Erik Frieberg, vice president, product marketing
Today, VMware is making two very exciting announcements at VMworld Barcelona that reinforces our commitment to advancing end-user computing for the industry and for our customers.
First, we are introducing new, innovative product offerings and capabilities across the VMware End-User Computing portfolio to broaden support for the mobile workforce. Second, we are announcing that VMware has acquired Desktone, a pioneer and leader in desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) as part of its commitment and effort to advancing that segment of the market and end-user computing as a whole.
This is a very exciting time for the End-User Computing Group at VMware and in the end, it will be our customers who will ultimately benefit from the advancements we make today and the vision we have for the industry for tomorrow.
Let’s start with the product updates.
End-User Computing Product Updates
We will be offering significant updates across the board to the VMware End-User Computing portfolio. Every enhancement to each of the products is part of a conscious effort to focus on lowering cost, simplifying management and enhancing performance to help organizations and the industry advance workforce mobility. You can get more detailed information about the updates to the Horizon Suite and Socialcast from our press release but here’s a high level overview:
VMware Horizon View 5.3 – The product will be updated from version 5.2 to 5.3 but don’t let the version number distract you from the significant improvements that will be in this latest release. With multiple improvements to the user experience, the streamlining of management and costs, and support for new delivery models such as remote office, branch office and DaaS, customers will find helpful new features that will simplify their day-to-day tasks for almost every use-case. Specifically, support for high-end 3D graphics, VMware Virtual SAN for Horizon View beta, and Horizon View Agent Direct Connection are just a few of the new features you should check out.
VMware Horizon Mirage 4.3 – Many people have wondered if Horizon Mirage and Horizon View would ever be integrated and we are excited to announce that the integration is now complete. The integrated solution will enable IT to install and update base and application layers to full clone virtual machines in persistent desktop pools similar to physical PCs so IT can update base and application layers on virtual machines without affecting user installed applications and data. In short, IT will be able to use Horizon Mirage image layering to manage both physical and virtual desktops at scale. We will also be offering enhanced Windows 7 migration and web management capabilities so be sure to check out those new capabilities as well.
VMware Horizon Workspace – The recently launched Sony Xperia™ Z1 and Xperia™ Z Ultra smartphones will be the latest additions to the growing list of VMware Ready devices available to users that have our dual-persona capability built-in. This will bring the total number of VMware Ready devices worldwide to twelve of the most popular consumer smartphones on the market that will enable IT administrators to securely extend corporate data, applications and desktops to employee-owned devices.
VMware ThinApp 5.0 – The latest version of ThinApp expands support to include 64-bit applications and offers an improved architecture. It also enables easy integration with third-party persona solutions.
VMware Socialcast – A new integrated feature called Socialcast Challenges will introduce a better approach to the collection and management of ideas in large organizations that can help troubleshoot problems and improve organizational performance. This new ideation workspace will provide a simple and social way to turn ideas into action – enterprise crowd-sourcing at its finest!
VMware’s Commitment to DaaS
We shared with everyone our vision for DaaS at VMworld San Francisco a few months ago and today we are reinforcing that commitment with the acquisition of Desktone that will immediately catapult VMware as a leader in the space.
The reason we chose Desktone is because the company has a complete and proven blueprint for enabling service providers to deliver DaaS through its industry-leading technology, operational expertise and a global partner network – a combination that our competitors do not match. The combination of Desktone’s service provider base of roughly 40 established and highly reputable providers worldwide with VMware’s network of over 11,000 VMware service provider partners enables VMware to accelerate the delivery of DaaS much faster than many of our competitors. By bringing Desktone’s platform in house, VMware can accelerate the delivery of DaaS in the marketplace through increased roadmap and go-to-market investment, opening up new opportunities for partners and resellers.
Looking Ahead
As you can see, we have certainly been busy at VMware with innovative enhancements across the End-User Computing portfolio and the acquisition of Desktone where the company is doubling–down on DaaS. We believe this will ultimately benefit our partners and customers – a list that seems to be growing everyday.
We will have more exciting product and DaaS news to share with you in the coming months but in the meantime, if you have questions, please stop by our booth at VMworld if you are at the show or leave your questions in the comment section, on Facebook or on Twitter #vmworld.
