Altiris Software Virtualisation

[vaughancoveny]

Has anyone used this product and found it a helpful security complement?

An XP and Vista only product as far as memory goes. Do a google on it to find out more including what its purpose is. It's not like that VMWare Firefox Linux product.

It does not Virtualise Guest Operating Systems, only Windows applications. A bit like Virtual Sandbox but for programs, not just VBS Scripts. I suppose you could run these under it too. Much more user friendly than Virtual Sandbox.

It's free for personal use, or a generous 120-day trial for other uses.

Only trouble is, its a Symantec company. All their security suites, including SystemWorks which has/had antivirus software, use insecure ActiveX to protect us from

insecure ActiveX. Sounds like an endless programming loop, no wonder SystemWorks and Internet Security are bloatware. Then again, most major company security software requires versions of Internet Explorer. But the best free Avira Antivir and the worst free AVG Antivirus can be fooled by Fred Vorck's replacement fileset for comprehensive removal of Internet Explorer from Windows 2000. If AVG needs fooling.

Altiris probably doesn't do this. It ain't bloatware, no skins, its performance is second to none. One option on its Create New Layer in the Admin tool

uninstalls products after doing a Single Program Capture when Install an Application is selected. Only after 1st use then a reboot/shutdown. This could be frustrating for some, blessing for testers.

Edited February 8, 2008 by vaughancoveny