application virtualization

Xenocode Launches Virtual Application Studio, Aims To Makes Waves In Application Virtualization

May 20, 2008 by Robin Wauters 1 Comment

Xenocode today launched Xenocode Virtual Application Studio, which it claims is a next-generation application virtualization environment that allows Windows, .NET and Java-based desktop applications to be deployed in standalone executables that run instantly and reliably, anywhere.

Xenocode’s focus lies on application virtualization, a technology that separates applications from the underlying operating systems on which they execute. Unlike traditional hardware virtualization solutions that require an entire copy of the host operating system, Xenocode’s lightweight application virtualization technology emulates core operating system features required for application execution. As a result, applications deployed with Xenocode have essentially the same performance characteristics as native executables.

According to the press release, “Xenocoded” applications require no setup, configuration, clients, or device drivers, are isolated from external DLL and dependency conflicts, and run properly on Windows Vista and locked-down desktops. Xenocode-virtualized applications can be easily deployed on USB devices, corporate intranets, the Internet, or existing desktop management infrastructure software such as Microsoft SMS, LANDesk Management Suite, BMC Configuration Management and Novell ZENworks.

Xenocode-enabled applications are run on the Xenocode Virtual Operating System, a lightweight micro-kernel embedded within each virtualized application executable, allowing virtual applications to be executed without any separate client install, device drivers, or player software.

Xenocode Virtual Application Studio is available from today.

VMware Formally Releases Project Northstar (Previously Thinstall) Beta 2

May 8, 2008 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

VMware has today formally announced the release of Project Northstar Beta 2, the immediate result of its acquisition of desktop & application virtualization startup Thinstall earlier this year.

New features include:

Application Link: allows administrators to dynamically link Thinstall packages to one another, making it possible to create separate packages for interdependent components (such as Java or .NET) and use them across multiple Thinstall packages.
Application Sync: allows customers to execute updates to virtual applications through a secure Internet connection, increasing application portability while reducing security and patch risks to offline and out-of-network machines

Edwin Friesen has a great preview write-up with a helpful step-by-step guide.

AspenTech Releases aspenONE 2006.5, Integrates Microsoft Application Virtualization

April 16, 2008 by Robin Wauters 1 Comment

Aspen Technology, provider of software and services to the process industries, today announced that aspenONE version 2006.5 uses the latest Microsoft technologies to simplify IT rollout and management. The integration of aspenONE with Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Office Excel, and SoftGrid Application Virtualization supports IT standards, speeds time to deployment, and extends the reach of aspenONE within operations for improved manufacturing performance.

“aspenONE makes it possible to solve the difficult challenge of optimizing manufacturing performance in complex process industries such as energy, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. By incorporating the latest Microsoft technologies into the integrated suite of aspenONE applications, AspenTech enables process manufacturers to take full advantage of our combined technology solutions across the enterprise,” said Chris Colyer, Microsoft Director of Worldwide Manufacturing Operations.

aspenONE Process Engineering now supports Microsoft Application Virtualization, an engine that turns applications into centrally managed virtual services delivered on-demand. This enables IT departments to accelerate the deployment of engineering applications by more than 50 %. The applications are installed only once, rather than once per desktop, and can be deployed to groups of users more quickly and maintained more easily. In addition, for project-based companies and departments, virtualization also allows different versions of the same applications to run concurrently on the same machine.

[Source: press release (PDF)]

Symantec Agrees To Acquire Virtualization Streaming Company AppStream

April 10, 2008 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

At the Symantec ManageFusion 2008 event in Las Vegas, Symantec announced during the keynote session that they have agreed to acquire AppStream, the streaming company that has been working with Altiris and Symantec for the past two years giving Altiris a boost to their SVS Pro product by leveraging AppStream’s streaming technology.

Symantec executive Ken Berryman, VP of Endpoint Virtualization said in a press conference that “the details of the acquisition are private” and that “there is no current plan to change the AppStream name.”

Srinivasa Venkataraman, CEO of AppStream, mentioned plans to have tighter integration with Symantec Management Workflow, which was released yesterday at the show. When asked about OS streaming to deploy virtual machines, the answer was, “Stay tuned.”

Will You Dance to Endeavors’ Application Jukebox?

April 6, 2008 by Robin Wauters 1 Comment

Endeavors recently launched its Application Jukebox, an application virtualization and delivery product, taking the concepts of application encapsulation and application streaming to a new level.

The two versions of Application Jukebox available today include Endeavors’ unique, fully-configurable virtualization that provides administrators with the flexibility to publish applications in fully isolated (sandboxed) mode, fully integrated mode, or any combination between the two options. Application Jukebox SaaS Edition features usage metering and a kiosk mode to support a pay-as-you-go model for application rental, plus portals that provide an easy-to-use environment for service providers and ISVs to create a custom application landing site. Application Jukebox Enterprise Edition supports Active Directory and offers user and group monitoring, as well as extensive tracking and support for cost-effective license management.

“We have seen a great deal of interest in Application Jukebox from current and prospective customers,” said Peter Bondar, CEO at Endeavors Technologies. “We are excited by the positive feedback from participants in our beta program and believe this will continue to grow as customers now begin deploying Application Jukebox.”

Dan Kusnetzky over at ZDNet Blogs seems to be impressed:

“Endeavors appears to have thought about the concepts of application virtualization and applicaiton delivery/streaming pretty deeply while architecting this product family. The company has recognized both the strengths and the limitations of previous approaches to each of these concepts and tried offer products that offered strengths equal to the approaches offered by rivals while minimizing the limitations those rivals faced.”

Celceo Enhances Application Virtualization Technology, Bridges Virtual and Non-virtual Worlds

April 6, 2008 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

Last week, Boston-based Celceo unveiled the latest generation of its application virtualization technology for individuals and small businesses. With this latest release, Celceo allows “virtual applications to integrate with Windows while bridging the virtual and non-virtual worlds”.

From the press release:

“We were the first to virtualize applications that have already been deployed, and we’re proud to be the first in bridging the virtual and non-virtual worlds,” said Christian Carrillo, Founder of Celceo. “Application virtualization has great potential but has suffered from high adoption cost. Innovations like these make the technology more accessible to more people.”

…

Carrillo added: “At Celceo, we’ve created a platform that helps us realize that future by making application virtualization flexible and transparent to end users, yet powerful enough to grow well beyond a software deployment tool to a sophisticated management, auditing and security backbone.”

Celceo offers its technology to solutions providers through its Application Virtualization SDK. Celceo’s SDK is designed to integrate with enterprise management software as well as endpoint security agents, allowing enterprise administrators to control applications, audit their utilization and performance, and deploy new applications. Celceo also distributes a stand-alone virtualization product, Celceo SmartBox, built on top of its SDK, for individuals and small organizations who want to start using application virtualization today.