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Step-by-Step
The AppStream launch process is depicted below:
A Step by Step View
- Each end user is given access to only those applications he is entitled to use. An end user can launch an application:
- Via the AppStream application portal
- Via the Windows Start menu
- By double-clicking a file associated with the application
- Directly via the client cache (if the application has already been streamed into the cache)
- The first time an end user launches any AppStream-enabled application, the AppStream client is installed on the PC. The client then processes environmental parameters on-the-fly before launching the application, enabling the application to start executing with no apparent installation phase.
- If this is the initial launch for the application, only the "startup block" is streamed from the AppStream server, enabling the end user to begin to operate the application in seconds. However, if the client has previously run the application, the system performs a version check — the AppStream client compares locally cached application segments to those on the Streaming server, identifying segments that are no longer current and streaming replacement segments while the application is still in use.
- Once the client has received the startup block (or if it is already present), the application launches. The application runs locally using the system's resources and performs as if it is installed locally. Should the application require access to registry entries or application functionality, these requests are intercepted and handled by the AppStream client.
- When the end user first accesses additional application functionality, the client requests additional application segments from the AppStream server, which sends down the necessary segments while capturing client request statistics — information that is used to direct future predictive streaming. Note that from the end user's perspective, accessing the various application functions is seamless and the experience is identical to that of a PC with the entire application installed locally. When done, end users simply save files and close the application as they normally would.
Because the client cache persists across sessions (retaining the streamed application segments including the startup block), future launches are immediate (subsequent runs of the same application do not require another download of the startup block or supporting segments), and future sessions do not require access to the server unless the client requests new functionality or the server sends upgraded components.
- End users can be provisioned for offline application access. Offline-enabled end users have the entire application streamed to the client cache, not just those segments that are used. Each time offline-enabled end users connect to the network, the AppStream client will automatically install any needed application updates (as well as performing any needed updates on itself).
- Administrators can choose to upgrade the AppStream client or rollout new applications to the end user base. The change may be a version upgrade or a rollback to a previous version of an application.
- The next time the end user launches an application; AppStream will automatically check for any changes to the application package and will apply them automatically. Any and all centrally managed changes, patches, or updates are instantly applied throughout the extended enterprise.
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