In the first blog of this two-part series, we described the landmark events that occurred in the application management space in November 2024. Full details are in our previous blog, but here is a summary:
- App-V will continue as a supported product after Microsoft reversed a decision to timetable its end-of-life in 2026. App-V will now be available indefinitely with support and security updates, although there will be no further development of the product.
- App attach has been opened up by Microsoft beyond MSIX. This means you can now use app attach for the deployment of other application packaging formats to Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), including App-V as well as formats from Microsoft’s competitors Liquidware FlexApp, Numecent Cloudpaging, and Omnissa App Volumes.
These are big changes that will have real-world impacts on the strategies and decisions taken by technology leaders in the coming months and years. After all, for organisations with large application estates, delivery management is incredibly complex. Microsoft’s announcements and the adjacent announcements by Liquidware, Numecent, and Omnissa have, for some, reduced those complexities.
What else can we deduce from the changes announced in November 2024? What are the motivations, especially in relation to Microsoft? And, most importantly, what are the implications for your business?
Why this Happened
While the announcements in November 2024 were substantial, they were also predictable. Access IT Automation Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, David Butler-McAllister, predicted back in 2022 that Microsoft would have to open up app attach to other application formats as competitor options offered greater flexibility, among other benefits. He also predicted that opening up app attach would accelerate adoption of AVD.
And many in the industry have long believed that deprecating App-V simply wasn’t viable as its Microsoft replacement, MSIX, wasn’t gaining traction fast enough. Even with the end-of-life date fast approaching, organisations remain wedded to App-V. For Microsoft, the decisions to maintain App-V and open up app attach appear quite sensible, but there is another major motivation to highlight – the adoption of AVD.
The Winners
Accelerating the adoption of AVD within as many organisations as possible is a key priority for Microsoft. Once a company becomes a customer of Microsoft on an Azure pathway, the buy-in for the tech giant, both literally and metaphorically, is long-term and lucrative.
So, the big winner in all this is Microsoft.
Liquidware, Numecent, and Omnissa
What about Liquidware, Numecent, and Omnissa? The integration with app attach is undoubtedly a positive development as Liquidware, Numecent, and Omnissa customers can now continue to use their preferred application packaging format when migrating to AVD.
While this is an excellent marketing opportunity, another opportunity, App-V’s end-of-life, has been taken away by Microsoft’s decision to retain this legacy but trusted format. Organisations can, of course, decide that a Microsoft alternative platform offers benefits worth investing in, but the urgency element has been eliminated with the decision to keep App-V alive
Liquidware, Numecent, and Omnissa will have to focus heavily on the value-added features of their platforms alongside the convenience of app attach integration.
The Implications for Your Business
All the permutations and potential outcomes are almost certainly beneficial for Microsoft, especially as it prioritises Azure adoption. There is also a path for application delivery vendors to come out of this stronger. For organisations and IT leaders, the changes are almost entirely positive. If you are not planning a migration to AVD, there will be no impact on your strategy. However, if you are planning an AVD migration, you now have considerably more options available.
In fact, 2025 looks set to be the year of app management choice!
Whatever way you choose to go and whatever technologies you choose to use, Access Capture will automate, streamline, and improve the quality of application packaging, testing, and publishing processes in your organisation. With the flexibility of our APIs and off-the-shelf compatibility with ALL potential package formats, Access Capture will be by your side as you navigate your way to more efficient and less costly application management and delivery.
