Import an OS image

Aug 14, 2017

  1. From the side bar, choose Import & Analyze > Operating Systems.
  2. On the toolbar in the Operating Systems screen, click Import from MSI and then complete the following tasks:

OS image details

  1. Enter the following details:

    Location of MSI file. Specify the OS image MSI that you want to import. The OS image MSI must be located in the same folder as the three XML files that are also generated by Snapshot Manager:

    <os_image_name>.msi <os_image_name>.msi.xml <os_image_name>.msi_predumper.xml <os_image_name>.msi_predumper_output.xml

    Create new image. Select this option to create a new OS image within AppDNA (the default). Then enter the name and description:

    • OS image name. Enter a name that will enable users to identify the OS image within AppDNA. Citrix recommends that the name includes the name of the OS family and any other essential identifying information. For example, “Windows 10 - standard laptop image”.
    • OS image description. Enter additional information that further explains the purpose of this OS image.

    Overwrite existing image. Select this option to overwrite an existing OS image within AppDNA, and then select the OS image that you want to overwrite. This option is available only for OS images that you have imported. You cannot overwrite the system OS images (the OS images that come with AppDNA).

  2. When you have finished entering the image information, click Next to move to the next step.

Image relationships

  1. On the left side, under Are you moving, select one of the following options:

    To this operating system image. Select this option if the new OS image represents an OS (such as Windows 8.1) to which you are preparing to migrate. The right side of the screen then lists the available legacy OS images.

    From this operating system image. Select this option if the new OS image represents an OS that you are migrating from. The right side of the screen then lists the available target OS images.

  2. On the right side of the screen, select the OS image(s) that you want AppDNA to compare with the OS image you are configuring. Deselect any OS images that are not relevant.

    For best results, select only those images that are relevant to the analysis that you want to perform.

    When you import the first image in a pair, you cannot select the other one because it has not been imported yet. You can therefore leave this section blank and configure the image later in the Operating Systems screen.

  3. Click Next to start the import of the OS image.

Example

Suppose you are migrating from Windows 7 to Windows 10 and want to import desktop and laptop images for both Windows 7 and Windows 10.

  • When you import and configure the Windows 7 laptop image, select From this operating system image and then select the Windows 10 laptop image as the target image.
  • When you configure the Windows 10 laptop image, select To this operating system image and then select the Windows 7 laptop image as the legacy image.

After that, perform the equivalent steps for the desktop images. When you run the analysis for the Windows 10 report, AppDNA compares the changes between the Windows 7 and Windows 10 laptop images and between the Windows 7 and Windows 10 desktop images. To view the reports, choose whether to view the report for the laptop images or the desktop images.

This example describes setting up OS image relationships in which there is a one-to-one relationship between the images. However, this is not a requirement. For example, you could import one legacy OS image and four target OS images and configure all four of the target OS images with the single legacy OS image.

OS image import results

When the import is complete, AppDNA shows the results and which reports require re-analyzing in order for the new OS image to be reflected in reports.

  1. If you want to start the analysis now, click Analyze.
  2. If you want to import further OS images before running an analysis, click Previous to return to the Operating Systems screen. You can then run the analysis later in the normal way.