Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization

Microsoft MED-V Now In Public Beta

January 19, 2009 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

In the beginning of this month, we explained the difference between Microsoft’s App-V and MED-V.

Last week, Microsoft announced the release of the public beta of Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V), formerly known as Kidaro Managed Workspace, a solution that is designed to essentially help enterprise organizations run older operating systems and applications on new Windows-based systems.

According to the company, MED-V can be used to give companies more time with their legacy operating systems and software applications while they upgrade their Windows environment. As an example, IT shops can continue to run Windows XP-based applications even while they upgrade to Vista.

Alessandro offers more information.

Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) or Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V)?

January 2, 2009 by Robin Wauters 1 Comment

WindowsITPro answers this question: when should one use Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) as opposed to Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V)?

APP-V and MED-V address two very different scenarios. APP-V virtualizes at the application level, placing applications in a sandbox-type environment. Applications can’t see one another through the user of virtual file systems, virtual registries, or virtual services but the applications are still running on the local client OS. APP-V is great for resolving conflicts between applications and expediting application testing deployment, as APP-V applications aren’t locally installed on a computer.

MED-V, set to be available in the first half of 2009, virtualizes at the OS level and is used to resolve incompatibility problems between applications and an OS. MED-V is also a solution for the delivery and maintenance for virtual machine (VM) images on a client desktop. For more information about MED-V, see this previous FAQ.

If your problem is that applications are incompatible with one another or you need to deploy apps quickly with minimal testing, you want APP-V. If you have applications that won’t run on a new client OS or you want to manage VM images then you want MED-V. Either way, you need the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack to get access to the technologies. It’s highly likely you may need to use both technologies for different applications within your organization.

Microsoft Finalizes Kidaro Acquisition, Bullish On Expansion In Desktop Virtualization Field

May 23, 2008 by Robin Wauters Leave a Comment

Microsoft on Thursday said it has now sold 6.5 million licenses of its Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) client-level virtualization software, more than double the total of 3 million licenses that it had sold as of January.

MDOP, which is available only to customers that have volume Windows licenses and Software Assurance maintenance contract, offers a variety of technologies supporting desktop virtualization and application streaming.

Shanen Boettcher, Microsoft’s General Manager of Windows client product management for enterprise users, included the updated sales total for MDOP licenses in a (relayed) post on the software vendor’s Windows Vista blog. MDOP costs between $7 and $10 per license annually, according to Boettcher.

Boettcher also said in the blog post that Microsoft has completed its acquisition of Kidaro Technologies, which sells technology designed to make the desktop virtualization experience more invisible to end users and easier for IT to manage. Kidaro‘s technology is scheduled to be incorporated into MDOP by the first half of next year, with the combination getting a new name: Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization.

Boettcher said Microsoft has invested more than $400 million in developing MDOP and expanding it through acquisitions of virtualization vendors such as Kidaro and Softricity Inc.

[Source: ComputerWorld]