VMware Tools installation includes the VMware AppDefense, a security management, and monitoring solution. This data center security solution is based on application control, detection, and response.

AppDefense is divided into two parts; glxgi.sys and giappdef.sys. The glxgi.sys driver ensures Guest-Integrity and giappdef.sys driver ensures Process and Network attestation. This enables AppDefense drivers to be upgraded without reboot, thus keeping system protection intact. The new Guest-Integrity driver is enabled on next reboot.

AppDefense agent can be installed on the guest virtual machine using the VMware Tools installer. Virtual machines with VMware Tools installed are monitored and managed when they start on an ESXi host that has the solution installed. However, VMware Tools cannot install the AppDefense component automatically. The AppDefense component must be installed manually.

Prerequisites

  • If you have installed VMware AppDefense version older than 1.2.1.0 using VMware AppDefense installer, uninstall the older version.
  • Ensure that the guest virtual machine is hosted on ESXi 6.5 or later.
  • VMware AppDefense is available on a fresh installation or custom installation of VMware Tools. This feature is not enabled by default.
  • Ensure that the guest virtual machine has a supported version of Windows installed. AppDefense component supports the Windows 64-bit guest operating systems running on a ESXi server:
    • Windows 2008 R2
    • Windows 2012
    • Windows 2012 R2
    • Windows 2016
    • Windows 2019

Procedure

  1. Install VMware Tools as mentioned in the procedure Manually Installing VMware Tools on a Windows Virtual Machine.
  2. Select the Custom setup in step 4, and then choose Appdefense from the list.
  3. Follow the remaining steps in the procedure.

Results

VMware AppDefense component is installed in your guest operating system.