DEM + FSLogix Containers Not Jiving

[braddock83]

We have an environment where we're using DEM to apply some predefined settings (files/registry) and just started using FSLogix Office containers. If changes are made to those predefined settings (partially/fully enforced) or to any registry settings (under User Environment), I can confirm in the DEM logs they are applied to the user (under HKCU/AppData), but it appears the FSLogix Office Container applies after those settings. When looking at the registry, none of the new settings from DEM are there and the applied content from from the FSLogix container is all that remains. If this were a new user with no profile or FSLogix containers, everything applies as expected, but subsequent logins will not receive any changes from DEM.

How are others dealing with changes that need to be made (that were traditionally done via DEM)? Based on what I'm seeing, we need to move these application level settings out of DEM back over into GPO (which does work). If we expand FSLogix to also enable full profile containers, I imagine this would continue to be a problem for other applications and settings in other registry trees and folder paths. We might be able to do some asynchronous applications of settings, but I think it might be cleaner to just go back to the drawing board. Thanks for any input here. 

[Mickeybyte]

@braddock83,

I'm noticing the same behavior at a customer at the moment. Trying to change some predefined settings, but they won't come through. The existing ones where there, but the new ones not. When I removed the Office container, the partially enforced settings were there. 

I Will have a deeper look at it and come back to you when I have any update.

@DEMdev have you seen this behavior before?

[Mickeybyte]

small update:

• I've tried to use Logon Task (after profile import) and Logoff Task (before profile export), but that didn't help either. 
• Only way the reg keys get stored, is when I add them "manually" during the session. 

[vasquezu]

We did what you suggested. 

- FSLogix is containerizing the whole profile

- App level settings are either GPO or local policy on the master image

We are using this setup for a limited amount of users and have not see an issue yet. This will be implementing it across the board once we fully roll out Horizon 8. Our production environment is currently 7.13.2.

[Mickeybyte]

@braddock83 , @vasquezu 

In the meantime we have found out the predefined settings do work on DEM settings with DirectFlex enabled, but not on DEM Settings that are applied at logon. So that might be a workaround for now. 

I'm in contact with VMware to dive into the issue deeper and keep this post updated.

[braddock83]

Thanks @Mickeybyte for looking more closely at this one and for the input that DirectFlex is a workaround. That makes total sense--settings would be applying mid-session and the FSLogix Office container would merge those in to what it's storing. For common settings (like Office Shared Settings), that we want to be present before a user launches any Office application, this is where DirectFlex gets a little tricky. I wonder if we could key those common settings off something core to the Windows user session (e.g., explorer.exe or dllhost.exe) instead. I tried opening a case with VMware support early on and they weren't able to provide any real input because FSLogix is not a VMware product. Even though there were some TechZone articles showing Horizon, DEM, and AppVolumes all used in one solution. It really makes me think it should be working. Thanks again for your efforts and I hope we come up with an explanation soon.