Configure modules wizard

Aug 14, 2017

You use the Configure Modules wizard to configure AppDNA to meet the needs of your enterprise. Each module provides a collection of reports for a particular context. For example, the Desktop Compatibility Manager module contains the Windows 7 and Windows 8.1/8 reports. The reports indicate whether your applications will have any compatibility issues on a particular platform or technology. 

Depending on the number of applications involved, analysis is a time and resource-consuming process and it creates report data that is stored in the database. This wizard therefore walks through the key modules and asks you to specify what projects your enterprise is currently working on and some related details. The wizard then activates and customizes the reports that are relevant and turns off the reports and algorithms that are not relevant to your current projects. This makes analysis faster, means that the reports do not identify issues that are not relevant to your environment, and stops your database from storing irrelevant data.

The wizard also creates a Forward Path scenario (called “My Enterprise Selections”) tailored for your projects. You can use this to run a Forward Path report that shows the red, amber, and green (RAG) status of each application for the projects you are working on. For example, if you specify that you are working on Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 R2 migration projects, and an App-V virtualization project, the Forward Path report has columns that show the RAG status of applications for Windows 8, Windows Server 2012 R2, and App-V. You can use this scenario as a template when creating your own scenarios.

AppDNA automatically runs this wizard when an administrator first logs into AppDNA after installing AppDNA or connecting to a new database. You can return to this wizard at any time to change your selections. If your changes then result in an additional report being activated, you need to analyze your applications for that report before you can view the results. Similarly, if your changes activate additional algorithms in a report that is already active, you need to analyze your applications again for that report.

To open the Configure Modules wizard:

  • From the menus, choose Configure > Modules > Wizard.

Note:

  • The changes you make in this wizard affect the entire AppDNA database and therefore all of the users who use the database.
  • After running this wizard, you can refine the configuration of the reports further – for example, to turn off algorithms that test for compatibility with optional features that are not relevant to your environment. See Configure algorithms for more information.

Desktop compatibility

This step configures AppDNA for Windows desktop migration projects.

My enterprise is working on a Windows desktop migration project - Select this option if you are planning or working on a Windows desktop migration project, and then select the following:

  • From - Select the operating system (OS) you are migrating from (you can select more than one). This is referred to as the legacy OS.

    Some of the report algorithms test applications for dependencies on features that are in the legacy OS but not the target OS. The wizard activates the algorithms of this type that relate to the legacy versions of Windows that you select here and deactivates the others. These algorithms are in the “Obsolete components” algorithm group.

  • To - Select one or more of the following:

    • Windows 7 - Select this option if you are moving to Windows 7. This activates the Windows 7 report.
    • Windows 8/8.1 - Select this option if you want to test your applications for compatibility with Windows 8 or 8.1. This activates the Window 8/8.1 report.
    • Windows 10 - Select this option if you want to test your applications for compatibility with Windows 10. This activates the Windows 10 report.
  • We use English versions of Windows only - Clear this check box if you use other non-English language versions of Windows, whether fully localized or Multilingual user interface (MUI). (See below for information on these terms.)

My enterprise is not working on a Windows desktop migration project at this time - Select this option if you do not need information about Windows desktop migration.

Desktop language compatibility

Note: This step appears only if you clear the We use English versions of Windows only check box in the Desktop compatibility step.

Microsoft provides two approaches to handling Windows language versions:

  • Fully localized - In this approach, folder, file, and object names are translated at the New Technology File System (NTFS) level and the in-built user accounts are also translated. In addition, elements such as menus and dialog boxes in the user interface are fully translated.
  • Multilingual user interface (MUI) - In this approach, language packs are installed on top of the English or language-neutral version of Windows. This provides a fully translated user interface, but does not translate folder, file, object, or in-built account names.

The Windows 7 and Windows 8 reports include algorithms that test applications for dependencies on French and German localized versions of Windows, which may present issues if they are run on an English or other localized version - or when moving from a fully localized to an MUI approach.

From - Select the language handling approach that you are moving from.

To - Select the language handling approach to which you are moving.

The wizard configures the algorithms in the “Globalization issues” algorithm group based on your selections in this section.

Server compatibility

This step configures AppDNA for Windows server migration projects.

My enterprise is working on a Windows server migration project - Select this option if you are planning or working on a Windows server migration project, and then select the following options:

  • From - Select the OS you are migrating from (you can select more than one).

    Some of the report algorithms test applications for features that are contained in the legacy but not the target OS. The wizard activates the algorithms of this type that relate to the legacy versions of Windows that you select here and deactivates the others. These algorithms are in the “Obsolete components” algorithm group.

  • To - Select one or more of the following:

    • Windows Server 2008 R2 - Select this option if you are moving to Windows Server 2008 R2. This activates the Windows Server 2008 R2 report
    • Windows Server 2012/2012 R2 - Select this option if you want to use the Window Server 2012 report to test your applications for Windows 2012. This activates the Windows 2012 report.
    • Windows Server 2016 - Select this option if you want to use the Window Server 2016 report to test your applications for Windows 2016. This activates the Windows 2016 report.
  • Report for a Server Core build - Select this check box if you want to test your applications for a Server Core deployment. Server Core provides a minimal environment that has limited functionality but typically requires lower maintenance. This option activates algorithms that detect applications that may have issues if they are run on a Server Core build - for example, because they interact with graphical features that are not available.

My enterprise is not working on a Windows server migration project at this time - Select this option if you do not need information about a Windows server migration project.

Application virtualization

Note: This step appears only if you are licensed for the Virtualization feature (App-V compatibility analysis).

This step configures AppDNA for App-V application virtualization projects.

My enterprise is working on an application virtualization project – Select this option if you are planning or working on an application virtualization project. Then select the version of App-V for which you want to test your applications. AppDNA turns off algorithms that are not relevant to the version of App-V that you select.

My enterprise is not working on an application virtualization project at this time – Select this option if you do not need information about an application virtualization project.

Virtualization platform

Note: This step appears only if you selected an application virtualization technology in the previous step but did not choose a desktop or server platform in an earlier step.

Select the Windows platform(s) for which you want to assess App-V.

Web browser

This step configures AppDNA to test Web applications for compatibility with Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Citrix Secure Web, in any combination.

My enterprise is working on adopting new Web browsers - Select this option if you are want to test Web applications for compatibility with Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Secure Web. Then select the browsers for which you want to test your Web applications.

Note: Because Firefox is a standards-based browser and variations between versions tend to be minor, AppDNA does not prompt you to specify a Firefox version.

My enterprise is not working on adopting new Web browsers at this time - Select this option if you do not want to test your Web applications.

XenApp hosted

Note: This step appears only if you are licensed for the SBC feature.

This step configures AppDNA to check applications for suitability for XenApp hosted in the data center, which presents the application on the user’s device and relays user actions, such as keystrokes and mouse actions, back to the application in the data center. Potentially many users can use each application simultaneously. This poses a particular set of challenges.

Important: When you are moving to a XenDesktop environment from another system, we recommend that you use the XenDesktop Adoption solution instead of the XenApp Hosted report. The XenDesktop Adoption solution provides a more complete picture of application compatibility with XenDesktop based on your current environment. The XenApp Hosted report only indicates if an application that already runs on a server platform will work with XenApp.

My enterprise is working on a XenApp hosted project - Select this option if you are planning or working on a XenApp hosted project. Then select the version of XenApp for which you want to test your applications.

My enterprise is not working on a XenApp hosted project at this time - Select this option if you do not need information about a XenApp hosted project.

Click Configure to the save your changes and configure the modules.