Robin Wauters

Wyse Technology today announced solutions that will support VMware View 4 and its PC-over-IP (PCoIP) display protocol.

Wyse is announcing support for the PCoIP protocol in existing thin client devices, new devices, and a new zero client. The new Wyse P20 zero client is specifically designed to bring the premiere PCoIP experience to a whole new class of virtualization users whether operating from a datacenter, private or public cloud. These devices are expected to be listed on the VMware Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) and available for VMware View 4 by Nov. 19, 2009 when the solution becomes generally available.

Wyse is launching support for VMware View 4 with integrated support for PCoIP across its line of existing thin clients, including immediate support for Wyse thin clients based on Microsoft Windows XP Embedded and Windows Embedded Standard. Wyse will also support PCoIP on its line of Linux and segment-leading Wyse ThinOS clients in the near future.

Advanced protocols such as PCoIP have the potential to provide a new class of users the benefits of virtual clients, those using applications that have traditionally required powerful PCs or workstations. For this user segment, Wyse introduces the Wyse P20 zero client, its smallest, stateless access device designed specifically for the PCoIP protocol.

In partnership with VMware and with PCoIP support in hardware and software, the Wyse P20 zero client is designed for the most demanding rich media applications, including CAD/CAM, 3D solid modeling, video editing, advanced simulations, and rich media. Customers will receive a true PC experience with a device the size of a book and consuming fewer than 15 watts of power.

The Wyse P20 also resolves the challenges of provisioning, managing, maintaining and securing enterprise desktops without incurring the security risks associated with transmitting data across a network or having data reside in remote PCs. Small firmware located on the client enables users to connect to the VMware View or other PCoIP host. The client does not have a local operating system such as Windows or Linux, so it’s simpler to deploy, requires no local antivirus protection, and seldom needs management. And because the device has no local storage, it is completely secure and virus-proof.

Desktop, mobile, and even handheld support for VMware View 4 will be delivered exclusively from Wyse. In addition to the new Wyse P20 zero client, and the existing Wyse thin client family, Wyse will also deliver day one support for VMware View 4 in Wyse’s breakthrough mobile access software Wyse PocketCloud, making it easy to access a VMware View 4 environment from an Apple iPhone. An updated version of the product will be made available this month. PocketCloud is currently available from the iTunes AppStore.

Citrix Systems today launched the new Citrix Ready Open Desktop Virtualization program to further accelerate large-scale enterprise virtual desktop deployments with Citrix XenDesktop.

The Citrix Ready Open Desktop Virtualization program includes more than 10,000 products from over 200 vendors that have been validated as ready to deploy in production environments with the recently launched XenDesktop 4. The Open Desktop Virtualization program helps make virtual desktops a safe choice for enterprise-wide deployment by eliminating the guess work and ensuring customers that XenDesktop 4 has been tested to work with the software, hardware and services they already uses in their IT environments today.

Products that have been verified to work with XenDesktop 4 include thousands of applications, servers, storage systems, backup solutions, client devices, printers, desktop peripherals, security products, desktop management software and systems management solutions.

Launched on October 6, 2009, (see press release) and now available for download, XenDesktop 4, with its unique FlexCast delivery technology, is the first product in the industry to support every major desktop virtualization model in a single, integrated solution. The FlexCast delivery technology provides the architecture that allows customers to choose from any of the hosted or local virtual desktop delivery models available in one, easy-to-use solution, without locking them into a single, proprietary vendor model.

Built with an open architecture, XenDesktop gives customers the flexibility to run heterogeneous environments, lowering costs and maximizing their return on investment. It also makes it easy for customers to gradually add desktop virtualization capabilities at their own pace, simplifying desktop computing, increasing security and enhancing end-user productivity. With its market-leading HDX™ technology, XenDestkop 4 also helps ensure that every user has a rich, high-definition experience, regardless of where they are, or what type of device they are using.

Mainstream adoption of desktop virtualization requires a solution that is built with an open architecture and leverages an ecosystem of partner products. This combination helps customers implement an end-to-end solution to enhance or replace their traditional desktop computing environments. XenDesktop 4 supports every major server virtualization platform, including Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008, Citrix XenServer, VMware ESX and VMware vSphere. The XenDesktop open architecture further incorporates Citrix Ready and HDX Ready thin clients, Windows, Linux and Mac devices, as well as most major mobile device platforms.

The Open Desktop Virtualization program leverages XenDesktop’s open architecture and verifies interoperability with over 10,000 products across the following categories:

Datacenter Systems

• Virtualization Infrastructure – Hypervisor-based virtualization platforms that host and manage desktops and applications that run in virtual machines. Includes Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware ESX, VMware vSphere and Citrix XenServer
• Servers and Blade Systems – Hardware platforms that power server-side virtual desktops and applications running in the datacenter. Includes Dell, HP, IBM, Fujitsu, Intel and AMD
• Storage and Backup Systems – Software and hardware storage products that drive increased performance, cost savings and reduced storage requirements for desktop images, user profiles and end-user data. Includes CA, Compellent, CommVault, DataCore, Dell EqualLogic, EMC, FalconStor, Fujitsu, HP StorageWorks, Hitachi, IBM, LSI, NetApp, NEC, Pillar Data Systems, RELDATA and Xiotech
• Applications – Enterprise, line-of-business and personal productivity applications that can be delivered more efficiently to end users through desktop and app virtualization. Includes Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, Google, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP and over 1,000 additional software vendors across a wide variety of industries

Client Devices

• PCs, Laptops, Netbooks, Thin Clients and Mobile Devices – Devices used by employees and other end users to access virtual desktops and applications. Includes Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Fujitsu, Research in Motion (Blackberry), Sprint, 10Zig, Chip PC, Computer Lab, DevonIT, IGEL, ThinLaunch, VXL and Wyse
• Printers and Desktop Peripherals – Printing solutions and drivers for an extensive range of cameras, scanners, card readers, hard drives, keyboards, speakers and other popular desktop peripherals that have been certified to work in virtual desktop environments. Includes Canon, Dell, HP, Konica, Kyocera, Lexmark, Mita, Minolta, OKI, Samsung, Xerox, ThinPrint, TriCerat, UniPrint and over 7,000 other popular USB desktop devices and driver support software
• Unified Communications – Real-time voice, meeting and communication systems that enable users to collaborate seamlessly over multiple mediums. Includes Avaya, Microsoft, ShoreTel, Citrix GoToMeeting, Citrix Hi-Def Conferencing and Citrix EasyCall

Management Systems and Services

• Client Systems Management – Unified management of physical endpoint devices to virtual environments providing a consistent cost-effective experience for the desktop administrator. Includes CA Desktop Management Suite for Windows, CA Unicenter, HP OpenView, Microsoft System Center, Novell and Wyse

• Profile Management – Software to ensure users’ personal settings are applied to the each user’s virtual desktop and applications. Includes AppSense, RES Software and TriCerat
• Security – Software and hardware products to ensure secure access, business continuity, data security and regulatory compliance for employees working in any type of virtual desktop environment. Includes Kaspersky Labs, McAfee, Novell, RES Software, RSA, Sophos, TrendMicro and Citrix Access Gateway
• Solution and Deployment Services – Services to ensure that all users have the best experience when moving to virtual desktops, both for premise based and cloud hosted environments. Includes Accenture, CSC, Dell, HP Services, Fujitsu and IBM Global Services

A white paper providing more specific information about the partner categories can be found at the Citrix Ready Open Desktop program page.

VMware has announced broad ecosystem support of the Teradici PC-over-IP (PCoIP) protocol delivered in VMware View 4.

VMware View 4 is the industry’s only purpose-built desktop virtualization solution, setting a new quality, cost and scale standard while eliminating critical barriers that have traditionally restricted customer adoption. The VMware software implementation of the patented PCoIP protocol is a key feature of VMware View 4, raising the bar for delivering a rich, high-quality desktop experience to any user — from the basic task worker to the most demanding power user — regardless of location, addressing more use cases than ever before. With support for native VMware View software clients and PCoIP-enabled hardware from a variety of ecosystem partners, VMware View with PCoIP is specifically designed to provide customers the flexibility to deploy end-to-end solutions with a variety of end point options to meet the most diverse range of end user and business needs.

Unlike other legacy application delivery solutions, the robust PCoIP protocol in VMware View 4 is purpose-built for virtual desktop delivery over any network. The flexible access model enables users to work with a wide range of applications, view rich media content, choose any number of monitor configurations and seamlessly access locally attached peripheral devices such as printers, scanners and mass storage with a PC-like experience regardless of location or task. The protocol dynamically detects and adapts to the end user’s network connection, automatically analyzing and optimizing to compensate for changes in latency and bandwidth to help ensure the best user experience for the scenario.

VKernel Corporation is making perpetual licenses of its Capacity Modeler software for VMware (a free alternative to VMware’s vCenter CapacityIQ-  completely free until December 31, 2009.

Conerned that recently announced competitive offerings, such as VMware’s CapacityIQ, leave users with inadequate capabilities to tackle an important problem, VKernel is offering anyone that downloads VKernel Capacity Modeler between now and December 31, 2009 a free perpetual licenses for unlimited CPU sockets.

The free VKernel Capacity Modeler software provides VMware customers the ability to quickly plan, simulate, and validate hundreds of real-world “what if” VM deployment and resource allocation scenarios in an interactive sandbox before going live in the production environment.  With VKernel Capacity Modeler, user can perform:

• Capacity Planning
• Interactive “What If” Modeling Scenarios
• Proactive Problem Prevention
• Predictive Capacity Impact Analysis

VKernel currently supports VMware ESX and vSphere, with plans to support Microsoft Hyper-V and Citrix XEN. The company’s current virtualization management and optimization products include:

• Capacity Analyzer – proactively and predicatively monitor shared capacity resources to prevent current and future problems and optimize the environment
• Optimization Pack – collection of management and optimization applets to help users quickly reclaim unused server and storage resources – delivering an instant ROI
• Chargeback – provide instant cost visibility and implement a chargeback process
• Modeler – interactive capacity planning and change modeling

i36 (owned by Seagate ) today announced a collaboration with Microsoft on development of a heterogeneous solution that will allow IT managers to extend Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2010 across non-Microsoft platforms and into the cloud, using i365’s EVault data protection software and cloud-connected storage solutions infrastructure.

The combined solution will be available in several configurations. The first configuration will include an appliance-based backup solution, powered by Seagate technology, which is scheduled for delivery in first half of 2010 with the release to manufacturing of DPM 2010. This collaboration includes both technology and joint go-to-market components.

A growing number of companies are adopting System Center Data Protection Manager as their standard for Windows backup and recovery. Yet many of these companies also run other operating systems and applications for part of their business and want a single solution that extends System Center Data Protection Manager to protect data from both Windows and non-Windows environments. This collaboration will give customers an integrated data protection environment for Windows file servers and applications, as well as other platforms and applications, such as UNIX, Linux, Novell Netware, VMware, IBM i, and Oracle. One integrated solution for all platforms enables IT teams to provide data protection and disaster recovery more efficiently and with less cost. The cloud option automatically brings the data offsite, ensuring business continuity even if a facility is damaged or destroyed.

The combined solution will also give customers the ability to protect DPM and other data in the cloud – an attractive complement to onsite backup and recovery. With immediate access to the i365 data protection cloud, DPM customers will benefit from a network of SAS 70 Type II certified, Tier 3 & 4 hosting facilities, WAN optimized backup and recovery, disaster recovery experts and processes, and a 12-year track record protecting data for over 22,000 customers across the globe.

Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager is a member of the Microsoft System Center family of management products, designed to help IT Professionals manage their Windows environment. DPM 2010 delivers unified data protection for Windows servers and clients as a best-of-breed backup and recovery solution from Microsoft, for Windows environments. DPM 2010 provides the best protection and most supportable restore scenarios for Windows environments to disk, tape and cloud — in a scalable, reliable, manageable and cost-effective way.