AppStacks is a bunch of applications and data bundled into read-only containers that can be assigned to users, groups, or accounts and delivered through them.
Despite the documentation states that you can configure up to 10 AppStacks per user/machine, it is recommended to keep less than 5 to keep the login time acceptable.
Blog series
VMware App Volumes 4 installation - pt.1
VMware App Volumes 4 configuration - pt.2
VMware App Volumes 4 Writable Volumes configuration - pt.3
VMware App Volumes 4 AppStacks configuration - pt.4
Create AppStacks
To provide applications to entitled users or groups, you need first to configure the requested packages to deploy.
To create an application, access the VMware App Volumes and enter the credentials. Click Login.
Create Applications
Go to Applications tab and click on Create button.
Enter a Name for the application that will contains the packages assigned to users or groups. Leave Create a Package option enabled and click Create.
Click Create to create the application.
Create a Package
Enter the Name of the package to configure and click Create.
Select option Perform in the background and click Create.
The package is being created.
When the Status is reported as Unpackaged, the system is ready to build the package. Click on the + (plus) icon to expand the selection.
Click Package button to begin the packaging procedure.
To build the package you need a powered on machine to be used as packaging machine. Enter a text that contains the machine's name in the Find Packaging Computer field and click Search. Machines with Status as Available can be used to build the package. Select the desired machine and click Package.
Click Start Packaging.
Package the application
Download the application to package and copy it to the packaging machine. When ready, click OK in the bottom right window.
Leave the message untouched until the installation of the application has been completed.
Install the application to deploy
During the procedure the application will be packaged by the VMware App Volumes system. In the example, the Slim PDF Reader software is used.
Run the installation wizard of the chosen application. Accept the EULA and click Next.
Leave default location and click Next.
Click Install to proceed with the installation.
The software is being installed in the packaging machine.
When the installation of the application has been completed, click Finish to exit the wizard.
Click Yes in the window to complete the packaging operation.
You can change the application Name if required. Click Finalize to complete the packaging procedure.
Click OK to restart the machine to complete the packaging process.
Once rebooted, login to the packaging machine. The packaging procedure finalizes.
After few seconds, the packaging process completes. Click OK.
Go back to VMware App Volumes and click the refresh icon to update the screen. The application is now available to be assigned.
In the Programs tab you can see the just packaged application.
Assign the application to users or groups
To provide the configured program to specific users or groups, you need to assign the application. Click Assign to proceed.
Enter in the Search Active Directory field the string to identify the correct user or groups then click Search. Select the desired user or groups with the Status shown as Available. Select Package as Assignment Type and click Assign.
Click Assign to entitle the selected user or groups.
The application is now packaged and assigned.
In the Assignment tab you can see the assigned packages to users and groups.
Test the configured AppStacks
To check if the configured application is assigned to the entitled user, enter the user's credentials in the Horizon client and click Login.
If everything works as expected, the assigned application is available to the logged user.
Leveraging the VMware App Volumes capabilities, administrators can easily manage AppStacks to assign to Horizon users.
