Explanation: Writable Volumes are user-specific virtual disks that store user-installed applications, data, and settings. App Volumes is a real-time application delivery system that uses Writable Volumes to deliver applications that are not multi-user aware. However, sometimes it might be necessary to prevent App Volumes from persisting specific data between sessions, such as temporary files, application updates, or registry keys. To do this, administrators can specify exclusions for Writable Volumes in a policy file called snapvol.cfg.
The snapvol.cfg file is a text file that contains policy settings for App Volumes. These settings determine which files and registry keys are captured or excluded by App Volumes. The snapvol.cfg file can be customized by administrators to suit different needs and scenarios. The snapvol.cfg file can be applied to both application packages and Writable Volumes.
To specify exclusions for Writable Volumes, administrators can use the following keywords in the snapvol.cfg file:
- exclude_uwv_file: This keyword excludes a file or folder path from being persisted on a Writable Volume. For example, exclude_uwv_file=\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++ excludes the folder location of Notepad++ from being overwritten during an update.
- exclude_uwv_reg: This keyword excludes a registry key or value from being persisted on a Writable Volume. For example, exclude_uwv_reg=\REGISTRY\MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Notepad++ excludes the registry location of Notepad++ from being overwritten during an update.
The snapvol.cfg file must be uploaded to the Writable Volume by using the Update Writable Volumes feature in App Volumes Manager. The exclusions will take effect after the user logs off and logs back in to the desktop.
The other options are not valid files for specifying exclusions for Writable Volumes:
- config.ini: This file is used to configure the App Volumes agent settings, such as the App Volumes Manager address, the logging level, and the SSL certificate validation.
- svservice.log: This file is used to record the App Volumes agent log messages, such as the agent status, the package attachment, and the error messages.
- json.cfg: This file does not exist in App Volumes.
References: Writable Volume Exclusions, Policy Files (snapvol.cfg) in App Volumes, and [VMware Horizon 8.x Professional Course]