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A couple of weeks ago we released a video that provides more information on common mistakes that people make when setting up smart cards with VMware View. It expands upon a previous blog post that covered a similar topic.
We hope this is useful! Please let us know if there are other troubleshooting videos or blog posts that you think would be helpful.
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As a View developer, I spend a lot of time accessing remote desktops using the vSphere client and I don't really use 95% of the vSphere client's features. As a result, I tend to do what I can to avoid launching the bulky vSphere client, especially given that I need to launch 1 instance per VC server.
To help with this process, today we released a "fling", VMware Boomerang, which gives you the ability to easily perform a few operations with various vSphere servers. It runs in the background, remembers your credentials (if you opted into it), and is available for on-demand access to remote desktops. You also can mark certain VMs as favorites in case you have a lot of servers that you are managing and only a few that you really use.
In my daily administration of my View test servers and agents, this tool helps save me a lot of time. Boomerang keeps track of the subset of vSphere servers that I care about and I have a few favorites that represent the VMs that I interact with on a daily basis. When I need access to a console to the remote desktop, I simply access the UI from the lower-right corner of my screen, select my VM, and click Connect.
So give it a try and let me know what you think!
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Posted by Chris Young
Vice President and General Manager, VMware End-User Computing
Thus far, 2011 has proven to be an exciting time for VMware’s End-User Computing business unit. Today is no exception. I am pleased to announce that Brian Gammage has joined the VMware EUC team in newly created role of Chief Market Technologist. In this role, Brian will work closely with our customers and our product teams to define the customer journey to a modern end-user computing model that leverages cloud computing to securely deliver access to applications and data from any device, where and when a user needs it.
Brian joins us from Gartner, where he served as a Vice President and Senior Fellow advising commercial and government organizations on effective client computing strategies, technologies and architectures. Since 2004, he led Gartner's research efforts looking into the impact of virtualization technology on client computing. Specifically, his work examined the business implications and transformative changes brought about by decoupling the software environment we work in from the hardware. Overall he has more than 25 years IT sector experience, having also worked at HP, Olivetti Systems and Acorn Computers.
As we head into VMworld, we will be telling you more about how VMware’s vision for End-User Computing offers people a new way to work. Knowing Brian, I am sure that he will have a thing or two to say along the way.
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This year VMware View Client for iPad has been selected as a Best of Interop Finalist! I just the joined End User Computing team this past week and was greeted by this news. This job is going to be exciting. Positive feedback for the View Client keeps pouring in. I’m glad that the Interop judging committee (InformationWeek Analytics editors and analysts) also recognizes the value of the View Client.
With the VMware View Client for iPad, you can securely and seamlessly access your business desktop on one of the coolest devices out there. It uses the PC-over-IP protocol to create a highly responsive interface. Your user experience is enhanced with the on screen track pad, keyboard dock support, and connectivity to an external monitor. If you haven’t tried it yourself, I highly recommend it.
Take a look around you. Even your doctor may be accessorizing with the iPad due to this added functionality. This technology lets doctors easily access patient records securely from anywhere, allowing them to put more focus on the patient, you.
For those that are using the View Client for iPad– let’s see your View! Upload a photo a creative photo on how and where you’re using the client to Twitter (@vmwareview) or Facebook.
More on VMware View: http://www.vmware.com/products/view/
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By Tisa Murdock, Product Line Manager, VMware View – Healthcare
Nestled in the lush San Joaquin Valley of California, Children’s Hospital Central California rises like a mirage from 50 acres of green meadow. It almost looks like a children’s castle with brightly colored buildings, statues of giraffes and cute animal shaped topiaries. I recently visited the hospital to interview the CIO and the Network Engineering team for a video in support of our VMware View Client for iPad announcement last week.
Being a Mother, I became choked up as I approached the hospital and at the same time grateful that -my son is healthy and- there are people and facilities dedicated to helping heal sick children. Children’s is the 2nd largest pediatric hospital in California, the 10th largest in the nation and has a long tradition of adopting technology to help improve patient care. This tradition continues with their two desktop modernization projects - Advanced Clinical Systems and CPOE (Computerized Physician Order Entry) both going live this summer.
The healthcare industry is going through a complete transformation with the move from pen and paper to digitized records. This transformation will change the way both hospital IT professionals and hospital caregivers look at point-of-care clinical desktops. Electronic medical records reduce medical errors, improve patient safety and produce better clinical outcomes, but if the caregiver needs to make a decision and cannot access their electronic medical record system because their clinical desktop is down - there can be serious consequences.
It has become absolutely imperative that desktops and electronic medical applications are immediately accessible and available to caregivers.
Children’s Hospital Central California is on the forefront of this industry wide transformation. They are creating clinical solutions that make the move to electronic medical records faster and less complex for their IT department. The solutions also provide caregivers with a highly available point–of-care environment that is easy to access and easy to use.
Children’s is piloting VMware View and VMware ThinApp to modernize and virtualize both their clinical desktops and medical applications. Abstracting desktop environments from PC hardware and moving them into the datacenter means that Children’s can better manage desktops and applications and deliver them as a service to their clinicians.
The virtual desktops are hosting on VMware vSphere, a key component of our VMware View solution. VMware vSphere provides unparalleled reliability with features that continually monitor, load balance and dynamically allocated resources across the virtual desktop environment. As a result, IT can now deliver a non-stop point of care desktop with all applications and data readily available to the caregiver where and when they need them.
This enables new virtual point-of-care desktops to achieve the level of availability demanded by clinicians and staff. And now Children’s can also use new devices, such as the iPad, to access their virtual point-of-care desktop.
Clinicians tell me that they love the iPad. Now with VMware View Client with iPad they can access their virtual desktop and the small form factor and long battery life makes it portable and easy to take it bedside. This means more time engaging with patients and fast order entry (via CPOE). Hospital IT professionals like it because all the data and information is being stored in the datacenter, making everything secure and compliant. In this use case the iPad acts like a thin client with no information being stored locally so there is no fear of a data breach if the device gets lost or stolen.
VMware’s mission in healthcare is to help our customers transform the cost, quality and delivery of patient care. It is great to visit customers such as Children’s Hospital Central California who are committed to not only finding the best technology to help them transform to a digital environment but are also committed to improving the day-to-day workflow of their caregivers.
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Less than 12 hours after launch of the View Client for iPad we’re proud to say that we’re already number one on the App Store for Business Apps. We’d like to thank all of those who have downloaded and reviewed the app so far and look forward to hearing your feedback. We’ve also been getting some great coverage across the net on the various media outlets. Here’s a list of a few of them:
If you don't already have a copy of the View Client for iPad you can get it here.
This is just the start of good things to come. Be sure to check back to the View Blog often and follow @vmwareview on Twitter for product updates.
2011 is shaping up to be an exciting year for VMware View. About 2 weeks back we came out with the 4.6 release which delivered PCoIP support in our Security Server. We’re getting some great feedback from that release and we’re seeing this open the door to new use cases for remote users.
Today we keep the excitement coming with the launch of the View Client for iPad. This release is one small step for VMware and one giant leap for personal devices in the enterprise. Now all of us iPad aficionados can use our iPads to access our desktops and get an awesome user experience without giving IT a heart attack about security. It’s the best of both worlds.
Our focus with this release is really around simplicity and we set out to make sure that the user experience from the iPad is seamless. This means that access is a snap and interaction with the desktop is easy and efficient.
The iPad client is fully supported over WiFi or 3G connections and with PCoIP at the core you’ll be sure to get a great user experience. Tight integration with View 4.6 means that logging into your View desktop from the iPad is easy and reconnection to the desktop is also simple with the ability to select from a list of previously connected desktops.
iPad users will feel right at home interacting with their View desktop using the gestures we’ve implemented making it easy to do things like click, select, drag and invoke the soft keyboard. We’ve also included support for Bluetooth or dock connected keyboards for those prefer to type on a physical keyboard. In addition to keyboards we’ve also added support for the iPad VGA connector which will let you connect your View desktop to an external monitor or projector. If you wanted to, you could realistically go iPad full time!
This release is just the start of our support for the iPad and you’ll be seeing a lot more from us in the months to come as we continue to make improvements and add capabilities.
To quote our Product Manager, Tedd Fox (@teddfox), we hope you think this client is as #awesome as we do. It’s available as a free download today from the Apple App Store so download your copy and connect to your View desktop. We look forward to your thoughts and feedback in the comments below and be sure to follow @vmwareview on Twitter to keep up on all of the latest product news.
Links and Resources
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The VMware End-User Computing team is happy to announce the general availability of VMware View 4.6 and VMware ThinApp 4.6.1.
VMware View 4.6
While View 4.6 is considered a minor update, I am actually very excited about the new capabilities we have baked in to this version of our award winning desktop virtualization solution. Among the minor bug fixes and USB updates, View 4.6 delivers enhancements to View Security Server. VMware View 4,6 now provides support for external end-users connecting to their View desktop via PCoIP across the WAN. This new support provides for a simple, secure remote connection and authentication as users connect to their desktops outside of the firewall.
With this new native support, View Security Server provides an end-to-end PCoIP protocol session, and also removes the requirement for enterprise-class SSL VPNs (you can still use them with View and PCoIP if that’s what you have in your environment). For businesses this means reduced desktop virtualization infrastructure cost and configuration issues along with lower ongoing support costs. The result is a tightly-integrated and cost-effective desktop virtualization deployment that provides for easy authentication for those of us who work remotely. We think you will agree – it provides a vastly improved remote user experience.
More details about what we're delivering with the PCoIP/Security Server integration can be found in this post from Mark Benson, View Architect from our CTO office.
Mark also pulled together this great video, which goes deeper into the technical specifics of the PCoIP/Security Server enhancements in View 4.6.
And as if Mark hasn't been busy enough, he pulled together this great blog post on Setting up PCoIP Remote Access with View 4.6.
You’ll also find a write up here from Scott Davis, CTO for End-User Computing.
The View 4.6 bits can be downloaded here.
VMware ThinApp 4.6.1
VMware ThinApp 4.6.1 improves packaging for Microsoft Office 2010. We are seeing businesses adopt ThinApp as they look to migrate to Windows 7. VMware ThinApp packages applications into single executables that run completely isolated from each other and the operating system for conflict-free execution on end-point devices. Visit the ThinApp blog to see what Jonathan Clark, Principal Engineer for ThinApp, has to say about the 4.6.1 release and download the latest bits here.
Be sure to follow VMware View on Twitter and check back here for future updates on VMware View.
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My previous posts talked about the state of traditional technology focus. I have mentioned virtualization, but did not really explain what it is in "non-technical" terms. There are substantial advantages to the school and user that become readily apparent. I will get into greater detail in further posts, but I want to set the stage in this one.
Basically defined, desktop virtualization is another way of using a PC, without having to have the PC in your possession.Or, more importantly, accessing and using the applications and information you want without having to install and maintain them yourself.
A quick analogy: Owning a dvd player versus on-demand video. When you own the DVD player, you can use it when ever you want. But you are limited to seeing only what you have at hand. Also, you are limited to the format of your device being able to play what you want to see. Want to see Avatar, and you only have a VHS Player?
Got an old PC running IE6 and you need IE8? Got a Windows 7 PC running but you need to run IE6? Got a iPad and you need to run IE8?
The continued investment in desktops, or more importantly notebooks, is amazing. Yes, technology must be deeply integrated into "modern" education. Technology integration, to provide it's greatest benefit, needs to go beyond just typing, coding and searching skills. Technology investment should not go only to the end device. Especially for desktop / notebook computers, as their days are numbered:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204527804576043803826627110.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
How are you going to integrate Windows or MAC based curriculum when most of your new students don't have or don't want to buy a PC? Are you going to buy all of your students and staff PCs?
The interesting point about this link: http://www.freep.com/article/20110104/NEWS05/101040378/Detroit-Public-Schools-40-000-kids-to-get-laptops-from-stimulus-funds is not that the Detroit Schools are going to be spending $49,000,000 dollars, but that the investment is already compromised – see the link on the right side of the page …DPS teacher caught trying pawn school notebook…
Another sad story of dependance on local technology is here: http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=13735646 Note that the value of the device is $1,000. What is the value of the time, effort and collaboration lost?
Someone breaks into your house, and takes your dvd player and disks. Or, someone puts a PB&J sandwich in your VCR. You are stuck. No more Avatar? No. Call your cable/satelite provider and turn on the on-demand service. You'll have Avatar in 15 minutes.
It is the same with virtualization. Lost notebook? Fried hard drive in the classroom? No trouble. Go to the next device and authenticate.
Your desktop/applications/data will be there waiting for you…
Andy Powell
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by Andy Powell - Sr. Business Strategist, End User Computing
Chapter 2: Life after the physical PC
It sits there in the classroom, lab, backpack or library. It is a portal to unlimited resources. It is seen by many well intentioned people as the key to the future, and one of the most important things that we can provide to our students and teachers. Those that brought it, fought for it through referendum, grants and bake sales. In many cases, photos and speeches heralded its coming to the lucky and progressive district. It sits there, and only there. The software to provide enlightenment and development, the applications that fulfill promise of the investment sit there too. It is like a book in a locker, but it has to be actively maintained and supported. It is like a map on a wall, but it needs electricity and a network to be engaged. It is like a pencil next to the paper, but the user has to have significant and specialized trained to make it work. It is a tool. It sits there and only there, until someone can use it.
The physical PC is expensive, even though the per unit cost has been driven down over time. It is the support/maintenance that becomes the Achilles' heel of the PC. See the CoSN-Gartner TCO Case Studies for more on this.
The value can be debated. See The Cost-Benefit Analysis of Computers in Schools and A Puzzling Fact about High-Tech Use in Classrooms for more on this.
The result of much of our investment in technology has been focused on what we can see. That is why it sits there. We can point to it and say "See what we provided you!!!!" However, like the locker bound book, the map on the wall, and the pencil on the paper, the PC is of no use if someone is not in front of it. Considering that schools are only open for a very limited amount of time (If you consider a 24X365/year model), the investment is even more inefficient. And, don't forget about the other parts: We have significant investment in applications, curriculum and training. We have significant investments in school network access through E-Rate. We have an ever increasing number of access devices that are being used. So, what do we do with it? Transform it from physical to virtual. Make it not a "it is there" limitation, but a "it is where you are" revelation.
Next up... Chapter 3: I don't get virtualization…
Previous... Chapter 1: Lessons, thoughts and Ideas for the virtualization of End User Computing for Education
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