You can assign AppStacks to a user, group, computer, or organizational unit (OU).

An AppStack can be either a user-assigned AppStack or a computer-based AppStack.

Note the following considerations when you assign an AppStack and a Writable Volume:

  • If a user has a user-assigned AppStack and a Writable Volume, both are attached to the user.
  • An AppStack that is assigned to a user does not get attached to the user if the user logs in to a computer that has a computer-based Writable Volume attached to it. However, if the Writable Volume is disabled, then the AppStack is attached to the user.
  • If you assign an AppStack to a user, and the user logs in to a computer that has the same AppStack attached to it, then the user-assigned AppStack does not get attached to the user.
  • You can set an attachment limit to an AppStack and limit the number of attachments. If you set an attachment limit of 1, and attach the AppStack to both a user and computer, the AppStack is attached to the computer. See Limiting AppStack Attachments.
  • You can attach an AppStack to a user and a computer concurrently even if auto-login is not enabled in the VM. The AppStack is attached to the user when the user logs in.
  • If you have enabled the Allow non-domain entities feature, and then assign an AppStack to both a computer and a user, the AppStack is attached to the computer and not the user.
  • You can allow AppStack attachments even if there is a Writable Volume conflict, such as when a volume is missing, for example.
    Note: This applies only to user Writable Volumes and not to system Writable Volumes.

AppStack Attachment Errors

If App Volumes Manager is unable to attach a AppStack or a Writable Volume to a user or computer, the App Volumes agent displays error messages. These messages are also displayed if the manager can attach the Writable Volume but the agent cannot access the file share (VHD configuration).

If the attachment is unsuccessful, all session data is lost and the user has to restart the session. The user can try to log in to a different VM and if the AppStack is available and attaches successfully, the user can continue with the operation.

App Volumes displays similar error messages when there are problems with attaching Writable Volumes. See Considerations when Attaching a Writable Volume.

Important: Due to LDAP limitations, App Volumes Manager does not support assignments that span multiple domains in the same forest. If you want to assign AppStacks to users through group membership, the user and the group that the user belongs to must be in the same domain, where the App Volumes Manager is deployed.

For example, if you assign an AppStack to a group in domain A, but a user of the group belongs to domain B, the AppStack does not get attached to the user.

However, you can assign AppStacks directly to the users in domain B, or if the group is also in domain B.