Thursday, November 22, 2018

Microsoft acquires FSLogix

Ø  FSLogix specializes in solving common challenges seen in virtual desktop environments when deploying Office 365 and non-persistent desktops
Ø  FSL was in initial days focused on tech called Cloaking for application management in Windows world (turn on and off individual applications)
Ø  One use case of Cloaking is that you can build a single base Windows image that actually has all your apps in it & you can use that single base image for all your users. Depending on the rights of the user when they log in, the cloaking software will automatically hide and un-hide the right combination of apps the user needs, it works for both physical and VDI
Ø  To enable cloaking FSL has File System Filter Driver, which is managed by a set of rules that you configure via the FSLogix Apps RuleEditor
Ø  To address the problem of Large windows base Image FSL created App Containers, which is similar to what AppVolumes is doing
Ø  App Container is used in something that FSL call Profile Containers. By creating a VHD for each user’s profile with FSL’s Profile Migration Utility, one can connect to Outlook OST files solving the issue of OST caching and the behavior of Outlook in online mode when used with Office 365
Ø  The way FSL interacts with the VHD you only have to open up one SMB connection to the VHD, rather than mounting it as a sort of network drive.
o   Solving Outlook search so you can search for any of your emails easily.
o   Roam OneDrive for Business user data between PCs to negate the need to resync that data each time you log on to a different PC.
o   Skype for Business Global Address List (GAL) roaming.
Ø  A key feature of FSL Office Containers is their ability to enable Cached Exchange Mode for Outlook in RDSH and non-persistent VDI env
Ø  Windows Virtual Desktop , Announced sep ~ 2018 in Ignite
o   It’s delivered via Azure (speed, scale, security, and compliance).
o   It’s the only cloud-based service that delivers a multi-user Windows 10 experience
o   It can be used for Office 365 Pro Plus

For many years, Citrix and more recently VMware have owned the desktop virtualization market, MS had limited investment into the market, leaving both Citrix and VMware be the leader but now MS looks to be working actively in the space. 1st Windows Virtual Desktop then Multiuser windows 10 and now FSL. Giving credence to the notion that endpoint OS belongs to DC

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