VMware intros products, services for post-PC era

MUMBAI, INDIA: Virtualization software maker VMware Inc. announced new products and cloud-based services for the post-PC era, at VMworld 2011.

“As our customers begin to embrace this shift to the post-PC era, we offer a simple way to deliver a better Windows-based desktop-as-a-service that empowers organizations to do more with what they already have,” said Christopher Young, vice president and general manager, End-User Computing, VMware. “At the same time, we are investing in expertise and delivering the open products needed to accelerate the journey to a new way to work beyond the Windows desktop. This combination of empowered users and flexible IT-as-a-service, enables a new working style that leads to a more connected enterprise.”

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VMware View 5: Available in the coming weeks, VMware View 5 will simplify IT manageability and control, while providing a high fidelity desktop virtualization experience, says the company in a release.

VMware claims that View 5 will deliver protocol enhancements that provide as much as 75 per cent bandwidth improvement over LAN and WAN connections, advanced support of 3D graphics, scalable unified communications integration for voice and video media services with Avaya and Mitel, and virtual desktop personalization with integrated persona management.

VMware Horizon: New updates to VMware Horizon extend the benefits of its identity, policy and entitlement engine to virtualized Windows applications and connected mobile workspaces — providing an open, user-centric platform for delivery of different application types within a unified application catalog from a wide range of devices, adds the company.

VMware Horizon Application Manager — Leaveraging the application virtualization capabilities of VMware ThinApp, VMware Horizon Application Manager will offer a centralized console to manage access, deployment and updates to virtual Windows applications independent from device type and the underlying operating system.

VMware Horizon Mobile — Based on the VMware Mobile Virtualization Platform (MVP) technology previewed earlier this year at Mobile World Congress, VMware Horizon Mobile will offer new features that enable an enterprise to establish and securely manage an employee’s connected mobile workspace in isolation from their personal mobile environment, adds the company.

It will available from LG, Samsung and other smartphone/tablet manufacturers in the coming months.

Future releases of VMware Horizon will integrate the management of existing Windows applications via application virtualization and publishing technologies from Citrix, Microsoft and VMware, with the management of mobile and cloud-based applications.

Projects AppBlast and Octopus: VMware previewed two new end-user computing technologies — code named Projects AppBlast and Octopus — that advance the company’s vision for enabling universal application and data delivery for the post-PC era at VMworld 2011 in Las Vegas.

Project AppBlast will provide the universal delivery of any application, including Windows-based applications, to any device supporting HTML5, enabling instant remote access to applications without the heavy footprint of the underlying operating system, says the company.

Project Octopus will leaverage data sync technology from VMware Zimbra and Mozy to enable enterprise-grade collaboration and information/data sharing.

Moreover, Project Octopus will offer easy integration with VMware Horizon, VMware View and Project AppBlast to create a secure enterprise cloud service. These two projects promise to simplify the access and sharing of information across people and mobile devices, contributing to the connected enterprise.

Available in the coming weeks, VMware View 5 is a family of products:

VMware View 5, Enterprise Edition: includes VMware vSphere 5 for desktops, VMware vCenter Server 5 and VMware View Manager 5, a flexible desktop management server enabling IT administrators to quickly provision and tightly control user access.

VMware View 5, Premier Edition: includes VMware vSphere 5 for desktops, VMware vCenter Server 5, VMware View Manager 5, View Client with Local Mode, VMware ThinApp 4.6, VMware View Composer and VMware vShield Endpoint to enable integration of offline capabilities, image management optimization, application virtualization and centralized anti-virus protection with virtual desktop delivery and management.

VMware View 5 Enterprise Edition is priced at $150 per concurrent connection and VMware View 5 Premier Edition is priced at $250 per concurrent connection.

Available in the United States and to select early access customers in other regions, VMware Horizon Application Manager starts at $30.00 per user/per year for SaaS and cloud application management. The management of ThinApp entitlements is expected later this year.

Solutions using VMware Horizon Mobile are expected to be available from LG, Samsung and other smartphone manufacturers in the coming months.