VMware View Client Now Available for Apple iPad

VMware has now released a View Client for iPad on the Apple App Store for free. Enabling Apple iPad users to access their virtual Windows desktops, applications and data from anywhere, this new client, in combination with VMware View, will deliver a modern desktop optimized for the iPad’s high-resolution Multi-Touch display.

The new VMware View Client for iPad provides a simple and secure way for end users to access virtual Windows desktops, applications and data from their iPad.

VMware View Client for iPad details:

• Modern Desktop Experience – The new VMware View Client is the first iPad app to deliver Windows-based virtual desktops while taking advantage of the superior user experience provided by PC-over-IP (PCoIP) display protocol, creating a highly responsive and flexible user experience.
• Intuitive, Multi-Touch Support – Custom gestures on the new VMware View Client enable quick and easy navigation around the virtual desktop by taking advantage of iPad’s Multi-Touch display.  An innovative on-screen track pad lets users leverage a more traditional mouse interface with the iPad’s keyboard for efficient text input.
• Secure, Instant-on Windows Desktops – VMware View Security Server support for PCoIP allows for a simple, secure remote connection and authentication to a user’s Windows desktop over a WiFi or 3G network. Reconnecting to a View Desktop is made even easier with the ability to select and connect to a list of recently connected desktops.
• Device and iOS Support – Support for the iPad Keyboard Dock and Bluetooth keyboards makes text input even easier while the iPad VGA connector allows you to connect to an external monitor.  VMware View Client for iPad supports iOS 4.2 and iOS 4.3

Download from the Apple App Store

Considering a Windows 7 Upgrade?

Many IT organizations are faced with the daunting task of having to migrate their desktop environment to Windows 7 as Windows XP support approaches its end and Windows XP availability squeezed with impending complex licensing.

But upgrading 100s or 1000s of desktop devices is costly and time consuming. Windows XP applications will not automatically be compatible with Windows 7. For example Web-based apps that work great on Internet Explorer 6, may not run on Internet Explorer 8 with Windows 7. Additionally, many organizations have custom applications driving their businesses, recoding and recertification their applications for Windows 7 is a time-consuming and costly endeavor. Most of them will have to rely on external vendors to provide the new compatible applications. And the clock is ticking.

You can now consider a different approach by starting the transition to Windows 7 by virtualizing your existing Windows applications with VMware ThinApp. Application virtualization removes the dependency of applications from the underlying operating system so you can run a single application across multiple Windows operating systems. This helps to streamline application migration, ease the burden of cost and complexity for IT and create a seamless transition for end users.

Once your applications are virtualized, you can further consider moving to a complete Virtual Desktop environment using VMware View and further separate the operating system from the underlying hardware and deliver as a secure managed service from the datacenter.

Separate desktop environments from the underlying hardware and run a single image of the operating system on a variety of machines with VMware View. Desktop operating systems, applications and data can be isolated and managed independently in the datacenter.

Some key benefits of a virtual desktop solution:

• Minimize costly application porting and reduce regression testing
• Reduce conflicts and support calls by providing application isolation and portability using application virtualization
• Deliver next generation desktop architecture with modular desktops
• Enhance image and application management
• Extend the life of your application and hardware to maximize and protect your investment

Here is a demo of the ThinApp capture process:

IBM Virtual Desktop for Smart Business

Earlier this year, IBM announced their Virtual Desktop for Smart Business, a new workforce mobility offering that provides anytime, anywhere access to personal desktops from mobile devices -- including tablets, netbooks, laptops and thin clients.

The IBM Virtual Desktop allows Windows or Linux desktops to be hosted and managed centrally, thus lowering the cost and complexity of managing PC environments through rapid deployment of new applications, automatic software updates and reducing the need for help desk requests. The Virtual Desktop, which includes VERDE software from Virtual Bridges, can be deployed on a customer's own infrastructure or through a "private cloud" hosted environment like Lexcom.  

"As IBM's latest smarter work offering, the Virtual Desktop expands the time and place where people can access information, contribute ideas and support customers," said Dan Cerutti, general manager, IBM Smart Business. "We're bringing the power of virtual computing to smaller companies seeking greater agility while freeing up critical IT resources."

The IBM Virtual Desktop has self-configuring, self-managing and self-protecting features that enable easy installation and management, plus continuous backup and recovery. Whether visiting clients, checking inventory or making patient rounds at a hospital, the solution provides instant access to information, helping employees solve problems and speed decision-making.

This new IBM solution is offered as a pre-integrated, ready-to-run software package priced at $150.00 per user per year for a one year contract. IBM Virtual Desktop will be delivered through IBM Business Partners who will provide local consulting, networking and software infrastructure skills to ensure smooth installation. 

Download a IBM Virtual Desktop Brochure here.

Cisco VXI - End-to-End Architecture for VDI

As we all know, enterprise IT departments are increasingly being pressured to control costs, improve manageability, enhance security, and accelerate the deployment of new capabilities, while providing a consistent user experience across a wide range of endpoints. Desktop virtualization has become a popular solution for addressing these needs. With hosted desktop, end user desktop images (operating system, applications, and associated data) are hosted as virtual machines on data center servers. Users can access hosted virtual desktops from many locations through VDI appliances, smart phones, tablet computers, laptop and desktop computers, and other clients.

You may not have been aware that Cisco had a specific VDI strategy but they have developed the Cisco Virtualization Experience Infrastructure (VXI) system, an end-to-end architecture for virtualization. Cisco VXI integrates and extends proven Cisco architectures for data centers, borderless networks, and collaboration to provide a comprehensive system for deploying virtualization across the enterprise. Cisco VXI offers a superior collaboration and rich media experience with best-in-class return-on-investment, by delivering a fully integrated, open, and validated desktop virtualization system.

The Cisco VXI system architecture comprises three fundamental building blocks - the Virtualized Data Center, the Virtualization-Aware Network, and the Virtualized Workplace. The Virtualized Data Center is based on Cisco's Data Center Business Advantage architecture, which creates data centers that are efficient, agile, and transformative. The Data Center Business Advantage architecture delivers faster service creation, higher efficiency and profitability through simplicity, innovative IT models, and open platforms that preserve customer choice.

The Virtualization-Aware Network is based on the Cisco Borderless Networks architecture, which reduces operational complexity and provides services needed to connect anyone, anywhere, on any device. The Virtualized Collaborative Workplace builds on the Cisco Collaboration architecture to extend the reach of the virtual desktop to a wide range of end points, while supporting critical collaboration capabilities such as conferencing and messaging.

This video is from Wyse (one of the initial Cisco VXI partners) explaining VXI and how they are collaborating with Cisco:

More info: Cisco Website

View 4.6 Released

As anticipated, View 4.6 was released yesterday. It includes the following new features:

• Security servers can now accommodate PCoIP connections - Security servers now include a PCoIP Secure Gateway component. The PCoIP Secure Gateway connection offers the following advantages:
  • The only remote desktop traffic that can enter the corporate data center is traffic on behalf of a strongly authenticated user.
  • Users can access only the desktop resources that they are authorized to access.
  • No VPN is required, as long as PCoIP is not blocked by any networking component.
  • Security servers with PCoIP support run on Windows Server 2008 R2 and take full advantage of the 64-bit architecture.
• Enhanced USB device compatibility - View 4.6 supports USB redirection for syncing and managing iPhones and iPads with View desktops. This release also includes improvements for using USB scanners, and adds to the list of USB printers that you can use with thin clients. For more information, see the list of View Client resolved issues.
• Keyboard mapping improvements - Many keyboard-related issues have been fixed. For more information, see the list of View Client resolved issues.
• New timeout setting for SSO users - With the single-sign-on (SSO) feature, after users authenticate to View Connection Server, they are automatically logged in to their View desktop operating systems. This new timeout setting allows administrators to limit the number of minutes that the SSO feature is valid for. For example, if an administrator sets the time limit to 10 minutes, then 10 minutes after the user authenticates to View Connection Server, the automatic login ability expires. If the user then walks away from the desktop and it becomes inactive, when the user returns, the user is prompted for login credentials. For more information, see theVMware View Administration documentation.
• VMware View 4.6 includes more than 160 bug fixes - For descriptions of selected resolved issues, see Resolved Issues.
• Experimental support for Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 RC operating systems