We’re pleased to announce that our Channel Program has earned a prestigious 5-star rating in the 2023 CRN Partner Program Guide. This recognition is a testament to Liquidware’s commitment to delivering exceptional value and support to its partner community.

This annual guide offers essential information to solution providers such as managed service providers (MSPs), value-added resellers (VARs), systems integrators, and strategic service providers as they explore technology manufacturers’ partner programs to find the vendors that will best support their business needs. The 5-star rating is awarded to the companies that go above and beyond in their commitment to nurturing strong, profitable, successful channel partnerships.

For the channel partner community, a critical factor when assessing which IT manufacturers, service providers, and distributors to team with in building world-class technology solutions is the breadth and depth of the partner programs those companies offer. Strong elements such as financial incentives, sales and marketing assistance, training and certification, technical support and more can set a vendor apart and play a key role in boosting partners’ long-term growth.

Our program’s 5-star rating reflects its commitment to partner success by offering a comprehensive line-up of incentives, services, benefits, and training.

Below are some of the factors that had our partner program gain the prestigious 5-star rating from CRN:

1. Partner profitability: Liquidware offers its partners competitive margins and incentives – often 3x that of platform vendors – enabling its partners to grow their businesses and increase profitability. Additionally, the company’s deal registration program ensures that partners are rewarded for their efforts in identifying and closing new business opportunities through additional margin and deal protection.

2. Sales and marketing resources: Liquidware’s partner portal provides partners with a wealth of resources to support their sales and marketing efforts. This includes access to product information, competitive analysis, marketing resources, and virtual training.

3. Training and support: Liquidware provides comprehensive training and certification programs to help partners become experts in the company’s solutions. This includes access to online training resources, live training sessions, and dedicated technical resources to assist with both team competency and customer evaluation and implementation, all provided to partners free-of-charge.

4. Marketing programs: Liquidware offers a range of marketing resources to help partners promote their solutions and generate demand. These include co-branded collateral, email campaigns, social media assets, and marketing development funds for both live and virtual demand generating activities and events.

Overall, our channel program and our staff are committed to helping its partners succeed. By providing competitive margins, robust sales and marketing resources, and through comprehensive training and support, the company enables its partners to consistently deliver value to their customers and grow their businesses. It is this commitment to ensuring the success of our partners that has resulted in Liquidware’s 5-star rating in this year’s 2023 CRN Partner Program Guide.

In today’s fast-paced digital world, businesses need to be agile and flexible to meet the changing demands of their customers. One of the ways businesses can achieve this is by modernizing their legacy Windows applications to be more efficient, reliable, and scalable. Liquidware FlexApp is a powerful solution that can help businesses modernize their Windows applications without the need for expensive infrastructure changes or application rewrites.

FlexApp is an application layering technology that containerizes applications easily, making them available to users whenever and wherever they need them. It separates the application from the underlying operating system, which means that the application can be deployed across different versions of Windows, regardless of the operating system version or virtual platform.

FlexApp’s approach to application layering enables businesses to save time, reduce costs, and minimize complexity associated with traditional application delivery methods.

Here are some of the ways in which Liquidware FlexApp can help modernize any Windows application:

1. Application Containerization: With FlexApp, applications can be containerized and delivered on-demand without modifying base images, reducing the need for local installation on individual endpoints. This means that applications can be deployed faster, and users can access them from any device, anywhere, and at any time.
2. ANY Application Format: FlexApp supports any Windows app, not just MSIX but also MSI, EXE and home grown applications, giving it an incredible 95% or greater compatibility rate.
3. Flexibility: FlexApp allows applications to be delivered to any Windows workspace platform, including virtual, cloud, or physical, depending on the business’s needs. Supported platforms include Microsoft AVD, Windows 365, Citrix, VMware Horizon. Third-party support for deployment and/or testing includes Microsoft Intune, Nerdio Manager, Application Readiness, Rimo3, and Ivanti DSM. This enables businesses to choose the deployment method that works best for them, without compromising application performance or user experience.
4. Scalability: FlexApp can scale applications to meet the demands of a growing business. As more users require access to an applications automatically scale by executing locally, without the need for additional infrastructure.
5. Cost-Effective: FlexApp’s application layering approach means that businesses can reduce the cost of application management and support. By separating the application from the operating system, businesses can save on licensing, support, and infrastructure costs associated with traditional application deployment methods.
6. Easy to Manage: FlexApp provides a centralized management console that simplifies the process of deploying and updating applications. Administrators can quickly create and manage application packages, control application access, and monitor application usage.

Liquidware FlexApp is a powerful solution that can help businesses modernize their legacy Windows applications without the need for expensive infrastructure changes or application rewrites. Its application layering approach separates the application from the operating system, making it available to users whenever and wherever they need it. With FlexApp, businesses can achieve greater agility, flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness in their application management.

I am excited to announce the availability of FlexApp v6.8.5, our latest release that brings new life to the legacy Microsoft App-V format by converting them into FlexApps automatically. With this release, FlexApp now supports modern applications such as MSIX en masse, making it the highest-ranked application compatibility solution in the industry.

FlexApp containerizes virtually any Windows app into a portable virtual hard disk that can contain one or more applications. These applications are never installed into a Windows base image, but simply “attached,” appearing and reacting as if they were natively installed. This approach simplifies base image management and has won FlexApp several industry awards.

Enterprises with hundreds or even thousands of apps have found FlexApp easy to adopt, thanks to its fully automated packaging console. The console already supports every popular Windows application format installed and has now been enhanced to include Microsoft App-V and MSIX application formats. The benefit of converting any application to the FlexApp format is that base image management becomes very straightforward. A more general image can be leveraged across all users in the organization, while the apps they need are simply attached by user, group, or other context-aware attribute.

We are also proud to extend the functionality of our recent FlexApp One self-contained application format in this version. FlexApp One packages are ultra-portable and can be deployed by any means, including Microsoft Intune, cloud file sharing services, any software deployment solution, or leading third-party management control planes such as Nerdio Manager from Nerdio.

FlexApp One package creation is now easier than ever with integrated support in FlexApp’s packaging console. The console also includes additional features such as the FlexApp Packager API, predictive block caching, triggers for compliance use cases, and packager built-in rollback and auto OS optimization.

Additional features in FlexApp v6.8.5 include:

• FlexApp Packager API – third-party vendors, such as application testing software solutions, can now easily and directly package FlexApps with this new API
• Predictive Block Caching — Cloud or on-prem hosted FlexApp packages now benefit from predictive block caching to the end user session, enabling large applications to launch at native speeds
• Triggers — FlexApps can be applied or removed from users’ workspaces during the user session based on criteria that may have changed, such as location or time of day, supporting compliance use cases
• Packager Built-in Rollback and Auto OS Optimization — The FlexApp Packaging Console now features the ability to roll the OS back and that the OS is optimized for seamless packaging
• Additional new features include version control, merge layer capabilities, post-login support of app attachment, and more!

The latest version is now available for a free trial, download here.

I’m excited to announce the release of ProfileUnity v6.8.5, the latest version of our leading user environment management solution. This new release is packed with features that enable further centralization of Windows application and user environment management, making it easier for IT admins to manage their digital workspaces.

One of the most significant enhancements in ProfileUnity v6.8.5 is the ability to deploy and assign modern Windows applications of all types through the central management console. This includes Liquidware traditional FlexApp, FlexApp One, MSIX, MSIX App Attach, Microsoft App-V, and VMware ThinApp. With this new feature, administrators can now manage all their applications from a single console, reducing the need for multiple tools.

In addition to application management, ProfileUnity v6.8.5 introduces a new feature called Application Cloaking, which completely hides select applications from specific users while making them available to specified users based on a context-aware filter. This feature simplifies image management by allowing administrators to place certain applications in a base image while using that image across various user groups. Application Cloaking can be invoked on any ProfileUnity context-aware attribute, such as location, time of day, or any environment variable.

ProfileUnity has also gained two new feature modules: “MSIX” and “Microsoft App-V” management. These features enable the assignment of either MSIX or Microsoft App-V applications to any ProfileUnity context-aware filter user or group target, all without scripting. Application files can be on-premises or cloud-hosted, and MSIX App Attach is also supported for non-persistent use cases such as Microsoft AVD, Citrix Virtual Desktops, or VMware Horizon.

Another significant feature in ProfileUnity v6.8.5 is Universal Folder Redirection and Universal Registry Redirection. These innovative features open all Windows folders and registry keys to redirection, allowing administrators to redirect users’ customized settings from applications back into users’ profiles to roam with them. This is a notable industry first and provides Windows and application administrators with the flexibility they need to make changes to remediate applications that store user preferences outside the user profile.

ProfileUnity v6.8.5 is now available for a free trial, and you can download it here. We believe that this latest release will help our customers increase their productivity, streamline their IT management, and reduce their costs. We look forward to continuing to innovate and support our customers with the best digital workspace management solutions in the industry.

We’re excited to share a new community and customer-focused resource to address real-world challenges faced by our clients. This new initiative, the Liquidware Advisor Series, consists of regular video broadcasts on YouTube by Liquidware’s esteemed end-user computing experts, our talented Systems Engineers.

While our award-winning solutions are market leaders, community members and customers still love tips and tricks to get the most out of their environment. The Liquidware Advisor Series provides the community with access to our systems engineers, who discuss scenarios from the field and how the we can help address them.

The Liquidware Advisor Series aims to showcase the wealth of expertise that our systems engineers possess. It will provide insights into how leading organization’s solve today’s dynamic workspace challenges. It also serves to provide tips and tricks about our solutions – which encompass User Environment Management with ProfileUnity™, Application Layering with FlexApp™, and Digital Experience Monitoring and Diagnostics with Stratusphere™ UX – can help resolve the most pressing problems that clients face.

The first two videos of the Liquidware Advisor Series are already available on YouTube, and the we plan to maintain a monthly cadence for subsequent episodes. Tom and Johnny, two of Liquidware’s distinguished systems engineers, host the initial episodes, which focus on specific topics that have piqued the interest of Liquidware customers.

The Liquidware Advisor Series allows clients and prospects to see firsthand how Liquidware solutions can address their most significant pain points. Be sure to bookmark the playlist and look for frequent updates.

We had a great Liquidware Unplugged with Gabe Knuth (Senior Analyst, ESG), Scott Manchester (Director of Product Management Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365), James O’Regan, and myself last month and this blog post highlights some of the key elements we discussed.

The format of our Unplugged sessions always starts with informal banter between the panelists prior to attendees joining. ChatGPT was discussed with, ironically, Scott informing everyone of an ‘argument’ he had with the AI solution about whether or not a certain Microsoft product was, indeed, a Microsoft product! Scott shared that he holds 25 patents and Gabe described himself as an EUC “lifer”, having been involved in the market since 1998.

There was a lot of discussion surrounding the impact Covid-19 had on Work from Anywhere solutions and how EUC, in particular virtual desktop solutions, were up for the challenge when the world needed it. Gabe also reflected on the fact that for ten plus years there have been rumors of Citrix being acquired that finally came to fruition in 2021. He also noted that with VMware being spun out of Dell in 2021 and then the announcement that it is to be acquired by Broadcom. The panel noted that there is no mention of “EUC” by Broadcom in the resulting impending acquisition.

This acquisition of VMware is resulting in Microsoft AVD, Windows 365 and Cloud PC becoming a ‘first-party’ solution that others run on. The panel suggested that Microsoft is now being in the driver’s seat, both behind the scenes as well as in front, working with third-party vendors like Liquidware (as well as others) to deliver best-of-breed solutions on top of Microsoft.

Scott and the panel took time to discuss Windows 365 and AVD options and which solution seems to be resonating with certain use cases, small to medium sized accounts, and enterprise customers. Scott further shared a sneak preview of some of his presentation that will be delivered at IGEL Disrupt and NerdioCon.

The ‘click, click, boom’ principle of ease of use for admins in deploying both virtual desktops and applications should be the same as management of physical desktops. A slide was shared technological advancements; from the disruptive, to evolution, revolution. If you missed it you can watch the recording now.

Liquidware is pleased to announce that it will be a Gold sponsor at the upcoming NerdioCon in Cancun, Mexico. This user conference will bring together IT professionals and industry experts to discuss and learn about all things Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365. 

During the conference, Liquidware will be hosting a breakout session, titled “Achieve App Delivery Nirvana with Liquidware FlexApp™ and Nerdio Manager for Enterprise.” Liquidware founder and CEO, David Bieneman, and Jason E. Smith, VP of Alliances and Product Marketing will present the session. 

The session will focus on how organizations can achieve a highly efficient and effective app delivery process by using Nerdio Manager for Enterprise in conjunction with Liquidware FlexApp. Together, these two solutions provide a comprehensive solution for achieving app delivery nirvana, enabling organizations to deliver applications to users quickly and seamlessly, while simplifying the management and maintenance of virtual environments. 

If you’re looking to streamline your app delivery process and achieve a more efficient virtual environment, be sure to attend the session and learn more about how Liquidware FlexApp and Nerdio Manager for Entperise can help. Additionally, you can also visit Liquidware’s booth during the conference to learn more about our other digital workspace management solutions, including Stratusphere™ UX and ProfileUnity™. 

We’re also excited to share a new Nerdio/Liquidware Joint Solutions Brief. Read about how Nerdio Manager and Liquidware FlexApp deliver seamless attached apps that keep base image management streamlined here.

We will also be giving a sneak peek of CommandCTRL, our innovative forthcoming helpdesk remediation SaaS solution, that is ideal for Windows environments and MSPs. Be sure to get an exclusive early look at CommandCTRL while at NerdioCon!

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from industry experts and discover the latest solutions for achieving app delivery nirvana. Register now and we look forward to seeing you at NerdioCon in Cancun! 

Microsoft AVD and Windows 365 Cloud PC are sure to gain even further traction in 2023. Liquidware has been a leading Microsoft Alliance partner in Microsoft’s ecosystem since and before the introduction of these virtual and SaaS based solutions. Liquidware FlexApp is an especially great fit for AVD and Cloud PC because you can deploy apps without modifying base images, or even needing to restart user instances.

Here are five reasons Liquidware FlexApp and Microsoft AVD and Windows 365 are better together:

1. Layering of applications: FlexApp allows for the attached layering of applications within a virtual environment, while AVD allows for the virtualization of the entire desktop environment. Together, these technologies can provide a more flexible way to manage and deliver applications to users.
2. Improved Application Compatibility: FlexApp allows for applications to be delivered in a layered format, which can improve compatibility between different versions of applications and operating systems. FlexApp is 70% more compatible with Windows applications than MSIX alone.
3. Centralized Management: Windows 365 Enterprise allows for centralized management and deployment of applications, which can streamline the process of delivering and updating applications to users. Azure AD managed Cloud PCs have simplified remote worker Windows management and Liquidware FlexApp can be 100% Microsoft Intune managed with it’s FlexApp One self-contained application format.
4. Security and Compliance: Windows 365 offers additional security and compliance features that can be beneficial in a virtualized environment, FlexApp and AVD can help to protect the company’s data and applications from unauthorized access by limiting application access by time of day, location, or any context aware rule.
5. Increased Flexibility: FlexApp and AVD provide a more flexible way to deliver and manage applications, allowing users to access applications from any device, and providing administrators with the ability to quickly update and deliver new applications to users.

If you are an enterprise Windows administrator you don’t need to stop at five benefits of using Liquidware FlexApp with Microsoft AVD and Windows 365, there are many more! Download your fully functioning trial version and experience the simplicity and ease of deploying and updating apps with FlexApp today.

Microsoft’s Scott Manchester and ESG’s Gabe Knuth will join us on January 24 at 10:15 am (Central Time) for our next Liquidware Unplugged to discuss the state of EUC (End User Computing) in 2023. As the host, I’ll also be joined by James O’Regan, Product Marketing Manager at Liquidware and longtime Citrix User Group (CUGC) Leader.

Big changes have occurred in the end user computing industry in the past year. Microsoft has continued to innovate with Windows 365/Cloud PC and Windows AVD adoption is growing. Long-time platform leaders Citrix and VMware are undergoing radical company changes in the wake of being acquired, while also embracing Windows 365 and AVD. Analysts are fielding many questions from concerned clients about the future of innovation within both Citrix and VMware, with particular consternation surrounding future investment in VMware’s EUC suite under the planned Broadcom ownership.

Gabe recently wrote a superb analysis of the desktop virtualization market that really summed up the current chaos.  And, of course, Scott recently took on the mantle of director of product management for both AVD and Windows 365.

Liquidware Unplugged webinars are LIVE interactive panelist and participant sessions. This is a great opportunity for you to directly ask these industry experts what is going to happen this year and beyond.

Insider tip: Join us 15 minutes early on that day when we start with an informal chat amongst the panelists and then get into the real conversation at 10:15 am Central.

Register here to join us and be part of this interactive Liquidware Unplugged!

DATE: Tuesday, January 24, 2023

TIME: 10:15 a.m. Central Time

PANELISTS and HOST:

Scott Manchester, Microsoft Director of Product Management Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365
Gabe Knuth, Senior Analyst, End User Computing at Enterprise Strategy Group
James O’Regan, Local CUGC Leader and Liquidware Product Marketing Manager
Jason E. Smith (Host), Liquidware VP of Product Marketing & Alliances

When customers are looking for best of breed application delivery and management for their AVD environments, a proven pairing is Nerdio Manager and Liquidware FlexApp.  A key functionality, that is paramount for any successful deployment of AVD, is access to your users’ applications. But you don’t want to create, manage and continuously update your base image. Read the Nerdio announcement, New Nerdio Integration with Liquidware’s FlexApp One, here.

Nerdio Manager for Enterprise enables organizations to rapidly deploy and manage AVD and Windows 365. Combine that with Liquidware FlexApp, and customers have a high compatibility rating for application deployment. In fact, FlexApp delivers customers over a 90% compatibility for deploying their applications. Deploying those apps via Nerdio Manager decreases management overhead and negates having to include applications in a base image.

Liquidware’s FlexApp One feature enables Nerdio Manager to directly assign and attach the self-contained FlexApp applications that are hosted in Microsoft Azure to AVD workspaces. Because FlexApp One apps are fully portable, they can be assigned by Nerdio Manager directly without the need for any additional agent or management console. Register now for a free webinar where you’ll see a demo and virtually meet the CEOs of Nerdio and Liquidware.

Enterprise sized organizations running AVD may benefit even more from FlexApp as they tend to have numerous applications in many different formats – not only MSIX, but also MSI, EXE, and homegrown custom applications that may even have multiple drivers and services. Windows base image management becomes quite complex in these organizations and FlexApp can easily streamline and greatly reduce the number of base images in those environments by simply attaching applications directly from Microsoft Azure.