AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP 1

Release Notes

December 2019

Introduction

AdminStudio is the starting point for any software’s Operating System Compatibility Assessment, Risk Assessment, Deployments, Updates, New Releases, New Applications, and Windows 10 migrations. More than a packaging tool, AdminStudio arms your IT team with a complete application readiness solution, enabling you to identify and mitigate issues before pulling the deployment trigger. No more surprises.

With AdminStudio, you can:

Improve service quality and streamline service delivery
Decrease risk and embrace new technologies faster
Eliminate mobile application security and compatibility concerns
Reliably prepare and deploy application virtualization formats
Integrate seamlessly with leading software deployment systems
Simplify and unify application management with standardized processes
Boost efficiency with a central application repository
Identify application packaging issues in minutes instead of days

New Features in AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1

This section lists the new features that are included in AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1:

Publishing MSIX to ConfigMgr
Support for ConfigMgr 1906
Support for Windows 10 - 1909

Publishing MSIX to ConfigMgr

AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1 supports publishing of MSIX package format to all the ConfigMgr versions which supports MSIX.

You can publish a single MSIX application or a folder of multiple MSIX applications to ConfigMgr from AdminStudio.

To publish a MSIX package into the ConfigMgr from AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1:

On the Application Catalog tab menu, select Options. In the Options dialog box, under Servers Options, select Distribution System and connect to your ConfigMgr, click here for more information.

Important • MSIX is supported from ConfigMgr 1806 and later versions. AdminStudio supports publishing of MSIX to all the supported ConfigMgr versions.

You can Import a MSIX application or a folder of multiple MSIX applications into the catalog.

You can also use Conversion Wizard or Automated Application Converter to convert a required .msi or .exe packages to the .msix deployment type.

Right click a MSIX package or a folder of multiple MSIX packages, select Distribute Application... or Distribute Group respectively. You can also select the Distribute button from the Home Ribbon.

To know more about MSIX Distribution, click here.

Note • AdminStudio 2018 R2 and later, supports the following features for MSIX packages:

Check the suitability of a msi package to be converted to MSIX before even converting it
Convert single MSI/EXE package to MSIX format using Repackager
Batch conversion of MSI/EXE packages to MSIX using Automatic Application Converter (AAC)
Digitally sign MSIX packages
Import MSIX packages into Application Catalog

Support for ConfigMgr 1906

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can distribute the following deployment types to the distribution system ConfigMgr 1906.

Windows Installer
App-V (4.x and 5.0)
Apple iOS (binary file and public store)
Google Android (binary file and public store)
Legacy installer
PowerShell wrapped packages (.ps1)
MSIX Package

The below enhancements are newly added to support the ConfigMgr 1906:

New App Model Data Properties
New App Model Data Tab
Renaming SCCM to ConfigMgr

New App Model Data Properties

To support the new ConfigMgr 1906, following app model data properties and tabs are added in AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1:

In Deployment Data Tab / Programs Subtab the following properties are added:
Repair Command Line - Specify the command line that Configuration Manager will use to repair this package from a client machine, including any required parameters.
Repair Folder - Specify the folder that contains the repair program for the deployment type. This folder can be an absolute path on the client or a path relative to the distribution point folder that contains the package.
In Deployment Data Tab / Content Subtab the following properties are added:
Uninstall Content Settings - Select one of the following options to define the uninstallation behavior:

Same as install content - Select this option when the installation content and Uninstallation content are same.(Default)

No uninstall content - Select this option when there is no Un-installation content.

Different from install content - Select this option when Un-installation content and installation content are different.

Uninstall Content Location - Specify the network path that contains the Un-installation content.
In Deployment Data Tab / User Experience Subtab the following property is added:
Provision this application for all users on this device - Set this property to True to give access to the windows app packages for all users on the device. If false, the access will be available only for the user it is deployed to.
In Deployment Data Tab / Requirements Subtab the following properties are added:
Active Directory query - Select to specify a condition to assess a Active Directory query.
Assembly - Select to specify a condition to assess an assembly from the global assembly.

New App Model Data Tab

The following Deployment Type data tabs are introduced to support the ConfigMgr 1906:

Install Behavior Subtab
Publishing Subtab

Install Behavior Subtab

The Install Behavior subtab of the Deployment Data tab of the Home Deployment Type View lists methods to add an executable file that must be closed on the target system, before installing the current application.

Adding a Install Behavior—To add an executable file which must be closed to the Install Behavior subtab, click the Add Install Behavior button in the ribbon toolbar to open the Install Behavior wizard.
Editing or deleting a Install Behavior —To modify an existing executable file, select the file and click Edit Install Behavior in the ribbon toolbar. You can use Delete Install Behavior to delete an executable file from the list.

Publishing Subtab

The Publishing subtab of the Deployment Data tab of the Home Deployment Type View allows admin to select and unselect the shortcut components of the application to be deployed. Selected shortcuts will be created on the target system after successful deployment.

The following PowerShell cmdlets are introduced to get and set an App-V and SFT shortcuts in the Publishing subtab:

Get-ASAppVShortcuts
Set-ASAppVShortcutProperty

Renaming SCCM to ConfigMgr

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, SCCM is renamed to ConfigMgr in the user interface. This renaming is done to conform with the Microsoft’s new naming convention for ConfigMgr.

Support for Windows 10 - 1909

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can run application’s compatibility testing against the new Windows 10 1909 version for the applications in your catalog.

The new Windows 10 1909 version will appear in the following:

Test Selection Wizard
Analyze Tab
Reports Tab

Note • Windows 10 1703 is end-of-life, so support for Windows 10 1703 is dropped from AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1.

Test Selection Wizard

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can select Windows 10-1909 build in the Test selection wizard to test the operating system compatibility.

Analyze Tab

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can view the operating system compatibility details for Windows 10-1909 in the following places:

Chart View

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can select Windows 10-1909 in the operating system compatibility chart view.

Summary View

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can view the package summary for Windows 10-1909 in the operating system compatibility tab.

Detail View

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can view the result summary for Windows 10-1909 in the operating system compatibility tab.

Reports Tab

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can see the operating system compatibility for Windows 10-1909 in the following reports:

Application Readiness Dashboard Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can see the operating system compatibility for Windows 10-1909 in Application Readiness Dashboard report.

Operating System Compatibility Group Dashboard Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can see the overall status of operating system application compatibility testing for group applications containing 5 packages in Operating System Compatibility Group Dashboard Report.

Overall Package Testing Results Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can see the overall test results for Windows installer packages for Windows 10-1909 in Overall Package Testing Results Report.

Windows Desktop OS Compatibility Dashboard Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can see the compatibility issues in pie chart format for Windows 10-1909 in Windows Desktop OS Compatibility Dashboard Report.

Test Impact Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can see the reports of three OS compatibility tests for Windows 10-1909 in Operating System Compatibility by Test Impact Report.

Test Suppression Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1, you can see the Windows 10-1909 for three tests that have been suppressed in Operating System Compatibility by Test Suppression Report.

Snapshot Analysis Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can see the compatibility testing error and warning for Windows 10-1903 in Operating System Compatibility Snapshot Analysis Report.

New Features in AdminStudio 2019 R2

This section lists the new features that are included in AdminStudio 2019 R2:

Package Feed Module
Package Feed Module PowerShell Cmdlets
Support for Windows 10 - 1903

Package Feed Module

Edition • The Package Feed Module requires an additional subscription with AdminStudio Enterprise and Professional Editions

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can download and import an application to your application catalogue using the Package Feed Module. You can find the new feature in the Import >> Import using Package Feed Module

The AdminStudio Package Feed Module can save countless hours by leveraging a curated setup database covering thousands of products. This helps you to more quickly add new applications to the AdminStudio application catalog. From here you can generate reports, wrap it with a script template you have created, and pass it off to any of the several popular deployment solutions to which integration is provided.

The Package Feed Module helps you to do the following:

Download and import the latest version of a product
Identifying the silent installation parameters for the particular version of the product

Note • Silent installation parameters available in the Package Feed Module are validated and ready to use

To learn more about the Package Feed Module, click here.

To download and import an application using the Package Feed Module the below subsequent wizard appears:

Source Panel - Select Import using Package Feed Module option
Search for an application in Package Feed Panel - Search by Product Name and/or Vendor and select the required application
Provide Vendor Setup file Panel - You can download the selected setup file provided by the vendor or Browse for the setup file to import using the Browse drop down
Silent Command Line Arguments Panel - You can use or edit the vendor provided Install Command line as per your requirements
Destination Group Panel - You can select a group or add new group into which you want to import the application
Summary Panel - You can review the information in the Summary panel about the options selected in the previous panels.
Running the Import - you can see the import progress and finish the import process on successful completion.

Package Feed Module PowerShell Cmdlets

Edition • Package Feed Module PowerShell cmdlets are available only for users subscribed for the Package Feed Module with AdminStudio Enterprise Edition

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, the below PowerShell cmdlets are added to download and import an application using the Package Feed Module:

Invoke-ASPackageFeedSync - Synchronizes the package feed data, so the entries in the Package Feed Module is always up to date
Invoke-ASPackageFeedSearch - Searches for an application in the Package Feed Module based on Product Name and Version supplied
Get-ASPackageFeedDetails - Fetches the details of an application like Silent command line switches, file name, etc.
Invoke-ASPackageFeedDownload - Downloads the setup file to the configured download path

Existing PowerShell cmdlets extended support for Package Feed Module

Set-ASOptionProperty - Configures the download path for the setup file to be downloaded from the Package Feed Module
Get-ASOptionProperty - Fetches the download path where the setup file is downloaded from the Package Feed Module
Invoke-ASImportPackage - Imports the downloaded application to the application catalog

Support for Windows 10 - 1903

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, application’s compatibility against Windows 10-1903 can be tested in the following:

Test Selection Wizard
Analyze Tab
Reports Tab

Note • AdminStudio 2019 R2 stop supporting for Windows 10 1607 Build

Test Selection Wizard

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can select Windows 10-1903 build in the Test selection wizard to test the operating system compatibility.

Analyze Tab

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can view the operating system compatibility details for Windows 10-1903 in the following places:

Chart View

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can select Windows 10-1903 in the operating system compatibility chart view.

Summary View

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can view the package summary for Windows 10-1903 in the operating system compatibility tab.

Detail View

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can view the result summary for Windows 10-1903 in the operating system compatibility tab.

Reports Tab

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can see the operating system compatibility for Windows 10-1903 in the following reports:

Application Readiness Dashboard Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can see the operating system compatibility for Windows 10-1903 in Application Readiness Dashboard report.

Operating System Compatibility Group Dashboard Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can see the overall status of operating system application compatibility testing for group applications containing 5 packages in Operating System Compatibility Group Dashboard Report.

Overall Package Testing Results Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can see the overall test results for Windows installer packages for Windows 10-1903 in Overall Package Testing Results Report.

Windows Desktop OS Compatibility Dashboard Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can see the compatibility issues in pie chart format for Windows 10-1903 in Windows Desktop OS Compatibility Dashboard Report.

Test Impact Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can see the reports of three OS compatibility tests for Windows 10-1903 in Operating System Compatibility by Test Impact Report.

Test Suppression Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can see the Windows 10-1903 for three tests that have been suppressed in Operating System Compatibility by Test Suppression Report.

Snapshot Analysis Report

In AdminStudio 2019 R2, you can see the compatibility testing error and warning for Windows 10-1903 in Operating System Compatibility Snapshot Analysis Report.

New Features in AdminStudio 2019

This section lists the new features that are included in AdminStudio 2019:

Windows 10 Continuous Compatibility
MSIX - Automated Batch Conversion
New PowerShell Cmdlets

Windows 10 Continuous Compatibility

In AdminStudio 2019, application’s compatibility against each specific version of Windows 10 can be tested.

Test Selection Wizard
Analyze Tab
Reports Tab

Test Selection Wizard

In AdminStudio 2019, you can select one or more versions of Windows 10 in the Test selection wizard to test the operating system compatibility.

Analyze Tab

In AdminStudio 2019, you can view the operating system compatibility details for different versions of Windows 10 in the following places:

Chart View

In AdminStudio 2019, you can select different versions of Windows 10 in the operating system compatibility chart view.

Summary View

In AdminStudio 2019, you can view the package summary for different versions of Windows 10 in the operating system compatibility tab. 

Reports Tab

In AdminStudio 2019, you can see the operating system compatibility for different versions of Windows 10 in the following reports:

Application Readiness Dashboard Report

In AdminStudio 2019, you can see the operating system compatibility for different versions of Windows 10 in Application Readiness Dashboard report.

Operating System Compatibility Group Dashboard Report

In AdminStudio 2019, you can see the overall status of operating system application compatibility testing for group applications containing 5 packages in Operating System Compatibility Group Dashboard Report.

Detailed Compatibility Results

In AdminStudio 2019, you can click on the OS Application Compatibility - Group Application chart to drill down to the detailed compatibility results.

Overall Package Testing Results Report

In AdminStudio 2019, you can see the overall test results for Windows installer packages for different versions of Windows 10 in Overall Package Testing Results Report.

Windows Desktop OS Compatibility Dashboard Report

In AdminStudio 2019, you can see the compatibility issues in pie chart format for different versions of Windows 10 in Windows Desktop OS Compatibility Dashboard Report.

Test Impact Report

In AdminStudio 2019, you can see the reports of three OS compatibility tests for different versions of Windows 10 in Operating System Compatibility by Test Impact Report.

Test Suppression Report

In AdminStudio 2019, you can see the different versions of Windows 10 for three tests that have been suppressed in Operating System Compatibility by Test Suppression Report.

Snapshot Analysis Report

In AdminStudio 2019, you can see the compatibility testing error and warning for different versions of Windows 10 in Operating System Compatibility Snapshot Analysis Report.

MSIX - Automated Batch Conversion

In AdminStudio 2019, you can now convert batch of MSI & EXE packages to MSIX using the Automated Application Converter tool.

Digital Signing of MSIX Package

In AdminStudio 2019, you can now digitally sign the MSIX package. To digitally sign the output MSIX package as part of conversion, specify Publisher Name, CERT Path and CERT Password in the Package Properties or
Tools >> Options.

Testing MSIX Package in Remote Machine

Automated Application Converter tool uses the snap shot given in the Snapshot Name, In order to test the MSIX package in a remote machine, make sure the self signed certificate with the specified publisher name provided during conversion is installed in the remote machine.

Note • For more information on self signed certificate path with the specified publisher name, see
Digital Signing of MSIX Package

New PowerShell Cmdlets

The following PowerShell cmdlets are included in the AdminStudio 2019:

New-ASCreateSoftwareTag - Use to create a new Software Tag
Set-ASSoftwareTagPropertes - Use to set the Software Tag properties
Invoke-ASSignPackage - Invokes a signing process for the MSIX package

InstallShield 2019

For more information on InstallShield 2019 Release Notes, see the InstallShield 2019 Release Notes.

Editions

AdminStudio 2019 R2 is available in Standard, Professional, and Enterprise Editions. The following table lists the tools and features available in each of AdminStudio’s editions.

Edition

Feature Type

Tools

Functionality

STANDARD 

General

Repackager

Repackage applications into Windows Installer format

Perform basic ISO tagging, including creation of tag files

Package Distribution Wizard

Prepare packages for distribution

InstallShield 2019 R2 (Professional Edition)

Customize Windows Installer packages by either directly editing them or by creating transforms

Tuner

Customize Windows Installer packages by creating transforms

Application Isolation Wizard

Resolve component versioning conflicts

Application Virtualization

Automated Application Converter (Single Application Version)

Conversion Wizard (Single Application Version)

Convert a package to a virtual application in the following formats:

Microsoft App-V (4.x and 5.1)
Citrix XenApp
VMware ThinApp (4.x and 5.x)

Convert one package at a time

Virtual Package Editor

Edit App-V packages

Microsoft App-V Assistant

ThinApp Assistant

Citrix Assistant

Create a customized virtual package from an InstallShield project

PROFESSIONAL 

Same as Standard Edition, plus: 

General

Application Manager / Home Tab

Manage applications in an Application Manager database

Manage a package’s ConfigMgr (Formerly Called as Software Center Configuration Manager) (2012 or ConfigMgr 1906) and Symantec Altiris Client Management Suite deployment data

View an application’s ConfigMgr (Formerly Called as Software Center Configuration Manager) (2012 or ConfigMgr 1906) deployment status

Perform advanced ISO tag file creation, editing, and storage

Application Manager / Analyze Tab

Perform tests in the following categories:

Windows Installer Internal Consistency Evaluators
Windows Installer Best Practices
Application Conflicts

Test and fix one package at a time

Distribution Wizard

Publish applications to ConfigMgr (Formerly Called as Software Center Configuration Manager) (2012 or ConfigMgr 1906) and Symantec Altiris Management Server.

OS Snapshot Wizard

Capture basic operating system configuration in an OS Snapshot, which can be imported into the Application Manager to check for potential OS conflicts

QualityMonitor

Perform Windows Installer testing, including testing in a locked down environment

Automated Application Converter (Single Application Version)

Conversion Wizard (Single Application Version)

Automatically repackage a legacy package (.exe) into a Windows Installer package (.msi)

Repackage one package at a time

Test on Virtual Machine Wizard

Automatically launch a specified virtual machine and install a selected Windows Installer (.msi), App-V package (.appv), or installation executable (.exe) package for testing.

PROFESSIONAL 

(Continued)

Application Virtualization

Enhancements to Application Manager / Home Tab

Import virtual packages into Application Manager

View virtual package data in Application Manager

Manage ConfigMgr (Formerly Called as Software Center Configuration Manager) (2012 or ConfigMgr 1906) deployment data for App-V 4.x and 5.1 packages

Manage Citrix XenApp Server deployment data for Citrix XenApp profiles and App-V 4.x packages

Manage Symantec Altiris Client Management Suite deployment data for Symantec Workspace and VMware ThinApp packages

Manage App-V Server deployment data for App-V 4.x and 5.1 packages

Enhancements to Application Manager / Analyze Tab

Test packages for compatibility to be virtualized to App-V, ThinApp, and XenApp formats

Test App-V packages for best practices

Test App-V packages for conflicts with other packages

Enhancements to Distribution Wizard

Publish applications containing App-V 4.x and 5.1 packages to Microsoft App-V Server

Publish applications containing App-V packages to ConfigMgr (Formerly Called as Software Center Configuration Manager) (2012 or ConfigMgr 1906) and Citrix XenApp Server

Publish applications containing Citrix XenApp profiles and App-V 4.x packages to Citrix XenApp Server

Publish applications containing Symantec Workspace and VMware ThinApp packages to Symantec Altiris Client Management Suite Server

PROFESSIONAL 

(Continued)

Application Compatibility Testing

Enhancements to Application Manager / Analyze Tab

Test packages for compatibility with the following operating systems:

Windows 7 (32-bit and 64‑bit)
Windows 8.1 (32-bit and 64-bit)
Windows 10 1903 (32 bit and 64 bit)
Windows 10 1909 (32 bit and 64 bit)
Windows 10 1709 (32 bit and 64 bit)
Windows 10 1803 (32 bit and 64 bit)
Windows 10 1809 (and 2019 LTSC) (32 bit and 64 bit)
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2
Windows Server 2016

On the Operating System Compatibility tab of the Analyze Deployment Type View, you can see detailed data for only the last package tested; for all other packages in the Application Manager, this tab is blank (even if the package has been previously tested)

Ability to display Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) database test results on ACT Summary tab of the Analyze Deployment Type View

Mobile App and macOS Support

Enhancements to Application Manager / Home Tab

Import of the following macOS desktop applications into the Application Manager:
Apple installer package (.pkg file)
Apple disk image (.dmg file)
Mac App Store app (public store link)
Import of the following mobile app formats into the Application Manager:
Apple iOS mobile apps (local and public store link)
Google Android mobile apps (local and public store link)
Microsoft Windows Store mobile apps (local and public store link)

PROFESSIONAL 

(Continued)

Mobile App and macOS Support

(Continued)

Enhancements to Application Manager / Home Tab

(Continued)

Ability to import iOS Enterprise Policy Configuration files, view their settings, and determine the policy compatibility of iOS mobile apps.
Ability to view iOS and Android mobile app reporting on feature use, device compatibility, and OS compatibility.
Ability to customize Apple Installer Package PKG installer settings
Ability to view deployment data for Windows Store mobile apps, including detection methods and framework customizations
Ability to manage AirWatch Server deployment data for both Apple iOS and Google Android mobile apps (local and public store link)
Ability to view and modify Casper deployment settings for macOS desktop applications

Enhancements to Application Manager / Analyze Tab

Test Apple iOS mobile apps for best practices
Test Apple iOS, Microsoft Windows, and Google Android mobile apps for risk assessment
Test Apple iOS, Microsoft Windows, and Google Android mobile apps for operating system compatibility
Test macOS desktop applications (.pkg, .dmg, and Mac App Store apps) for operating system compatibility and best practices

Enhancements to Distribution Wizard

Ability to publish applications containing the following mobile app formats to ConfigMgr (Formerly Called as Software Center Configuration Manager) (2012 R2 or ConfigMgr 1906) and AirWatch Server:

Apple iOS mobile apps (local and public store link)
Google Android mobile apps (local and public store link)

Ability to publish applications containing the following mobile app format to ConfigMgr (Formerly Called as Software Center Configuration Manager) (2012 R2 or ConfigMgr 1906):

Windows Store (local and public store link)
Microsoft UWP app packages (.appx)

 

 

 

Ability to publish applications containing the following package formats to JAMF Casper Suite:

Mac App Store app (public store link)
Apple installer package (.pkg file)
Apple disk image (.dmg file)

ENTERPRISE 

Same as Professional Edition, plus: 

General

InstallShield 2019 (Premier Edition instead of Professional Edition)

Advanced customization of Windows Installer packages by either directly editing them or by creating transforms

Application Manager / Reports Tab

Advanced reports including detailed summary and dashboard reports on Analyze test results, package data, and deployment information

Platform API

Use to integrate your existing .NET applications or scripting environments like Microsoft PowerShell with AdminStudio

Software Repository

Secure storage system for AdminStudio package data, including version management

Reports (Web Tool)

Generate reports on packages stored in the Application Manager, including reports using custom SQL queries

Security Console (Web Tool)

Manage AdminStudio user accounts and directory services

Manage AdminStudio roles and permissions

Automated Application Converter (Multiple Application Version)

Conversion Wizard (Multiple Application Version)

Automatically repackage legacy packages (.exe) into Windows Installer packages (.msi)

Ability to perform automated repackaging of multiple packages at a time

Application Virtualization

Automated Application Converter (Multiple Application Version)

Conversion Wizard (Multiple Application Version)

Ability to perform automated conversion of multiple packages at a time

 

 

 

 

Enhancements to Application Manager / Reports

Includes the Application Virtualization Compatibility Dashboard report

The Application Readiness Dashboard includes an Application Virtualization Compatibility summary chart and App-V Best Practices and App‑V Conflicts test results summary charts.

ENTERPRISE 

(Continued)

Application Compatibility Testing

Enhancements to Application Manager / Analyze Tab

Ability to test and fix multiple packages or groups of packages simultaneously

Ability to view package-level test details for Operating System Compatibility and Browser Compatibility tests for all packages in the Application Manager, not just the last one tested

Import of web applications and web deploy packages into the Application Manager

Test web applications for compatibility with the following browsers:

Internet Explorer 11
Microsoft Edge

Test web deploy packages for compatibility with the following platforms:

Windows Server 2012 R2
Windows Server 2016
Microsoft Azure Application Services

Test web deploy packages for best practices.

Test web deploy packages for browser compatibility.

Enhancements to Application Manager / Reports

Display of Microsoft ACT database test results on the Reports tab

Enhancements to Platform API

Ability to use the Test-ASPackage and Resolve-ASPackage Platform API commands to perform batch package testing and issue resolution.

System Requirements

This section lists the requirements for the AdminStudio machine, Application Catalog database server, Web server, and virtual machines.

Compatibility Summary
AdminStudio Machine
Distribution Systems
Application Catalog Database Server
AdminStudio Enterprise Server / Workflow Manager Server
Automated Application Converter

Compatibility Summary

AdminStudio 2019 supports the following versions of the listed software.

Category

Item

Supported Versions

Operating System for:

AdminStudio 
Standalone Repackager 
Standalone Tuner 

Microsoft Windows

Windows 7
Windows 8.1
Windows 10 1903 (32 bit and 64 bit)
Windows 10 1909 (32 bit and 64 bit)
Windows 10 1709 (32 bit and 64 bit)
Windows 10 1803 (32 bit and 64 bit)
Windows 10 1809 (and 2019 LTSC) (32 bit and 64 bit)
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2012
Windows Server 2012 R2
Windows Server 2016

AdminStudio Web Server Operating System (AdminStudio Enterprise Server, AdminStudio Inventory and Rationalization, Workflow Manager)

Microsoft Windows Server

Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2012
Windows Server 2012 R2
Windows Server 2016

Application Catalog Database

Microsoft SQL Server

2008 R2
2012
2016
2017

Flexera Software Product Integration

FlexNet Manager Platform / FlexNet Manager Suite (On Premises)

9.2 SP1 or later

FlexNet Manager Suite (Cloud)

2014 or later

App Portal

7.5.3 or later

Workflow Manager

2015 or later

Flexera Service Gateway

1.0 or later

Virtual Machines for Virtualization

VMware Workstation

6.5 or later

VMware ESXi

VMware ESX/ESXi Server, Version 5.5 or later

VMware vSphere

5.5

Microsoft Hyper-V Server

2008 R2 or later

Virtual Formats

App-V

App-V 4.5 through 5.1

VMware ThinApp

4.x and 5x

Microsoft App-V Sequencer

App-V Sequencer

5.1

Desktop Distribution (Applications)

ConfigMgr (Formerly Called as Software Center Configuration Manager)

2007, 2012 R2, 2012 R2 SP1, ConfigMgr 1906

Microsoft App-V Server

5.1

Symantec Altiris Client Management Suite

7.5

Citrix XenApp Server

6.5

Desktop Distribution (Packages)

Novell ZENworks Configuration Management

10 and 11

LANDESK Management Suite

9

ConfigMgr (Formerly Called as Software Center Configuration Manager)

2007, 2012 R2, 2012 R2 SP1, Current Branch

Altiris Notification Server

6.5

Marimba NCP

4.7.2

Mobile Distribution

AirWatch Server

6.5

Microsoft App-V Server

5.1

ConfigMgr (Formerly Called as Software Center Configuration Manager)

2012 R2, 2012 R2 SP1

Desktop Operating Systems

Supported for compatibility testing

Windows

7 (32-bit and 64-bit)
8.1 (32-bit and 64-bit)
10 1903 (32 bit and 64 bit)
10 1909 (32 bit and 64 bit)
10 1709 (32 bit and 64 bit)
10 1803 (32 bit and 64 bit)
10 1809 (and 2019 LTSC) (32 bit and 64 bit)

Windows Server

2008 R2
2012
2016

Mac OS

10.11 (El Capitan)
10.12 (Sierra)

Mobile Operating Systems

Supported for compatibility testing

Apple iOS

6 (32-bit)
7 (32-bit and 64-bit)
8 (32-bit and 64-bit)
9 (32-bit and 64-bit)
10 (32-bit and 64-bit)

Google Android

4.1 Jelly Bean
4.2 Jelly Bean
4.3 Jelly Bean
4.4 KitKat
5.0 Lollipop
6.0 Marshmallow
7.0 Nougat

Windows Phone

8.1
10

Internet Browsers

Supported for browser compatibility testing

Microsoft Internet Explorer

11

Microsoft Edge

Current version

Internet Browsers

For viewing AdminStudio Enterprise Server, AdminStudio Inventory and Rationalization, and Workflow Manager

Mozilla Firefox

Firefox for Windows 25.0 or later

Google Chrome

Chrome for Windows 33.0 or later

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Microsoft Internet Explorer 9.0 or later

Microsoft Edge

Current version

Apple Safari

Safari for Mac OS X and iOS

Mobile Devices

Apple iOS Devices

iPad WiFi
iPad 2 3G and iPad 2 WiFi
iPad Third Gen and iPad Third Gen 4G
IPad Fourth Gen and iPad Fourth Gen 4G
iPad Fifth Gen and iPad Fifth Gen 4G
iPad Sixth Gen and iPad Sixth Gen LTE
iPad Pro 9.7, 9.7 LTE
iPad Pro 12.9, 12.9 LTE
iPad Mini
iPad Mini 3 and iPad Mini 3LTE
iPad Mini 4G
iPad Mini 4 and 4LTE
iPad Mini Retina and iPad Mini Retina 4G
iPhone 4S
iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and iPhone 5s
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus
iPhone SE

Google Android Devices

Samsung Galaxy Grand 2
Google Nexus 5, 5X, 6, 6P, 9
Samsung Galaxy Note 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Samsung Galaxy Note Pro
Samsung Galaxy S4, S5, S7
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, 3

Windows Phone Devices

Microsoft Lumia535
Microsoft Lumia 930
Microsoft SurfacePro 3

API

PowerShell

4.x

Application Compatibility

Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT)

5.6

AdminStudio Machine

The following table lists the recommended system configuration for a machine running AdminStudio.

Item

Description

Processor

32-bit or 64-bit processor at 2 GHz or greater

Note • All of the AdminStudio tools run on 64-bit Windows operating systems. To repackage 64-bit applications or create 64-bit App-V packages, install AdminStudio on a 64-bit Windows operating system.

RAM

4 GB

Hard Disk

4 GB of free space

Display

Designed for XGA at 1024 x 768 resolution or higher

Note • For the best user experience, a monitor resolution of 1920 x 1080 or greater is recommended.

MSXML

MSXML 6.0

Note • MSXML is installed by the AdminStudio installer.

Operating Systems

Windows 7
Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
Windows 10
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016

Note • Support for Windows Vista was removed due to a modification made by Microsoft. For more information, see the following articles:

An ADO application does not run on down-level operating systems after you recompile it on a computer that is running Windows 7 SP 1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP 1 or that has KB983246 installed [Microsoft Article 2517589] 
A Better Solution for the Windows 7 SP1 ADO GUID Changes 

Browser

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 or later

Privileges

Administrative privileges on the system

Distribution Systems

AdminStudio supports distribution of both applications and packages.

Application Distribution

AdminStudio supports the following distribution systems for the distribution of applications.

Distribution System

Support Version(s)

ConfigMgr (Formerly Called as Software Center Configuration Manager)

2007, 2012 R2, 2012 R2 SP1, 1710

Symantec Altiris Client Management Suite

7.5

JAMF Casper Suite Server

9.9

Citrix XenApp Server

6.5

AirWatch Server

6.5 [Mobile applications only]

Microsoft App-V Server

5.1

Note • In order for you to distribute packages to a Microsoft App-V Server, the WinRM service must be running, and the App-V Server must be in the list of trusted hosts. Both of these can be accomplished from PowerShell by running the following command:

set-item wsman:\localhost\Client\TrustedHosts –value <Machine Name>

Package Distribution

AdminStudio supports the following distribution systems for the distribution of packages using the Legacy Distribution Wizard.

Distribution System

Supported Versions

Altiris Notification Server

Version 6.5

LANDESK Management Suite

Version 9

Novell ZENworks Configuration Management

Versions 10 and 11

ConfigMgr (Formerly Called as Software Center Configuration Manager)

2007, 2012 R2, 2012 R2 SP1, 1710 and ConfigMgr 1906

Application Catalog Database Server

The following table lists the recommended system configuration for a database server to store AdminStudio Application Catalog databases.

Note • While minimum requirements are listed below, the recommended system configuration for a database server is dependent upon the number of users and the number of packages that will be imported into the Application Catalog database.

Item

Description

Processor

32-bit or 64-bit processor at 2 GHz or greater

RAM

4 GB or greater (8 GB preferred)

Hard Disk Space

80 GB or greater

Operating System

Windows Server 2008 R2 or later (Windows Server 2012 or later preferred)

Database Software

SQL Server 2008 R2 or later databases, including SQL Server 2012, SQL Server 2014, SQL Server 2016, and SQL Server 2017.

Dictionary sort order—SQL Server must be installed with case-insensitive dictionary sort order 52 on Code Page 1252 for non-Unicode data. For more information, use the sp_helpsort T-SQL command, which returns the following:

Latin1-General, case-insensitive, accent-sensitive, kanatype-insensitive, width-insensitive for Unicode Data, SQL Server Sort Order 52 on Code Page 1252 for non-Unicode data

Collation settingSQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS is the required collation setting for AdminStudio database server. It is the only supported collation.

Note • Before attempting to connect to an existing Microsoft SQL Server, open SQL Server Configuration Manager and make sure that the following three protocols are enabled:

Shared Memory
Named Pipes
TCP/IP

AdminStudio Enterprise Server / Workflow Manager Server

The following table lists the system requirements for the Web server that hosts the Workflow Manager Data Web service and the actual Workflow Manager Web site and/or AdminStudio Enterprise Server.

Note • While minimum requirements are listed below, the recommended system configuration for this web server is dependent upon the number of users.

Item

Description

Processor

32-bit or 64-bit processor at 2 GHz or greater

Note • AdminStudio Enterprise Server / Workflow Manager runs in 32-bit mode on a 64-bit OS.

RAM

4 GB or greater (8 GB preferred)

Hard Disk Space

100 GB or greater

Operating System

Windows Server 2008 R2 or later / English base language (Windows Server 2012 or later preferred)

IIS

IIS 7.0 or later

.NET

.NET Framework 4.0

MSXML

MSXML 6.0

Note • MSXML is installed by the AdminStudio Enterprise Server / Workflow Manager installer.

Automated Application Converter

This section lists the requirements for the virtual machines used by Automated Application Converter to perform repackaging. Also, the software requirements for specific virtual technologies are listed.

Virtual Machine Requirements
Virtual Technology Requirements

Virtual Machine Requirements

Edition • Automated Application Converter is included with AdminStudio Application Virtualization.

Automated Application Converter performs automated repackaging on virtual machines. This section lists the virtual machine platform and virtual machine image system requirements.

Supported Virtual Machine Platforms
VMware Requirements
Microsoft Hyper-V Server Requirements
Virtual Machine Image Requirements

Supported Virtual Machine Platforms

The Automated Application Converter supports automated repackaging on virtual machines from the following platforms:

VMware ESX/ESXi Server, Version 5.5 or later
VMware Workstation 6.5 or later
VMware vSphere 5.5
Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 or later

VMware Requirements

As described above, Automated Application Converter supports automated repackaging on VMware ESX/ESXi Server and VMware Workstation.

VMware REST API Requirement
VMware ESX/ESXi Server Permission Requirements
vSphere 5.5 Account Requirements

VMware REST API Requirement

In order for Automated Application Converter to perform automated repackaging, it needs to communicate with the virtualization technology that you are using. If you are using VMware virtualization technology (VMware ESX or ESXi Server or a local VMware Workstation), the VMware REST APIs needs to be enabled on the same machine as the Automated Application Converter.

Note • When using VMware Workstation, it is recommended that you install VMware Workstation on the same machine as Automated Application Converter so that Automated Application Converter will use the version of the REST API that was designed for that specific version of VMware Workstation. Although it is likely that newer versions of the REST API will also work, it seems that the best approach is for Automated Application Converter to use the version of the REST API that was bundled with your version of VMware Workstation.

VMware ESX/ESXi Server Permission Requirements

If you plan to use a VMware ESX/ESXi Server in conjunction with Automated Application Converter, make sure that the account that you use to log in to this server has the permissions/roles needed to automatically open a VM using VMware REST API. The account needs to either have an administrator role assigned or, at least, have the following three roles assigned:

All Privileges/Virtual Machine/State/Create Snapshot
All Privileges/Virtual Machine/State/Delete Snapshot
All Privileges/Virtual Machine/Interaction/Console Interaction

If the login account does not have these permissions/roles, Automated Application Converter will be unable to automatically boot up a virtual machine on that server.

vSphere 5.5 Account Requirements

In order to make Automated Application Converter (AAC) work with VMware virtual machines residing under vSphere 5.5, there are certain minimum permissions required for the vSphere user account. To assign these permissions to a vSphere user account, perform the following steps:

To configure a vSphere 5.5 account to be used with Automated Application Converter:

1. In vSphere 5.5, open the Assign Permissions dialog box and assign a user the Virtual machine power user (sample) role, which consists of the following permissions:

Category

Permission

Datastore

Browse datastore

 

Global

Cancel task

 

Scheduled task

Create task
Modify task
Remove task
Run task

Virtual machine > Configuration

Add existing disk
Add new disk
Add or remove device
Advanced
Change CPU count
Change resource
Disk lease
Memory
Modify device settings
Remove disk
Rename
Reset guest information
Settings
Upgrade virtual machine compatibility

Virtual machine > Interaction

Answer question
Configure CD media
Configure floppy media
Console interaction
Device connection
Guest operating system management by REST API
Power off
Power on
Reset
Suspend
VMware Tools install

Virtual machine > Snapshot management

Create snapshot
Remove snapshot
Rename snapshot
Revert to snapshot
2. Also give the user account read-only access to the rest of the server.

Microsoft Hyper-V Server Requirements

As described above, Automated Application Converter supports automated repackaging on Microsoft Hyper-V Server. When preparing a Hyper-V Server for use with Automated Application Converter, make sure that the following conditions are met:

Configuration tools—Verify that the Hyper-V configuration tools are installed on the Hyper-V server machine. These tools can be installed using the Microsoft Hyper-V Management Console.
Connection—Verify that you can successfully connect to the Hyper-V Server from the machine where AdminStudio Automated Application Converter is installed.
Permissions—Make sure that the Hyper-V Server user has the following permissions to perform operations on the Hyper-V machines:
Permission to create/restore/delete VM snapshots
Permission to start and stop virtual machines
Permission to access console sessions
Configuration settings—Connecting to a WMI namespace on a remote computer running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 may require changes to configuration settings. Check the following configuration settings on the AdminStudio machine as well as on the Hyper-V Server machine:
Windows Firewall Settings
User Account Control (UAC) Settings
DCOM Settings
Common Information Model Object Manager (CIMOM) Settings

For detailed information, see Connecting to WMI Remotely at:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa822854(VS.85).aspx

Virtual Machine Image Requirements

Automated Application Converter uses virtual machines to perform automated repackaging. These virtual machines have the following requirements:

Virtual Machine System Requirements

When creating a virtual machine image that will be hosted on one of the virtual machine platforms listed above, the recommended minimum requirements should meet those required by the applications you are trying to repackage. Since you repackage on the target deployment platform, the virtual machine image should closely resemble the target deployment environment.

Preparing Your Virtual Machines for Use With the Automated Application Converter

You need to prepare each virtual machine that you are going to use with the Automated Application Converter to perform automated repackaging by running the Virtual Machine Preparation setup and by creating a snapshot. For instructions, see Preparing Your Virtual Machines for Use With the Automated Application Converter.

Virtual Technology Requirements

In order to convert to some virtual formats, there are some software requirements:

Virtual Format

Requirement

App-V 5.1

Conversion—To convert a package to App-V 5.1 format using Automated Application Converter’s App-V 5.x with Sequencer method, the Microsoft Application Virtualization 5.1 Sequencer must be installed on the virtual machine where the conversion will take place.
Upgrade—To upgrade an imported App-V 4.x package to App-V 5.1 format directly from Application Manager using the App-V Upgrade Wizard, the Microsoft Application Virtualization 5.1 Sequencer must be installed on the same machine as AdminStudio.
Testing—To test an App-V package using Automated Application Converter, the Microsoft Application Virtualization 5.1 Client must be installed on the same machine as AdminStudio.

VMware ThinApp

To convert a package to VMware ThinApp format, VMware ThinApp must be installed on the same machine as AdminStudio, and all license agreements must have been accepted.

Downloading AdminStudio Installers

You can download the installers for AdminStudio, AdminStudio Service Packs, Standalone Repackager, Standalone Quality Monitor, and the FlexNet Licensing Server from the Flexera Software Product and License Center:

https://flexerasoftware.flexnetoperations.com 

For information on using the Flexera Software Product and License Center, see the Download and License Overview for AdminStudio:

http://www.flexerasoftware.com/downloads/instructions/productlicensing/en/adminstudio.htm

AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP 1 Evaluation Restrictions

When you run AdminStudio in trial/evaluation mode, all of the features in the AdminStudio Enterprise Edition tools are fully available, with the following restrictions:

Can create only one Application Catalog—You are permitted to create only one Application Catalog, and it must be named AdminStudio Evaluation Catalog.
Ten package import limit—Only 10 total packages (of one or more deployment types) can be imported into the Application Catalog.
Package deletion not permitted—After you import a package into the Application Catalog, you are not permitted to delete it.
AdminStudio Platform API support is disabled—All platform support is disabled.

Resolved Issues

This section lists the customer issues that were resolved in the following versions of AdminStudio:

AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1
AdminStudio 2019 R2
AdminStudio 2019

AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1

The following table lists the customer issues that were resolved in AdminStudio 2019 R2 SP1:

Issue

Description

IOJ-2075275

AdminStudio 2019 R2, The Software Manager does not recognize this product.

IOJ-2071551

Creating MSIX project in Adminstudio --> Installshield shows -9009

IOJ-1992541

Issue with AdminStudio Test Configuration Wizard Available Tests selection

IOJ-1930616

Wisescript Package Editor should have all menu options(File, Edit, Debug, Tools, View, Help) when launched from Tools in Application Manager

IOJ-1912414

Ability to detect the presence of uninstall executable in the packages in repackager

IOJ-1899541

Message Regarding Evaluation Limitations

IOJ-1863247

Import issues with database that has a language other than English (US)

AdminStudio 2019 R2

The following table lists the customer issues that were resolved in AdminStudio 2019 R2

Issue

Description

IOJ-1987675

An Exception Object reference not set to an instance of an object is thrown after clicking on the Select Tests to Execute in the Analyze tab

IOJ-1921570

Error while trying to distribute Dell Bios updates to SCCM 1810 branch (German)

IOJ-1909256

Self Hosted License File is Invalid When Hyper-V is Enabled

AdminStudio 2019

The following table lists the customer issues that were resolved in AdminStudio 2019.

Issue

Description

IOJ-1914963

After running all the selected tests successfully, 'overall Test Results for Windows Installer Packages report' displays no data when an MSI package is imported along with more than one mst.

IOJ-1914457

Execute- MSI command line missing '\' after $dirFiles for transforms in Deploy-Application.ps1 under 'Perform Installation tasks here' section for MSI packages when wrapped to Ps1.

IOJ-1913460

Unable to Digitally Sign MSIX through Repackager as it throws an Warning "Warning: Either Pfx file or password is invalid,you may sign the package again after importing using context menu"

IOJ-1906270

Adminstudio 2018 R3 AAC crashing when attempting to use with vSphere

IOJ-1898125

More detailed messaging regarding permission checks on the database

IOJ-1896724

Make PowerShell Documentation more clear regarding licensing

IOJ-1892537

AAC Crash with Application Catalog using Software Repository

IOJ-1890197

Error when clicking on Select Tests to Execute

IOJ-1873175

Add Package version column to Operating System Compatibility Reports

IOJ-1863970

Reimport of MSI generates Software ID tag with the enable creation of Software ID tags option disabled

IOJ-1851535

Importing from SCCM will always generate the Software ID tag even if option to create the tag is disabled

IOJ-1851327

Add-AppvClientPackage fails after opening and saving without editing with Virtual Package Editor

IOJ-1848188

AdminStudio Fails to Install under System Context

IOJ-1846065

Specific tests for each Windows 10 build

IOJ-1845456

Packages that are managed by the Software Repository cannot be wrapped with PowerShell

IOJ-1839026

Issues importing specific application – ABB Test Signal Viewer

IOJ-1829427

AAC Logs

IOJ-1805625

Installation Monitoring not capturing all files without an extension (Package specific)

IOJ-1641260

Repackager's command line option -app launches Repackager with path enclosed in double quotes

Known Issues

In AdminStudio 2019 release, the following known issues are identified:

MSIX conversion using Remote Repackager
MSIX conversion using Automated Application Converter

MSIX conversion using Remote Repackager

In AdminStudio 2019, when you convert .msi or .exe packages to MSIX package using Remote Repackager tool, you cannot sign the packages during the conversion process.

MSIX conversion using Automated Application Converter

In AdminStudio 2019, when you convert .msi or .exe packages to MSIX package using Automated Application Converter tool in a remote machine,

The MSIX conversion will not happen in the following condition:

If you change MSIX readiness status from Ready to Required Packaging, when both the MSIX readiness and Virtualization readiness status are Ready.

Legal Information

Copyright Notice

Copyright © 2019 Flexera

This publication contains proprietary and confidential information and creative works owned by Flexera and its licensors, if any. Any use, copying, publication, distribution, display, modification, or transmission of such publication in whole or in part in any form or by any means without the prior express written permission of Flexera is strictly prohibited. Except where expressly provided by Flexera in writing, possession of this publication shall not be construed to confer any license or rights under any Flexera intellectual property rights, whether by estoppel, implication, or otherwise.

All copies of the technology and related information, if allowed by Flexera, must display this notice of copyright and ownership in full.

Intellectual Property

For a list of trademarks and patents that are owned by Flexera, see https://www.flexera.com/producer/company/about/intellectual-property/. All other brand and product names mentioned in Flexera products, product documentation, and marketing materials are the trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Restricted Rights Legend

The Software is commercial computer software. If the user or licensee of the Software is an agency, department, or other entity of the United States Government, the use, duplication, reproduction, release, modification, disclosure, or transfer of the Software, or any related documentation of any kind, including technical data and manuals, is restricted by a license agreement or by the terms of this Agreement in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 12.212 for civilian purposes and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 227.7202 for military purposes. The Software was developed fully at private expense. All other use is prohibited.