Ctrl-Alt-DelIT Consultancy

SYN328: Learn why AppDNA should be a part of every

consultant’s toolkit

10 April 2023#SYN328 #CitrixSynergy @jeremysaunders @caditc

10 April 2023

Ctrl-Alt-DelIT Consultancy

How to make yourself look cool with Citrix AppDNA?

#SYN328 #CitrixSynergy @jeremysaunders @caditc

AppDNA is to an IT Consultant as a paperclip is to MacGyver

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Jeremy Saunders - from Perth, Western Australia Independent Consultant, known as J House Consulting E-mail: jeremy@jhouseconsulting.com Twitter: @jeremysaunders Web: http://www.jhouseconsulting.com

Warren Simondson - from Brisbane, Queensland Managing Director and founder of Ctrl-Alt-Del IT Consultancy E-mail: wsimondson@ctrl-alt-del.com.au Twitter: @caditc Web: http://www.ctrl-alt-del.com.au

Tweet about this session with hashtag #SYN328 and #CitrixSynergy

About Us

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Holistic approach to Application Compatibility

All about AppDNA Demonstrations & best practice information

Q & A

Agenda

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Extended Support phase end dates: Windows XP 8th April 2014

Includes MED-V Windows Server 2003 14th July 2015

Includes Presentation Server and XenApp 32-bit to 64-bit Application Virtualisation Desktop Virtualisation Future Proofing Application Portfolio Management

Manage the application portfolio, including forward planning

Motivation

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In Windows it is essentially a bunch of files and registry keys. Sure, that’s simplifying it somewhat, but the main focus for application compatibility is to simply make it all work. Manage the file and registry locations; API calls. Pretty simply really!

What is an App?

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Security Trustworthy Computing initiatives from 2002 that were introduced

from Windows XP SP2 and 2003 SP2. Running everyone with Standard User rights causes the most

problems. UAC Virtualisation (The VirtualStore) fixes stuff, but not everything,

which is why we still have so many issues. Disabling UAC is NOT the solution.

Deprecated components (removal of legacy components such as the Microsoft Agent and Outlook Express)

Windows Resource Protection (WRP) Session 0 Isolation Operating System Version changes

Why do we have issues?

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Windows Vista/2008 was given version 6.0, which was pretty logical. However, it turned out to be bad for Application Compatibility simply because many legacy apps written during the Windows XP period would check major version and minor version like this:

If Not (vMajor >= 5 AND vMinor >= 1) Then{

DisplayMessage(“This program requires Windows XP or newer”);

}

This is why Windows 7/2008 R2 is version 6.1 & Windows 8/2012 is version 6.2. And the new Windows 8.1 is 6.3.

Fact about Windows Versions

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Many people are unaware of shims, or if they’ve heard of them, they have no clue that a shim can be used to fix many broken/incompatible Win32 apps.

The shim modifies the Import Address Table (IAT) on application load.

With the shim in place it will intercept an API call and does a redirection.

A shim changes the question the application is asking. “A shim basically rephrases the question to something it

can say yes to.” Chris Jackson (AKA The App Compat Guy) Shims need to be optimised!!!

What is a Shim?

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Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) Standard User Analyser (SUA) Compatibility Administrator Internet Explorer Compatibility Test Tool (IECTT) Create/Deploy/Manage Data Collection Packages (DCPs)

Application Verifier LUA Buglight Problem Steps Recorder (PSR) Windows Debugger (WinDbg), including logger.exe and logviewer.exe SysInternals Tools – e.g. Process Monitor, Process Explorer, DebugView, Sigcheck Reverse Engineer using Decompilers and Disassemblers:

.NET Reflector by RedGate – commercial decompiler ILSpy by SharpDevelop – free decompiler PEBrowse64 Professional by SmidgeonSoft – free disassembler IDA by Hex-Rays – commercial disassembler Hex-Rays Decompiler – commercial decompiler

Application Compatibility and Debugging Tools

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The garbage in, garbage out reality is responsible for the failure of many IT projects.

“Poor data quality is the primary reason for 40% of all IT initiatives failing to achieve their targeted benefits.” - Gartner Research.

Project Failures –budgets & timelines

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Inventory Understand Usage Understand Licensing Rationalise/Consolidate

Develop Software Lifecycle Policy Analyse Remediation/Packaging Testing & Validation

Application Migration Approach

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2000: Camwood was started as SI company specialising in application migration and portfolio Management

2004: Application compatibility management tool was born

2008: Company “App-DNA” was born, giving us the application name: “AppTitude”

2011: Citrix acquisition and renamed application to “AppDNA”

AppDNA History

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AppDNA enables enterprises to confidently discover, automate, model and manage applications for faster application migration, easier application virtualization and streamlined application management. AppDNA software combines insight about applications with highly accurate application testing, remediation and compatibility.

What does AppDNA do?

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Application Analysis Runs hundreds of algorithms against your

application fingerprints Comprehensive Reporting

The reports use a RAG system for Red/Amber/Green. Remediation

Thoroughly detailed and comprehensive information Application Packaging

Automate .MST, .SFT, .APPV

How does it do that?

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Provides the confidence to present deployment project timelines, facts and figures

Typically delivers between 300 - 500% ROI Aims to be 95% accurate with it’s analysis Removes fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) Helps you gain control of your application

portfolio

Benefits of AppDNA

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Download it Install it Configure it Kick-start your projectBecome the Application Detective

Getting Started

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Can use the product for 30 days under the eval license and can access the 2 main high level reports.

Eval license lets you unlock full reporting on up to 5 Windows and 5 Web Apps.

Licenses are currently tied to Sites (databases).

Licensing

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Users – AD Integration (linked) Roles

Administrators Editors Users Product Package Importers ** Create your own.

Sites – There is one default site, create more for decentralised or devolved management requirements.

Administration

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SCCM/ConfigMgr Lakeside SysTrack

The discovery of applications is done by SysTrack.

AppDNA plugs directly into the SysTrack DataMine to take collected data to provide your Imports.

Integrate

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Desktop Apps Direct Import (.MSI, .SFT, .APPV) Install Capture (.EXE, scripts) Self Provisioning

Web Apps Web Capture Web Direct Import (.MSI) Stand-alone Spider and MSI Converter

Import & Analyse

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About the Reports

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Effort Calculator

Provides business-oriented data based on metrics entered to determine time, cost and effort. Great for strategic planning!

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Effort Calculator continued

Quantify the level of effort required.KNOW the project effort – DON’T GUESS!

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Estate View

Provides details on the apps based on the algorithms. Starts with the Before and After Chart of applications based on algorithms used.

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Estate View continued

Detailed information on the algorithm groups.

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Provides a high-level status of the application portfolio.

A "U" indicates that the combination was untested, and a padlock means that the application is unlicensed for the report.

Overview SummaryThe fruit salad Report

Provides a high-level status of the application portfolio.

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Custom Reports

These are reports that you define yourself. You can base custom reports on existing algorithms and algorithm groups or new ones that you write yourself. You can also create new algorithms based on your own specialized knowledge of your environment.

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Forward PathThe baseball/cricket tool

Provides business-oriented data based on various deployment scenarios and their impacts.

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Groups Collections Journal entries

Manage

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Automate Create an App-V package Create a XenApp Streamed package Create an MSI package

Manual Create your own

Resolve Application Issues

10 April 202332

DEMO

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Apply Eval license first. This opens up Estate View reports for all modules.

Import as many apps as possible to start with. If scripting apps, give the script an intuitive name that

relates to the app, and not just “install.cmd” Create AD linked User Accounts. Create the appropriate rolls for your team members. Create Collections to “Group” applications together. Tune SQL memory usage, especially if running on the

same box.

Best Practices Recap

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There is no substitute for experience. But those with the experience must use common sense and use the right tools too.

Using the right toolset for your Application Migration project is like being a conductor of an orchestra.

AppDNA provides you with the knowledge for all challenges you need to know up front.

AppDNA is a product that can give you the confidence that your application migration or desktop transformation project is good to go!

Parting Words

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Hands on Lab – SYN 629 – Automating XenApp and App-V application migration with AppDNA

Session – SYN412 – Top 10 application migration tips for XenApp and XenDesktop

Session - SYN507 - Reducing desktop infrastructure management overhead using “old school” tacticsGeek Speak: Denis Gundarev from Entisys Solutions

Partner Training: CAD-200-1W - Simplifying Application Migration with Citrix AppDNA 6.1

Other Sessions and Training

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Citrix eDOCS: http://support.citrix.com/proddocs/topic/dna/dna.html

Podio: AppDNA Extensions Workspace: https://citrix.podio.com/appdna-extensions-customers/

On-line AppDNA RIO Calculator: http://www.citrix.com.au/products/appdna/how-it-helps/roi-calculator.html

Citrix have internal spread sheets that may help provide a different angle for you.

Citrix Case Studies and White Papers: http://www.papershare.com/u/App-DNA

Citrix TV (and YouTube)

Resources

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Citrix AppDNA on twitter @AppDNA Subscribe to Jeremy’s Twitter Lists:

AppCompat – Application Compatibility APM - Application Portfolio Management

Chris Jackson – @appcompatguy The App Compat Guy

Aaron Margosis The Non-Admin Guy

Mark Russinovich – @markrussinovich The Sysinternals Legend

Dmitry Vostokov - @DumpAnalysis Software Engineer at Citrix. He runs http://www.dumpanalysis.org

John Robbins - @JohnWintellect Co-founder of Wintellect: http://www.wintellect.com/blogs/jrobbins

Remko Weijnen - @RemkoWeijnen Great blogger on App Compat issues

Who to follow?

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What would you like to know?How can we help?

Q & A

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Conference surveys are available online at www.citrixsynergy.com starting Friday, May 24 at 9:00 a.m. PT

Provide your feedback by 4:00 p.m. PT that day and you’ll receive a $30 Amazon.com gift card via email

Download presentations starting Monday, June 3, from your My Conference Planning tool located within the My Account section

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