There is more to the new public beta of Microsoft Application Virtualization than I initially thought.
Here is the updated information I received, which shows there is a lot more under the hood that has changed in a short amount of time:
Dynamic Suite Composition: Customers can sequence and manage packages for middleware applications separately from the main application. Administrators can control and configure the virtual application combinations creating a “many to one” scenario where middleware components can be reused.
Extended Scalability: Customers now have a choice of multiple delivery mechanisms. Additionally, existing application package libraries can be automatically transformed into virtual applications without new code or reconfiguration. Administrators can preserve standalone streaming and/or leverage existing ESD infrastructures. New features include the support of standalone deployments, enabling device-targeted deployments, and enabling branch office deployments.
Interoperability: Streaming capabilities can be added to SCCM 2007. Virtual applications can be inventoried via WMI provider or Add/Remove Program scanning (MSI option only).
Globalization: Customers may now install on any OS language with the exception of complex-script languages. New features enable auto-detecting system/user locale and auto-loading appropriate resource files. Customers may also sequence non-English/localized applications.
Microsoft Security Standards: As the first Microsoft branded release, Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 was developed in full compliance with the Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle (SDL).
