Jason Conger Blog

One of the important aspects of VDI is the protocol used to deliver the remote desktop to the end user. An important part of the protocol is the graphics capabilities. Most VDI vendors can use RDP, but the top vendors have specific protocols – VMware has PC-over-IP, Citrix has ICA, and now Microsoft has RemoteFX (formerly Calista). So, how is RemoteFX different than RDP? That is a question Tad Brockway answers in a recent article titled "Microsoft RemoteFX: The problem we are solving…" In this article, Tad explains client-centric remoting, host-centric remoting, graphics primitives, and how it all fits together. Continue at source… Technorati : Calista, Microsoft, RemoteFX, VDI Del.icio.us : Calista, Microsoft, RemoteFX, VDI

One of the important components of VMware's VDI offering is ThinApp (application virtualization). Recently VMware, released an important update to ThinApp with many new features. One of the most anticipated features is support for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Some of the other important updates include: Improved support for MSI packages I/O performance improvements for VDI Memory sharing improvements for suites of applications and Terminal Server Startup time improvements Bandwidth consumption improvements New package.ini parameter: OptimizeFor Support for capturing on partially non-clean PC Quality Reporting 1.0 Journaling of Virtual file system meta data and virtual registry Improved support for application white listing (AppLocker for Windows 7) User Interface Improvements Quality improvements & Wine test Continue at source… Technorati : Application Virtualization, ThinApp, VDI, VMware Del.icio.us : Application Virtualization, ThinApp, VDI, VMware

One of the features that VMware has over most other vendors is a feature called memory overcommit. Microsoft and Citrix usually downplay this feature since they don't have it. However, with Microsoft's recent joint announcement with Citrix, Microsoft announced a feature for Hyper-V called Dynamic Memory (which is a form of VM guest memory ballooning). Since the announcement, information about the Dynamic Memory feature has started to come out a little more. Microsoft's James O'Neill recently stated: "…dynamic memory will monitor demand for memory and use the hot-add capabilities of modern OSes to increase memory. Eventually all the memory will be committed and since you can't hot unplug memory we have a component to take memory out of use in one VM so that it can be given to another – and Hyper-V will take memory from the VMs which need it least. Dynamic memory won't be supported on every possible operating system… By de-allocating memory in VMs Hyper-V ensures the total allocated remains below the total present: when a VM can't receive any more memory the OS in it will decide which caches should be abandoned, and which pages they should swap to disk. Hyper-V never swaps VM's memory to disk. You can have a design which over-allocates, and swaps when over-committed (and uses page sharing to allow some over-allocation before reaching the point of over-committing) or one which doesn't swap and so doesn't need page sharing to reduce swapping – but can't over-allocate either…" Continue at source… Technorati : Dynamic Memory, Hyper-V, Memory Overcommit, Microsoft Del.i

VMware seems to be in a buying mood with the recent acquisition of RTO, so why doesn't VMware buy Teradici? After all, VMware and Teradici put a lot of effort into co-developing the software based version of PC-over-IP. Alessandro Perilli attempts to answer this question in a recent article on virtualization.info. Alessandro writes, "Nobody really expects that VMware will let Teradici go, but then, why the company has not been acquired? Maybe at the beginning of this partnership, VMware was not 100% confident in the capability to deliver a satisfying software-only version of PCoIP, but now? Is it possible that VMware prefers to get involved in a bid war to keep control of PCoIP in case of an unsolicited proposal for Teradici rather than just buying its partner at a fair price today? Or there are other reasons that impede the acquisition and the current technology partnership is the only way to circumvent them?" Continue at source… Technorati : PC-over-IP, Teradici, VMware Del.icio.us : PC-over-IP, Teradici, VMware

Back in fall of 2009, VMware licensed RTO's Virtual Profile solution. I guess VMware liked the solution so much they decided to buy the company – at least most of the company. VMware bought all of RTO except RTO's TScale solution (most likely because Citrix licensed TScale for XenApp). Brian Madden has a review of the acquisition on his website answering other questions like "what happens to RTO software?", "what does the RTO deal mean for VMware?", "What about others? Symantec? Citrix? AppSense?" Continue at source… Technorati : PinPoint, RTO, VMware, Virtual Profiles Del.icio.us : PinPoint, RTO, VMware, Virtual Profiles

Over at brianmadden.com, a new video series has started titled "Geek Week: VDI Shootout". This unique video series is taking a look at the major vendor's VDI products – 1 each day. The goals for each vendor are to show product installation, basic product configuration, client installation, user experience (both LAN and WAN), and basic management capabilities. Also, each video is hosted by Brian Madden and Gabe Knuth and features a product engineer from each company. Following is the schedule: Geek Week: VDI Introduction Geek Week: VDI Day 1 – Citrix XenDesktop Geek Week: VDI Day 2 – VMware Geek Week: VDI Day 3 – Virtual Bridges Geek Week: VDI Day 4 – Microsoft Geek Week: VDI Day 5 – Quest Continue at source… Technorati : Citrix, Microsoft, Quest, VDI, VMware View, XenDesktop Del.icio.us : Citrix, Microsoft, Quest, VDI, VMware View, XenDesktop

Microsoft made several key announcements in conjunction with Citrix surrounding VDI and opening the door for more people. Some of the announcements included: New VDI promotions available for qualified customers to choose from today. Microsoft and Citrix Systems are offering the "Rescue for VMware VDI" promotion, which allows VMware View customers to trade in up to 500 licenses at no additional cost, and the "VDI Kick Start" promotion, which offers new customers a more than 50 percent discount off the estimated retail price. Eligibility and other details on the two promotions can be found at http://www.citrixandmicrosoft.com. Improved licensing model for virtual Windows desktop. Beginning July 1, 2010, Windows Client Software Assurance customers will no longer have to buy a separate license to access their Windows operating system in a VDI environment, as virtual desktop access rights now will be a Software Assurance benefit. New roaming use rights improve flexibility. Beginning July 1, 2010, Windows Client Software Assurance and new Virtual Desktop Access license customers will have the right to access their virtual Windows desktop and their Microsoft Office applications hosted on VDI technology on secondary, non-corporate network devices, such as home PCs and kiosks. Windows XP Mode no longer requires hardware virtualization technology. This change simplifies the experience by making virtualization more accessible to many more PCs for small and midsize businesses wanting to migrate to Windows 7 Professional or higher editions, while still running Windows XP-based product

Looking at Desktop Virtualization including VDI? Thinking about Windows 7 migration; Want savings, but wondering about ROI? Microsoft is leading a "Desktop Virtualization Hour" on March 18 at 9:00 AM PST. Be sure to check it out as I'm sure some cool new announcements will be made concerning Microsoft's VDI suite of products. Continue at source… Technorati : Microsoft, VDI Del.icio.us : Microsoft, VDI

In a previous post, I mentioned how XenDesktop was hypervisor agnostic and how XenDesktop could use Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V as the hypervisor platform. Now, Microsoft and Citrix have teamed up to create an on-line virtual lab demonstrating how these technologies work together. Want to test XenDesktop 4 on Hyper-V, but you cannot find the time to build a test environment? Well look no further, Citrix and Microsoft have teamed up to bring you the Hands on Lab. What is Hands on Lab, you ask? The Hands on Lab is a pre-built environment / training session that is interactive and totally usable for testing and seeing the combined power of XenDesktop 4 and Microsoft Hyper-V Continue at source… Technorati : Citrix, Hyper-V, Microsoft, XenDesktop Del.icio.us : Citrix, Hyper-V, Microsoft, XenDesktop

Microsoft has released a series of videos all about App-V (Application Virtualization). These videos range from basic introductory configuration, to using App-V with AppLocker, to using Dynamic Suiting. Overview: AppLocker is a new feature of Windows7 that allows administrators to define policies that can allow or deny a user's ability to run or install executable, MSI, or script files. Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) separates the application from the operating system preventing application conflicts and enabling the ability to run multiple versions of an application of the same desktop. Virtual applications can be delivered in many ways – streaming by assigning applications to user, delivering to machines via Configuration Manager or by using file streaming from removable media. Using App-V and Applocker together ensures that no matter how the application is delivered or what format is takes, physical or virtual, it will respect the policies defined by IT. Watch these demonstrations to learn how to configure App-V; create, update, and publish virtual applications; and create and manage policies for virtual applications. The following videos are currently posted: App-V Configuration Options App-V with AppLocker Executable Rules App-V with AppLocker Windows Installer Rules Create Virtual App Deprovision Virtual App Launch Virtual App Manage App Licenses Publish Virtual App Run Office Virtual Update Virtual App Use Dynamic Suiting Continue at source… Del.icio.us : App-V, Application Virtualization, Microsoft Technorati : App-V, Application Virtualizat