VMware View 4.5 is here !

VMware View 4.5 is the latest release of VMware's leading desktop virtualisation solution built for delivering desktops as a managed service - moving from a device-centric model to a user-centric model of desktop delivery.

With VMware View 4.5 you can manage operating systems, applications and user profiles independently of each other. VMware View simplifies desktop management, reduces desktop operational costs and increases control for IT while providing end users with flexible access, creating a superior desktop experience for end users.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Today's desktop environment links together desktop components - hardware, operating system, applications, user profile and data - in ways that are difficult to support and maintain. VMware View uses virtualisation to break the bonds between the desktop and associated OS, applications and hardware, and dynamically assembles and delivers desktops and applications to users as centrally hosted virtual machines, personalised for the individual user.

By encapsulating the desktop OS, applications and user data into isolated layers, VMware View enables you to change, update and deploy each component independently for greater business agility and improved response time. The result is a more flexible access model that improves security, lowers operating costs and simplifies desktop administration and management.

WHAT'S IN VMWARE VIEW 4.5?

With the expanded VMware View 4.5 solution, you can apply powerful tools traditionally reserved for mission-critical data centre applications to desktop environments.

VMware vSphere 4 for Desktops

VMware vSphere serves as the platform for VMware View 4, and as a result, you can extend the benefits of industry-leading server virtualisation to the desktop. Integrating desktop infrastructure with VMware vSphere provides unified management and a host of features that improve performance, reliability and business continuity, including:

• The ability to group servers, which host virtual desktops, together for redundancy and eliminate single point of failure
• Consolidated backup to centralise backup for desktop virtual machines
• Automated failover and recovery to keep desktops running non-stop
• Dynamic load balancing for desktop computing resources

VMware View Manager

VMware View Manager, a key component of VMware View, is an enterprise-class desktop management solution that streamlines the management, provisioning and deployment of virtual desktops.

Users securely and easily access virtual desktops through VMware View Manager, and upgrading and patching are done centrally from a single console so you can efficiently manage 100s or even 1,000s of desktops from a small image - saving time and resources.

Data, information and intellectual property remain in the data centre and never have to leave - except with your permissions and security policies intact.

VMware View Composer

VMware View Composer uses VMware Linked Clone technology to rapidly create desktop images that share virtual disks with a master image to conserve disk space and streamline management. User data and settings are segmented from the desktop image, so they can be administered independently.

As a result of this Linked Clone model, all desktops that are linked to a parent image can be patched or updated through VMware View Manager simply by updating the parent image, without affecting users' settings, data or applications. This leads to a dramatic reduction in storage needs and costs while simplifying desktop management.

ThinApp 4

VMware ThinApp application virtualisation software is an agent-less solution that decouples applications from operating systems by isolating and encapsulating them into an EXE or MSI files.

This technology reduces application deployment time and costs by enabling multiple versions of applications to run on a single OS without conflict, or the same version of an application to run on multiple operating systems without modification. ThinApp simplifies upgrading and patching applications and reduces storage needs for virtual desktops, because applications are hosted separately and streamed to users on-demand, with all personal settings preserved.

PCoIP Display Protocol

PCoIP is a high performance display protocol purpose-built to deliver virtual desktops and to provide end users with the best, total rich desktop experience regardless of task or location. With PCoIP, the entire computing experience is compressed, encrypted and encoded in the data centre before being transmitted across a standard IP network to PCoIP-enabled endpoint devices.

Unlike legacy display protocols, which were built to deliver applications, PCoIP was built from the ground up with desktop delivery in mind. Highly tuned with adaptive technologies, PCoIP ensures the best user experience regardless of end-user location on the LAN or across the WAN.

VMware View Display

Optimise delivery of graphics to the variety of monitor configurations, ranging from a single display to multiple display options. With support for up to four monitors, VMware View Display delivers multi-monitor by sending the appropriate 'slice' of the display output to each monitor.

VMware View Multimedia

Ensure the best user experience of rich audio and video. Multimedia streams are rendered at the client leveraging local resources and delivering the best possible user experience for rich audio and video content. With multimedia content being rendered at the client, dependencies on the server hosting the virtual desktop are reduced therefore allowing for better performance and scalability of the server infrastructure.

WHAT'S NEW IN 4.5?

View Client with Local Mode

VMware View is the only solution in the market to address the need for access to virtual desktops while an end-user is online or offline. VMware View enables you to 'check-out' a virtual desktop to a physical device in order to support devices like laptops that do not always have network connectivity.

VMware View includes a 'heartbeat' feature that communicates back to the data centre for synchronisation, update and remote expiration of virtual desktops.

vShield Endpoint Integration

Enable offloaded and centralised anti-virus and anti-malware (AV) solutions with the ability to integrate with AV solutions. AV services run centrally in a security VM and this centralisation of AV through vShield Endpoint eliminates agent sprawl across desktop virtual machines. Centralisation also helps to eliminate AV storm issues typically associated with AV services distributed across virtual machines.

Location Based Printing

Automatically connect a View desktop to the closest printer to simplify printing for end users. VMware View will automatically discover, connect and print from a virtual desktop to any local or networked printer that's defined on the client device. Universal print drivers eliminate compatibility issues. Virtual Printing includes compression to deliver high-quality printing with enhanced performance, even over sub-optimal network connections.

Tiered Storage

Enables the ability to distribute the View environment across different tiers of storage to ensure a balance of performance and cost.

View Manager Enhancements

The View Manager interface has a complete new look and feel due to a move to a new Adobe Flex backend. This new backend not only enhances the look and feel but administrators will notice that the interface is also faster and more responsive meaning even the largest of View deployments can be efficiently managed from a single interface.

Kiosk Mode

Support for public or shared endpoint with automatic login - no credentials required to access the desktop.

Full Windows 7 Support

View 4.5 provides support for Windows 7 32bit or 64bit running as a VM.

find out more

For more information, contact your Phoenix Account Manager on 0845 265 1265 or email info@phoenixs.co.uk