Comments on: Happy with limited virtualization http://blog.balaji-dutt.name/2007/08/28/happy-with-limited-virtualization/ A geek chronicle Mon, 12 Jul 2010 02:14:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Balaji http://blog.balaji-dutt.name/2007/08/28/happy-with-limited-virtualization/comment-page-1/#comment-238 Balaji Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:43:53 +0000 http://blog.balaji-dutt.name/2007/08/28/happy-with-limited-virtualization/#comment-238 Hey Scott! Thanks for stopping by. I had discussed the issues I had with Altiris SVS in an earlier post (linked in the article, but <a href="http://mvbalaji.weblogs.us/2006/05/03/reflecting-on-trashing-my-computer/" rel="nofollow">here it is</a>). Broadly the issues are: 1. Inability to create different layers for different applications - My initial assumption was I could create one layer for every application I installed and then activate/deactivate all of them at one go. However, it turned out that only one layer could be active at a time and that defeated the purpose of virtualization as I saw it - being able to rollback one change/changes to a base install. 2. Startup - The version of Altiris I used would only run as part of my startup group. That meant that programs that added services (such as iTunes) or other programs in the startup group would fail till Altiris was running. I would have much rather seen preferred that Altiris run as a service, preferably one that launched very early in the boot to avoid any dependency issues. The version I tried out also significantly slowed some apps (typically apps that opened ports) but that issue is probably not a stand-alone Altriris issue. Hey Scott!

Thanks for stopping by. I had discussed the issues I had with Altiris SVS in an earlier post (linked in the article, but here it is). Broadly the issues are:

1. Inability to create different layers for different applications – My initial assumption was I could create one layer for every application I installed and then activate/deactivate all of them at one go. However, it turned out that only one layer could be active at a time and that defeated the purpose of virtualization as I saw it – being able to rollback one change/changes to a base install.

2. Startup – The version of Altiris I used would only run as part of my startup group. That meant that programs that added services (such as iTunes) or other programs in the startup group would fail till Altiris was running. I would have much rather seen preferred that Altiris run as a service, preferably one that launched very early in the boot to avoid any dependency issues.

The version I tried out also significantly slowed some apps (typically apps that opened ports) but that issue is probably not a stand-alone Altriris issue.

]]> By: Scott Jones http://blog.balaji-dutt.name/2007/08/28/happy-with-limited-virtualization/comment-page-1/#comment-237 Scott Jones Wed, 29 Aug 2007 18:10:43 +0000 http://blog.balaji-dutt.name/2007/08/28/happy-with-limited-virtualization/#comment-237 More detail on why you feel "the implementation (of Altiris SVS) is too flawed to make (it) a compelling solution" would be very helpful. Thanks, Scott Jones Product Manager, Altiris SVS More detail on why you feel “the implementation (of Altiris SVS) is too flawed to make (it) a compelling solution” would be very helpful.

Thanks,
Scott Jones
Product Manager, Altiris SVS

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