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Release: VDIworks VideoOverIP 1.0

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VDIworks yesterday announced the release of its new high-speed connection protocol for virtual desktops, VideoOverIP 1.0. This release drastically improves the user experience delivered in a hosted virtual desktop model, while also allowing customers full freedom to choose their preferred client and host hardware.

While a variety of connection remoting protocols exist in the industry today, many are unsuited for multimedia playback, others are tied to specific Thinclients or server hardware and yet others have technical limitations related to the kinds of video they can accelerate. VideoOverIP is designed to overcome these challenges and provide an enhanced set of features to both the IT manager and the end-user.

Version 1.0 of VideoOverIP includes the following features:

1)   Multi-monitor support
2)   High degree of configurability to deal with network conditions; configurable audio buffers, configurable compression levels, GDI and mirror driver modes etc.
3)   Universal codec independent acceleration; Flash®, MPEG, DivX and all other kinds of animation and video are accelerated without any need for codecs on the Thinclient
4)   KVM and Audio redirection
5)   Support for Hypervisors; Microsoft Hyper-V®, VMware Virtual Server and VMware ESX
6)   Standalone mode and full integration with VDIworks VDP Management Platform and Connection Broker
7)   Support for embedded SKUs of Windows® for deployment on Thinclients
8)   Support for 1:1 operation; Server, Blade PC and legacy PC remoting is also supported without the use of Hypervisors

VideoOverIP is available immediately and supports Windows XPe clients, Windows XP hosts, Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware Virtual Server and VMware ESX.

VDIworks2Go, Because Mobile Workers Need Virtual Desktops Too

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VDIworks today introduced VDIworks2Go, a software solution that helps the mobile workforce capitalize on the use of virtual desktops. With VDIworks2Go, workers access a centralized virtual desktop from their laptop, and then can take it with them, allowing them to fully benefit from the security, total cost of ownership and management advantages presented by a centralized desktop computing infrastructure on the go.

VDIworks2Go users will be able to select either “disconnected” or “hosted” modes. The disconnected mode will stream the virtual machine onto the laptop so that the user can leave the office and take their virtual desktop with them.
VDIworks2Go will be available in late Q4 2008 and will be priced on a per-seat basis. Laptops equipped with VDIworks2Go must operate a processor with 1.6GHZ or higher of processing power, must contain 2GB or more of RAM, and should contain 6-8 GB of free storage to host a typical VM.

Industry Moves: Executive Swaps At VDIworks and Wyse

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Rick Hoffman, formerly ClearCube CEO, has been replaced as CEO of VDIworks (recently spun off ClearCube) by Amir Husain, previously covering the role of CTO.

Meanwhile, Pano Logic has appointed John Kish as its new President and CEO. Kish has resigned from his previous role at Wyse Technologies.

VDIworks Virtual Desktop Platform 1.2 To Support HP RGS Protocol

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VDIworks today announced that the latest release of VDIworks’ Virtual Desktop Platform (VDP), version 1.2, will provide connection brokering and management for the HP Remote Graphics Software (RGS) protocol. This integrated offering will allow customers to leverage VDIworks’ virtual desktop management capabilities and HP’s RGS protocol to enable the highest grade visual experience possible in a virtualized environment.

While desktop virtualization solutions have focused primarily on the hypervisor back-end, the end-user experience has not achieved parity with what most users expect from a PC. HP’s RGS protocol provides extremely high-speed transmission of multimedia content from a virtual machine to a remote thin client. VDIworks’ VDP will now be able to discover RGS-enabled devices and provide connection brokering as well as additional management services for HP hardware running RGS. VDP supports all popular hypervisors, including Microsoft Hyper-V, Virtual Server, Xen and VMware ESX. HP and VDIworks will continue to work together to improve the performance and feature-set of the newly announced solution.
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VDIworks Brings Desktop Virtualization Management to Hyper-V

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VDIworks, the young company recently spun out of ClearCube, announced it has tied its solution with Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007, which provides management of physical and virtual deployments throughout the data center, desktops and devices.

VDIworks released a new plug-in, VDIvision for System Center, allowing its customers to use MSCOM to manage a variety of VDIworks-driven features. The management plug-in includes a highly configurable and scalable connection broker, leveraging the power of desktop virtualization. VDIworks utilized APIs from Microsoft to ensure seamless functionality among both products.

On the heels of Microsoft’s release of Hyper-V, VDIworks is the first virtual desktop management vendor to integrate with Hyper-V and the System Center management offerings. The plugin is integrated with Active Directory so IT managers can control users’ access rights and permissions. It runs a SQL Server database at the back end in which enterprise IT can store all the components of the VDI environment so it can run reports against them and manage the environment.

VDIvision for System Center is platform-agnostic, so it can also run with the VMware and Xen hypervisors.

[Source: InternetNews]

VDIworks

ClearCube Spins Off Software Activities Into A New Company, VDIworks

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ClearCube today announced that its software business is being spun-off and launched as an independent new company called VDIworks. ClearCube will continue to provide solutions for centralized desktop computing, including end-to-end desktop virtualization, while VDIworks will focus on software management platforms for creating, deploying and managing virtual desktop infrastructure. As independent companies, ClearCube and VDIworks intend to maximize their business potential and gain the flexibility to meet the demands of their respective target markets.

ClearCube

VDIworks

VDIworks and ClearCube have signed an OEM agreement whereby ClearCube will continue to market and promote the VDIworks software under the current Sentral VDI Management Software brand. The Sentral management software will continue to be an integrated component of ClearCube’s complete centralized desktop computing solutions. ClearCube customers will continue to be supported in their current license agreements with ClearCube. VDIworks will establish additional OEM relationships with third-party solutions vendors so they can deploy virtual desktop solutions to their customers.

VDIworks will target the emerging market of desktop virtualization. The new company has received seed funding from current ClearCube investors and will be seeking additional funding to support its “rapid growth and high market demand”.

“ClearCube and VDIworks provide solutions within growth markets, and ClearCube’s investors recognized this and decided separating the technologies would allow each entity to fully capitalize on the market opportunities,” said Rick Hoffman, former president of ClearCube and now president of VDIworks. “Both companies immediately offer mature products and can point to successful customer installations. Both companies benefit from established internal development and sales teams. As a result, both companies present superior solutions that can provide rapid return on investment while improving enterprise security and IT management capabilities.”

ClearCube also announced today that former COO Randy Printz has been promoted to president and chief executive officer. His team includes Doug Layne, worldwide vice president of sales and marketing, and Jeana Thomas, senior director of alliances and channels.

In other news, ClearCube has issued a second press release touting its “record growth in 2007 and exceptional financial performance in Q1 of 2008”. ClearCube achieved 38 percent business growth in the second half over the first half of 2007, and 34 percent increase in net revenue in Q1 of 2008 over Q1 of 2007.