MokaFive Virtual Desktop Solution

MokaFive, a desktop virtualization company, has announced the general release of v.10 of its Virtual Desktop Solution, a cross-platform desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) product.

The company says its DaaS solution is already deployed in nearly 50 pilot programs and has been downloaded over 80,000 times. The virtual desktops, known as LivePCs, run on Windows, Macintosh, and MokaFive’s BareMetal Linux operating systems.

“The arrival of virtualization on the desktop will change the way desktops have been managed and promises greater flexibility for the user,” said Bill Demas, president and CEO, MokaFive. “We believe our MokaFive Virtual Desktop Solution is the first to bridge the chasm between what IT administrators need—centralized management—and what users want—freedom in their computing environment. By offering our virtual desktops as a service, MokaFive is making it easier for companies to get up and running quickly.”

MokaFive Virtual Desktop Solution is available in two versions. MokaFive Professional is for enterprise and workgroup deployments and will be sold via annual subscription. MokaFive Express, designed for home users and developers, is available as a free download. A library of LivePCs, created by MokaFive and the user community, is available at the MokaFive lab.

Also check out the GigaOM interview with MokaFive founder John Waley.

[Source: Dana Gardner ZDNet]

MokaFive, a 3-year-old company from Redwood City who previously went by the name moka5, is realigning its market strategy from desktop virtualization provider for consumers to desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) innovation Virtual Desktop Solution provider for SMBs.

In essence, this solution is a console to centralize the management of multiple LivePCs (their consumer product), which contain an entire desktop operating system and application stack. Available today as a preview, the MokaFive solution thus leverages the power of cloud computing to deliver centrally managed, locally run virtual desktops as a service. General availability is scheduled for Q2 2008.

From the press release:

Underpinning the MokaFive Virtual Desktop Solution is the company’s LivePC format, which contains an entire desktop operating system and application stack. Inspired by Sun Microsystems’ SunRay architecture, LivePCs allow users to pause and resume their computing state on different PCs by carrying a USB flash drive. LivePCs are virtual machines running directly on users’ desktops—there is no need for a data center. They can be run online or offline, boot quickly on a PC, fit easily and securely on a USB flash drive and update automatically over a network or the Internet. LivePCs are managed centrally and can be executed locally on any compatible x86 machine, giving users the flexibility and performance of a PC.

“The LivePC format represents the next-generation of desktop computing, easily leapfrogging today’s virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions that require users to remotely connect to virtual machines hosted in data centers,” said Dr. Monica Lam, Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University and Co-founder and Chief Scientist of MokaFive. “Unlike VDI solutions, which require a server for each handful of users, LivePCs deliver dynamically updated, or ‘live,’ images that can be used by thousands of users with a single server.”

[Source: Dana Gardner]

MokaFive Releases Virtual Desktop Solution

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