First App-V 4.6 SP1 Package Accelerators Released

With the availability of the first upgrade for the latest version of Microsoft Application Virtualization, Microsoft also started offering customers the first App-V Package Accelerators.

App-V 4.6 SP1 RTM was released the past week as a part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 2011, but the service pack is also available as a standalone upgrade through the Microsoft Download Center.

The advent of App-V 4.6 SP1 brought to the table App-V Package Accelerators, resources designed to streamline the creation of software packages using the virtualization solution.

“These App-V Package Accelerators helps you create an App-V package for software. By following the wizard in the App-V Sequencer, you can easily create a new package by using this Package Accelerator,” the company stated.

Among the feature for Package Accelerator that the software giant enumerated are a set of “easy to follow instructions; repeatable deterministic App-V Package Creation; [and] no complex Prescriptive Guidance to follow.”

For the time being, there are two Package Accelerators offered by the Redmond company. Customers can leverage the App-V Package Accelerator for Adobe Reader 9.4 or the App-V Package Accelerator for Microsoft Project Professional 2010 on Windows 7.

Initially, Microsoft had promised that the first Package Accelerators for Project, Adobe Reader and Office 2010 will be offered in April 2011.

It appears that with the first releases already available, the company now needs only to provide the Package Accelerators for Office by the end of next month.

“Package Accelerators are a new capability with App-V, which I think is the most exciting aspect of this news. The Package Accelerators give IT pros and ISVs a way to covert traditional applications directly into App-V. Basically, it speeds up application packaging and App-V deployment, making the move to Windows 7 all the more easier,” noted J.C. Hornbeck, System Center Knowledge Engineer.

App-V 4.6 SP1 Package Accelerators are available for download here.

Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.6 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RTM is available for download here.