Assure: Impact On Your Enterprise Application Packaging Strategy

Mon, 04 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0100

If you purchased 150 or more seats of eligible Microsoft 365 services, such as Microsoft 365 E3, Microsoft 365 E5, or Microsoft 365 Business, you have access to a special Microsoft service called FastTrack. As part of this free service, FastTrack specialists (Microsoft employees, Microsoft-approved vendors, and Microsoft-approved partners) will assist you with free advisory and remediation guidance.

Forget App Compatibility — It’s Application Suitability You Should Worry About

Thu, 21 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0100

Do you remember when Microsoft promised that application compatibility wasn’t an afterthought in the development of Windows XP as it was with its predecessor? Or when Microsoft’s number one ship criteria was that “applications will just work” even though, on average, more than one out of five (21%) applications weren’t compatible? Do you recall when moving to Windows 7 meant going from a 32 bit to 64 bit operating system?

Are You Impacted By The VMWare Version Upgrade To Support Credential Guard?

Fri, 08 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0100

With each new release of Windows 10, Microsoft adds new features and security enhancements — and with those come new issues for IT teams. With virtualization becoming the norm for organizations, from large enterprises down to mid-size businesses, interactions and dependencies on multiple systems within an IT landscape can become mission critical, having effects on security and digital innovation.

3 Inevitable Trends That Will Impact Your Application Packaging & Testing Strategy In 2019/2020

Wed, 06 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0100

For many, the next 12-24 months mark an important milestone for their application packaging and testing strategy as they move from traditional, manually-driven application packaging to a more automated and continuous process to satisfy the demands of their faster-than-ever evolving IT environment.

What Microsoft’s FSLogix Acquisition Means For You

Fri, 18 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0100

On November 19th, 2018, Microsoft announced its acquisition of Atlanta, Georgia-based FSLogix for an undisclosed sum to extend the company’s virtualization capabilities and provide an even better virtualized Windows and Office experience delivered on Microsoft Azure — a mission that the start-up shared since its inception in 2012.

Strategic Roadmap: Your MSIX Adoption Path With Access Capture

Thu, 27 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0100

A few days ago, we talked about how mature MSIX really is (18 months away) and how it make sense for some enterprises to do a double hop over App-V to ease the transition. Today, I want to take you on a little journey that will take us three years into the future.

MSIX Ready For Adoption? Not Yet!

Tue, 18 Dec 2018 00:00:00 +0100

You might have noticed a lot of vendors in the application packaging space shouting from the rooftops that they are supporting MSIX, Microsoft’s new packaging format. Anyone who can run an automated PowerShell command to create and convert an app could technically claim MSIX support.

10 Modern Desktop Experts To Have On Your Radar

Wed, 10 Oct 2018 00:00:00 +0100

The internet holds a wealth of information, but sometimes it is hard to discern which information sources are reputable, helpful, and contain new insights worth the time to read the entire article — and which are just regurgitating other people’s ideas to put out content.

16 Applications Packaging & Testing Terms Every Executive Should Know

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Every line of business has its own unique lingo which often makes it hard for “outsiders” to follow a conversation. As an executive, whether you are a CEO, COO, CFO, or even a CIO, application packaging and testing terms can seem like a completely different language with their three and four letter acronyms.

The Future Of The Universal Windows Platform & Its Impact On Your App Management Strategy

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Since the introduction of Windows-as-a-Service, Microsoft has been actively promoting a way to create universal applications that could leverage Windows 10 platform capabilities across all Windows devices: the Universal Windows Platform. But in the past months, more and more voices declared this common application platform dead, or at least close to extinction.

How To Proactively Prepare For The End-of-Life of Windows 7 (And The Birth of Evergreen IT)

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Believe it or not, there are still more than 385 million devices in enterprise environments that are running on Windows 7 — an operating system that has already lost its mainstream support on January 13, 2015 and will now finally get cut off from extended support on January 14, 2020!

Your Modern Application Testing Strategy: Big Bang vs. Parallel vs. Prioritized

Sun, 22 Jul 2018 00:00:00 +0100

What drives you crazy at work? Is it your co-worker having every single call on speakerphone and later accusing you of eavesdropping? Cutting her fingernails during a conference call? Eating a smelly tuna sandwich at his desk — every single day without a fail?

5 Things To Consider Before Diving Head-First Into Application Virtualization

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 00:00:00 +0100

According to a new SpiceWorks State of IT – Trends, Budgets, and Purchase Drivers study, the biggest driver for enterprises to embrace virtualization and cloud computing is to (1) reduce the support burden on IT staff (33%) — followed closely by (2) increase their flexibility and scalability, (3) enhance disaster recovery capabilities, (4) provide their users with access to data anywhere, and (5) reduce capital expenditure. Of course, these reasons aren’t going to be much of a surprise to anyone — after all, they are the major benefits of virtualization and cloud computing!

5 Persistent Pitfalls To Avoid When Planning An IT Automation Investment

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 00:00:00 +0100

There are certain “gotchas” you can have a laugh about afterwards — but not planning your IT automation implementation adequately, and implementing inefficient processes that might be adjusted or, even worse, redone later on probably isn’t one of those times. Today, we are going to explore five common pitfalls enterprise IT organizations often stumble over as they are planning their IT automation investments.

How Will The New Windows 10 Servicing Model Impact Your Application Management Strategy

Fri, 04 May 2018 00:00:00 +0100

According to the just released Adaptiva 2018 Windows 10 Enterprise Impact Survey, only 40% (instead of the expected 52%) of organizations have reached their half-way milestone in their initial Windows 10 migration by now.

The biggest hurdles they are experiencing are a lack of time, e.g., IT staff priorities, loss of employee productivity (61.9%), application compatibility (50.24%), as well as the cost of staff, hardware, application licensing, testing and packaging, and infrastructure related to the OS upgrade (41.7%).

No MSIs For Office 2019 — And Why You Should Care

Wed, 02 May 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Microsoft recently announced that Office 2019, the company’s next perpetual Office suite (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Skype for Business applications as well as Exchange, SharePoint, and Skype for Business servers) will be released some time this fall, with previews beginning to ship in the second quarter of 2018.

Application Packaging In An Evergreen IT Context

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0100

Application Packaging in an Evergreen IT Context

According to a quick poll of 419 IT project managers and IT executives done by Juriba, 32% of respondents said they are most afraid of the potential business disruption caused by Windows-as-a-Service roll outs, while 22% fear potential application compatibility issues most.

12 Questions To Ask During Your Access Capture Demo

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0100

A few weeks ago, we walked you through the 15 most frequently asked questions during an Access Agent demo. Today, I would like to do the same for Access Capture, our IT automation solution for application packaging and testing solution.

The Benefits Of Automated App Packaging & Testing By Stakeholder Role

Mon, 12 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0100

A recent Gartner survey shows that 80% of all enterprises will have started to migrate to Windows 10 by the end of 2018. By then, Windows 10 will be 3.5 years old and will have seen seven versions (namely 1507, 1511, 1609, 1703, 1709, 1803, 1809)!

How Do Application Owners Fit Into An Evergreen IT App Management Approach?

Tue, 27 Feb 2018 00:00:00 +0100

One of the most asked questions that I get when I talk to large global institutions, enterprises, healthcare or other larger organizations about managing their application testing process is: “What is the best way to organize my application owners? How do other businesses do it?”

3 Ways To Score Quick (And Big) Wins Early In Your Windows 10 Migration

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0100

If you are planning on finally tackling that enterprise-wide Windows 10 migration in 2018, you might want to stop what you are doing and read this article first!

We have seen many enterprises head into this migration without adequate planning for application packaging and testing — wasting precious opportunities for immediate quick wins. In addition, with Windows-as-a-Service, you are facing another hurdle: you will have to update at least once, better yet twice, a year — so your update process has to run like a well-oiled machine.

Application Discovery: Traditional Approach vs. Self Service Automation

Mon, 11 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Application Discovery is a vital part of the application packaging process and with the increasing frequency of application updates, the process has to be streamlined to be able to keep up the pace. Just think about it: You probably have Windows 10 (2 major updates a year), Office 365 (2 major updates a year), SCCM (3 major updates a year), and Bloomberg (monthly updates) — just to name a few!

How To Create A Killer Business Case For IT Automation

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0100

After years of stagnant or even decreasing IT budgets and constant hiring stalemates, there is finally a silver lining in sight. According to the Spiceworks State of IT 2018 report, 44% of all companies and 49% of businesses larger than 5,000 employees expect budgets to increase while 43% and 41% respectively anticipate no change at all. Of those organizations who are planning to increase their budgets, the jump is significant with an average of 19%.

IT Automation Isn’t The Enemy For Service Integrators — It’s An Opportunity

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Traditional methods are failing. It’s time to utilize IT automation for sustainable business growth.

India’s $150 billion big legacy IT services sector, which has been growing at a break-neck speed over the past two decades, has recently been struggling as its formerly cost-effective services were replaced by an even cheaper approach: intelligent IT automation solutions.

Application Whitelisting as Part of your Automated Packaging Workflow

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0100

In a large corporate environment, the end-users do not usually have the rights to install just any application they download from the internet themselves.

But how do you decide which applications are allowed to be installed and run and which aren’t? Today, I want to walk you through the application whitelisting basics, the most common ways enterprises whitelist their apps, as well as how you can increase your security by adding digital signatures to your applications as part of your automated packaging process.

Everything You Should Know About MSI Packaging

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0100

The definitive list of everything you need to know about MSI packaging.

With Millennials making up more than half of today’s workforce, companies can no longer play by the old rules of the Baby Boomer or early Gen X generations. Today’s employees aren’t coming into the same office, same desk, and same computer every day as they used to only a decade ago. Whether it is for business or personal reasons, working from your home office, on the road, in a coffee shop, at co-working spaces, or even in a remote location is not only acceptable but even desired by some companies. But how does this link to MSI?

10 Things To Consider Before Purchasing An Enterprise MSI Packaging Tool

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 00:00:00 +0100

When it comes to picking a tool, make sure you pick the right one!

Trying to decide on the right MSI packaging tool for your company is a bit like shopping for a new car but without the pushy car salespeople (at least we hope not for your sake, because no one likes pushy salespeople) or the gift cards for test driving.

How To Stop Your Product Owners From Complaining About App Packaging Documentation

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Let’s just be honest for a second and come right out with it: No one likes to create app packaging documentation.

Creating the documentation is probably the most boring part of app packaging an application! So oftentimes, product owners skip through the steps half-heartedly, rushing to get through it as fast as they can, or ignore it altogether. And who can blame them? It’s hours of tedious work and it’s a pain in the neck.

Business As Usual Application Management Mistakes

Tue, 05 Sep 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Don’t make these 5 crucial mistakes that could stall your BaU application management process!

Last week, we published an interactive assessment called “Can We Guess Your Risk Level For Adopting Business-as-Usual?” from an application management perspective. Basically, we asked 12 questions and you pick the answer that best fits. At the end, we can predict how risky it will be to adopt this new IT management approach given your current application estate and management process, and we map out what it would take to take it to the next level. If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend that you give it a go!

Quiz: Can We Guess Your Business-as-Usual Application Readiness Risk Level Correctly?

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Take this quiz to see just how safe your applications are!

In the past year, I talked to a lot of enterprises IT pros about the challenges that most modern IT teams face today: flat budgets, headcount reductions or no additional hiring, having to do more work with fewer hands — all while modernizing the existing IT landscape, increasing security measures to prevent possible data breaches or malware attacks, migrating to Windows 10 (and managing the frequent subsequent updates), enabling the company’s Digital Business Transformation initiative…the list is endless.

Windows Branching 101: Everything You Need To Know About The New Servicing Model

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0100

It’s time to get rid of the Windows Servicing headache.

Remember the elation and expectations when Windows 95 was released over two decades ago? And the excitement and frustrations with subsequent releases like Windows 98, ME, and 8.1?

With each new version the Start button either disappeared or came back, the Control Panel was rearranged and moved, and some users couldn’t even figure out how to shut their computer down.

7 Smart Ways To Automate Your Windows 10 Hand-Over & Sign-Off

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0100

Migrations, sign-offs, and handovers can be a headache. Don’t let them hinder your plans.

An OS migration can be such an overwhelmingly complex and huge project that it can become easy to lose sight of what happens when the migration is done. How will you gain end-user sign-off or train them on the new functionality? How will you deal with issues that arise as users power up their machines for the first time?

What Every IT Project Manager Should Know About Windows 10 Deployment Rings

Mon, 17 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0100

It’s time to end the confusion and help you simplify your IT projects through Windows 10 Deployment Rings.

Much to the relief of many IT project managers and their project resources, Microsoft recently announced that it would align its Windows 10 Servicing upgrade cycle with release cycles of Office 365 and SCCM.

How To Automate Your App Certification Process To Streamline Your Windows 10 Deployment

Tue, 11 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0100

I can hardly believe that it has been almost two years since Windows 10 was officially released!

Most enterprises have finished evaluating the new operating system and kicked off their migration efforts by now. But unlike previous Windows deployments where organizations had three to four years before the next upgrade cycle was due, Windows 10 (a.k.a. Windows-as-a-Service) churns out two new significant feature upgrades a year. Since its debut, Windows 10 has seen three new versions and another one is just a few months away.

Evergreen IT Management 101: What Is It & What Benefits/Challenges To Expect