BANGALORE, INDIA: VMware, Inc., leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop to the datacenter, today announced the first open source client for virtual desktop infrastructure, VMware View Open Client.

VMware View enables IT organizations to safely host user desktops in the datacenter, while letting users access their personalized desktop environments from almost any device, at any time, all at a lower cost of ownership than traditional desktop environments. Now, VMware is providing VMware View Open Client for partners, enabling them to use VMware View source code to optimize their products to deliver rich, personalized virtual desktops to users.

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In addition, partners will be able to use the source code to help accelerate the development and delivery of solutions for enterprises to provision and manage thousands of virtual desktops simply, securely and at substantially lower operating costs.

“VMware feels strongly about industry collaboration to move the market forward to develop the best solutions,” said Jocelyn Goldfein, vice president and general manager of VMware’s Desktop Business Unit.

“HP and VMware have a history of working together to help meet the needs of customers looking to deploy cost-effective desktop solutions,” said Jeff Groudan, vice president of marketing, desktop solutions organization, HP. “VMware View Open Client enables us to deliver thin client devices certified for VMware View faster and at an even lower cost while driving down the total cost of ownership of a virtual desktop deployment.”

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"As thin client vendors increasingly adopt the SUSE Linux Enterprise platform for their devices, enabling VMware virtualization within the operating system is a natural step forward," said Carlos Montero-Luque, vice president of open platform solutions, Novell. "Our collaboration with VMware is geared toward allowing customers to seamlessly adopt desktop virtualization in their environments with the flexibility and cost savings that Linux provides."

“We are excited about VMware's decision to open source VMware View Open Client given Sun’s proven leadership in delivering open source software,” said Jim McHugh, vice president, datacenter marketing, Sun Microsystems. "We're looking forward to working with VMware and extending our existing support for VMware View."

This announcement is another important step in VMware’s vClient Initiative to deliver universal clients, desktops that follow users to any end point while providing a rich personalized experienced that is secure, cost-effective and easy for IT to manage.