App-V 5.0 Connection Groups
My favorite feature of Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) 5.0 is Connection Groups. In previous versions of App-V 5.0, Connection Groups were referred to as Dynamic Suite Composition. Connection Groups allows businesses to connect separately packaged App-V applications, enabling them to communicate with each other and with traditionally installed applications. This gives businesses the best of both worlds, providing isolation – reducing conflict and time spent regression testing – yet allowing applications to interact and communicate when needed.
The Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) 5.0 Management Console allows you to create connections between applications. It allows the applications to communicate with each other while they run in the virtual environment.
Use the following procedure to create and publish App-V 5.0 connection groups.
To create a connection group
Open the App-V 5.0 management console and select Packages.
Select CONNECTION GROUPS to display the Connection Groups library.
Select ADD CONNECTION GROUP to create a new connection group.
In the New Connection Group pane, type a description for the group.
Click EDIT in the CONNECTED PACKAGES pane to add a new application to the connection group. In the PACKAGES Entire Library pane, select the application to be added and click the arrow to add the application.
To remove an application, select the application to be removed in the PACKAGES IN pane and click the arrow.
You can reprioritize the applications in your connection group by using the arrows in the PACKAGES IN pane.
After you have added all the applications and configured AD access, click Apply.
To publish a connection group
Open the App-V 5.0 management console and select Packages, and then select CONNECTION GROUPS.
Right-click the connection group to be removed and select Publish.