Release: Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack 2013 R2

In June this year Microsoft released the betas for App-V 5.0 SP2 and UE-V 2.0. Both products are now released within the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 2013 R2, which is available for Microsoft Customers with Software Assurance. This version of MDOP adds support for Windows 8.1 and the virtualization of Office 2013.

The Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack contains the following technologies:

  • User Experience Virtualization (UE-V)
  • Application Virtualization (App-V)
  • Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V)
  • Microsoft Bitlocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM)
  • Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM)
  • Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT)

In the 2013 R2 version of MDOP the following products have been updated:

Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) 5.0 Service Pack 2:

  • Support for virtualizing Office 2013
  • Shell extension support
  • Sequencing enhancements

Microsoft also released Service Pack 3 for App-V version 4.6 including support for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2.

User Experience Virtualization (UE-V) 2.0: (no release notes yet)

  • Support for Windows Store apps
  • Control which applications and OS settings roam with the new Company Settings Center.
  • Delivering enhancements to the underlying synchronization engine
  • For the not always connected scenario, this eliminate the need for Offline files or folder redirection.

Microsoft Bitlocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM) 2.0 SP1:

  • Support for Windows 8.1
  • Multi-language support

Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM) 4.0 SP2:

  • Support for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2

Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) 8.1:

  • Support for Windows 8.1