Feature Request: Reusable App Masking Rules at MSP and Account Level

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Philipp Mair

Hi,

We have a set of basic FSLogix App Masking rules that we apply across multiple customer environments. It would be extremely helpful if we could define these rules once at the MSP level and then reuse them across different customer accounts, rather than having to recreate them individually.

Additionally, we would love to see the ability to reuse app masking rules at the account level, so they can be applied to multiple host pools within the same customer environment.

I remember there was a similar request previously (FSLogix App Masking Rule – Nerdio Help Center) — just thought it might make sense to raise it again for consideration.

Best regards,
Philipp

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Dave Stephenson

Thanks for shining light on this request again, Philipp!

I know on Luke Reilly's original request, he mentioned potentially deploying these with GPO/Intune (which he's currently doing). However, I think the bigger issue might require a redesign of how we're currently creating the rules because we currently require an online VM. Or, what will happen if you have an app masking rule in place for applications that aren't installed?

Just going off the idea, I can think of a few different ways (in no particular order) to accomplish this, but there may be something I'm not considering:

  1. Have it work more like an Intune Configuration Profile where we pull-in an existing configuration to the MSP level 
  2. Use the “Global Image” method where it is created/maintained at the MSP level and then assigned/customized at the account level
  3. Making it just an export/import action (from the hostpool level) to make it simpler to port your configurations to import/export existing masking rules to/from a non-Nerdio environment (yes, there are some misguided individuals who think that it's easier/better to do AVD without Nerdio 😞🤣)
  4. Make a “Copy to” function that copies the rules to another host and keeps the two masking rules in sync (similar to the "Global RDP Properties" options) to keep the setting in sync or modify from that baseline.
  5. ?

Are any of those “shoot from the hip” ideas speaking to you more than another?
Granted, there could be technical limitations behind these ideas so that may influence the final design.🤓

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Philipp Mair

Hi Dave,

 

as always, thanks for your detailed reply :)

Let me give you an example of a rule we'd like to use for all our customers. It's a rule to customize the start menu and hide specific entries:

It would be great, to somehow store this rule centrally and reuse it on more customers. And i guess we don't need an existing host pool or a global image vm to create those rules.

I hope that explains my request a little better :)

 

Philipp

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Dave Stephenson

Haha. Thanks, Philipp. 
Sometimes I can get carried away and a bit too verbose. 

Your use-case definitely simplifies matters because it doesn't depend on any app so it could make it easier to implement.
I'm thinking the “easiest” solution would be do allow import/export of configurations (#3 from my monologue). From there, we could look into the #4 option with centralizing the rules and being able to deploy them like Global RDP properties.

Thanks again, Philipp. Keep the ideas coming!

 

 

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Philipp Mair

Great, sound good Dave :)

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