InstallFree
Encyclopedia
InstallFree Inc. is a privately-held company, backed by Ignition Partners and Trilogy Equity Partners, with headquarters in Stamford, CT and offices located worldwide. InstallFree specializes in Application Virtualization
and delivery, based on their proprietary application virtualization
technology that works on a variety of Microsoft Windows
platforms such as Windows XP
, Windows Vista
, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003
, Windows Server 2008, Terminal Server
and Citrix XenApp.
in November 2006 for $120 million.
InstallFree launched its first product, Bridge Suite version 1.0, in April 2008, and issued its second release in September 2008 shortly after securing $8.5 million in financing led by Ignition Partners and Trilogy Equity Partners.
Currently InstallFree provides two deployment platforms: InstallFree Bridge and InstallFree MiniBridge. The company is expected to announce its third product, InstallFree Desktop, during 2010.
based software distribution platforms. InstallFree MiniBridge can be used only from within a Domain
, eliminating piracy concerns associated with competing solutions. It works agonistically with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Terminal Server, Systancia
AppliDis Fusion and Citrix XenApp without re-packaging or configuring the application for each system.
and works in complete separation from it. It does not require any installed components and does not use Virtual Machine
-based technology.
-based management utility that manages IFV Applications and assigns them to Active Directory
objects (OUs, Groups, Users and Computers) read from the Active Directory or LDAP schema.
Hot 125.
In 2009, InstallFree receives Product of the Year Award from Customer Interaction Solutions Magazine.
InstallFree is named to InformationWeek
Startup 50.
In 2008, InstallFree wins Best of VMworld
Gold Award for Desktop Virtualization.
In 2008, InstallFree is named a "Hot Company to Watch in 2008" by Forrester
.
Application Virtualization
Application virtualization is an umbrella term that describes software technologies that improve portability, manageability and compatibility of applications by encapsulating them from the underlying operating system on which they are executed. A fully virtualized application is not installed in...
and delivery, based on their proprietary application virtualization
Application Virtualization
Application virtualization is an umbrella term that describes software technologies that improve portability, manageability and compatibility of applications by encapsulating them from the underlying operating system on which they are executed. A fully virtualized application is not installed in...
technology that works on a variety of Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
platforms such as Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
, Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003 is a server operating system produced by Microsoft, introduced on 24 April 2003. An updated version, Windows Server 2003 R2, was released to manufacturing on 6 December 2005...
, Windows Server 2008, Terminal Server
Terminal server
A terminal server enables organizations to connect devices with an RS-232, RS-422 or RS-485 serial interface to a local area network . Products marketed as terminal servers can be very simple devices that do not offer any security functionality, such as data encryption and user authentication...
and Citrix XenApp.
History
InstallFree was founded in early 2006 by Yori Gabay (now CEO) and Netzer Shlomai (now CTO), both former employees of Gteko Ltd, an automated support company acquired by MicrosoftMicrosoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
in November 2006 for $120 million.
InstallFree launched its first product, Bridge Suite version 1.0, in April 2008, and issued its second release in September 2008 shortly after securing $8.5 million in financing led by Ignition Partners and Trilogy Equity Partners.
General
InstallFree's application virtualization and delivery platforms allow enterprises to deliver encapsulated Windows software applications through a unique “Infrastructure Free” approach. All of InstallFree's products are completely free of installation including its management console, authoring tools and end-point agents. Other than the unique “Infrastructure Free” approach, InstallFree offers some other unique capabilities such as:- Complete user autonomy from within virtual applications that run in a locked-down environment (Guest/Limited accounts).
- Run-time dynamic binding of separately packaged applications, add-ons and updates.
- Complete shell integration and inter-connectivity with the host's shell and other applications (virtual and non-virtual) without using intrusive technologies and without requiring pre-configuration.
Currently InstallFree provides two deployment platforms: InstallFree Bridge and InstallFree MiniBridge. The company is expected to announce its third product, InstallFree Desktop, during 2010.
InstallFree Bridge
InstallFree Bridge is a clientless and serverless platform that allows the deployment of streaming or fully downloaded virtual applications over a variety of Windows-based platforms. It utilizes a virtual management console at the datacenter and a virtual agent at the end-point. The virtual agent, which runs on end-points without any installation process, assimilates at runtime InstallFree Virtual (IFV) Applications into their host environment’s shell and binds them with other virtual and non-virtual applications, without using registry redirects and similar intrusive methods. InstallFree Bridge can be used from within a Domain as well as un-managed non-domain computers, and works agnostically with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Terminal Server and Citrix XenApp without re-packaging or configuring the application for each system.InstallFree MiniBridge
InstallFree MiniBridge produces light weight executables, that upon activation bootstrap a virtual application by downloading/streaming all the components from a central location. The InstallFree MiniBridge executables can be distributed using existing Electronic Software Distribution (ESD) utilities such as Microsoft's System Center Configuration Manager and other MSIMSI
-Computing:* Windows Installer, an installer system written by Microsoft for Windows platforms * Medium Scale Integration, a generation of integrated circuit chips which contain hundreds of transistors...
based software distribution platforms. InstallFree MiniBridge can be used only from within a Domain
Domain name
A domain name is an identification string that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control in the Internet. Domain names are formed by the rules and procedures of the Domain Name System ....
, eliminating piracy concerns associated with competing solutions. It works agonistically with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Terminal Server, Systancia
Systancia
Systancia, founded in 1998, is located in Sausheim and provides software specializing in desktop and application virtualization solutions.-History:...
AppliDis Fusion and Citrix XenApp without re-packaging or configuring the application for each system.
InstallFree Desktop
InstallFree Desktop is an entire virtual desktop that operates on top of an existing desktop operating systemOperating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
and works in complete separation from it. It does not require any installed components and does not use Virtual Machine
Virtual machine
A virtual machine is a "completely isolated guest operating system installation within a normal host operating system". Modern virtual machines are implemented with either software emulation or hardware virtualization or both together.-VM Definitions:A virtual machine is a software...
-based technology.
Management Utility
InstallFree Management Console (IFMC) is a virtual MMCMMC
MMC may stand for:In business:*Mail.com Media Corp., a US digital media company*Marsh & McLennan Companies, a US-based global professional services firm*Material Móvil y Construcciones...
-based management utility that manages IFV Applications and assigns them to Active Directory
Active Directory
Active Directory is a directory service created by Microsoft for Windows domain networks. It is included in most Windows Server operating systems. Server computers on which Active Directory is running are called domain controllers....
objects (OUs, Groups, Users and Computers) read from the Active Directory or LDAP schema.
Authoring Tool
InstallFree Encapsulator is the utility used to encapsulate software applications into their InstallFree deployable packages named Application On Demand files, or AOD files. AOD files are created by installing an application from within InstallFree's sandboxed virtual environment and collecting all the files and data that were written into a single file. In contrast to the competing Installation Monitoring or Snapshots DIFF processes, InstallFree's virtualization process does not bind the virtual application to the system on which it was virtualized. This means it does not require a "clean PC", and provides the AOD file with complete independence from the underlying operating system. This allows the same AOD file to function normally on most Windows-based platforms.Honors & Recognitions
In August 2010, InstallFree is named to Lead411's New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Hot 125.
In 2009, InstallFree receives Product of the Year Award from Customer Interaction Solutions Magazine.
InstallFree is named to InformationWeek
InformationWeek
InformationWeek is a weekly print magazine, an online site with corresponding face-to-face and virtual events, and research. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California and was first published in 1979 by CMP Media, later called CMP Technology. On February 29, 2008, CMP Technology was...
Startup 50.
In 2008, InstallFree wins Best of VMworld
VMworld
VMworld is an annual conference for IT professionals, focusing on virtual server environments, put on by VMware. It is the largest virtualization-specific event. It has been held in San Diego, California in 2004; Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005, 2008, and 2011; Los Angeles, California in 2006; and San...
Gold Award for Desktop Virtualization.
In 2008, InstallFree is named a "Hot Company to Watch in 2008" by Forrester
Forrester Research
Forrester Research is an independent technology and market research company that provides its clients with advice about technology's impact on business and consumers. Forrester Research has five research centers in the US: Cambridge, Massachusetts; New York, New York; San Francisco, California;...
.
See also
- Application VirtualizationApplication VirtualizationApplication virtualization is an umbrella term that describes software technologies that improve portability, manageability and compatibility of applications by encapsulating them from the underlying operating system on which they are executed. A fully virtualized application is not installed in...
- Portable application creatorsPortable application creatorsPortable application creators allow the creation of portable applications . They usually use application virtualization.- Creators of independent portable applications :...
- Desktop VirtualizationDesktop virtualizationDesktop virtualization , as a concept, separates a personal computer desktop environment from a physical machine using the client–server model of computing....
- Service-oriented architectureService-oriented architectureIn software engineering, a Service-Oriented Architecture is a set of principles and methodologies for designing and developing software in the form of interoperable services. These services are well-defined business functionalities that are built as software components that can be reused for...
- Software as a serviceSoftware as a ServiceSoftware as a service , sometimes referred to as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet.SaaS has become a common...