VMware accelerates digital workspace transformation with new desktop virtualization offerings

VMware, the cloud infrastructure and business mobility, introduced updates to the industry-leading VMware Horizon portfolio. The innovations are designed to drive down the cost and complexity of delivering and managing virtual applications and desktops, enabling an affordable way to deliver Windows as part of a modern digital workspace with a great user experience. In 2016, VMware was recognized as a leader for the second consecutive year by the IDC Marketscape for having the most complete mix of business and solution strategies and capabilities for delivering virtual desktops and applications through its VMware Horizon portfolio of solutions and services. These innovations further enhance this industry-leading portfolio.

“A digital workspace strategy is a must for IT to manage across user types, devices and applications, and delivering Windows applications and desktops through virtualization to a digital workspace is the best approach for today’s modern environment,” said Shankar Iyer, senior vice president and general manager, Desktop Products, End-User Computing, VMware. “Until now, many organizations have been on the sidelines because of cost, complexity and lack of flexibility of deployment, but these new innovations in the VMware Horizon portfolio of on-premises, cloud hosted and hybrid solutions will offer businesses a more cost effective and simple way to deploy virtual desktops and applications to support their digital workspace strategy.”

Improving User Experience, Driving Down Cost and Complexity Across VMware Horizon Solutions

Customers are seeking improvements in user experience and costs to continue their expansion of desktop and application virtualization as they move to digital workspaces for their mobile workforces. The Just-in-Time Management Platform (JMP) will be available across the Horizon portfolio of solutions and will integrate VMware App Volumes, Instant Clone and User Environment Manager to simplify end-user profile management and accelerate time-to-desktop and time-to-application to deliver these improvements to customers. JMP will offer an industry-first integrated approach to managing virtual applications and desktops that will help drive down the cost and complexity of configuring applications, delivering user personas and dynamic policy configuration across any virtual, physical and cloud-based Windows desktop environment. JMP enables real-time application delivery, 30x faster imaging, accelerated desktop provisioning, contextual policy management, and application updates with zero downtime for published applications. In addition, the extension of JMP to published applications will deliver industry-first benefits in speed, scale and simplicity in configuring applications and end-user personas.

New innovations in VMware Blast will deliver an improved end-user experience for digital workspace users. The new Blast Adaptive Transport technology will help maximize bandwidth utilization by dynamically adjusting to network conditions including varying speeds and severe packet loss to maintain a great user experience across network types – from corporate LANs to public Wi-Fi to mobile networks. This will enable business critical applications to be delivered through Horizon without disruption to remote workers with 6x faster speed and fifty percent lower bandwidth utilization than before.

VMware Horizon Cloud – Expanding Use Cases for Desktops-as-a-Service on IBM Cloud

VMware and IBM continue to expand their partnership with the introduction of VMware Horizon Cloud, the next generation of virtual desktop and application cloud services from VMware. The new VMware Horizon Cloud service will deliver and manage virtual desktops and applications hosted on the IBM Cloud and on-premises using certified hyper-converged infrastructure to enable organizations to expand the use cases for desktops-as-a-service (DaaS). VMware Horizon Cloud takes advantage of the latest Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) technology running on the IBM Cloud which helps accelerate virtualized desktop applications, especially for computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), including AutoCAD.

VMware Horizon Cloud delivers feature-rich enterprise Windows desktops and applications that are ideal for cloud adopters or specialized use cases such as seasonal workers. The solution enables customers to choose from several deployment models including on-premises BYO hyper-converged infrastructure, cloud-hosted infrastructure, or both. Operations and management are streamlined using a centralized cloud control plane and JMP technology that delivers time to value by reducing the time required to configure, deploy and manage enterprise desktops and applications.

Horizon Cloud also enables businesses without the required virtual desktop and application IT expertise to deliver a modern approach to end-user computing and move to an operating expense model with predictable subscription pricing and the ability to ‘pay as you grow.’ Businesses have the flexibility to move between deployment models and pair the service with the infrastructure of their choice using a single subscription license. In addition, Horizon Cloud can pair with VMware Workspace ONE and deliver business critical resources to end-users through a secure digital workspace.

"IBM continues to invest in and extend its strategic partnership with VMware, and together we're bringing enterprise-class solutions to our clients," said Zane Adam, vice president, IBM Cloud. “By running VMware Horizon Cloud on the IBM Cloud, enterprises can take advantage of virtual desktops and applications without the cost and hassle of managing or owning the infrastructure. This service provides an easy on-ramp to the cloud that’s flexible and cost effective.”

VMware Horizon Apps – Expanding Upon the VMware Horizon 7 Portfolio of Solutions

Horizon Apps is a new solution that adds to the Horizon 7 portfolio of on-premises offerings. Customers can choose the updated Horizon 7.1 for their desktop strategy or Horizon Apps for a holistic application-centric strategy using published applications. In addition to the benefits delivered by JMP and BLAST, customers also benefit from significant provisioning costs that are roughly half of the competition.

A technology preview of Microsoft Skype for Business for Horizon 7.1 will also be available and the solution will offer secure collaboration to keep corporate data secure in the datacenter to prevent data leakage. IT administrators can experience simple management with greater visibility, policy management and control through centralized deployment and application updates. End-users can benefit from a consistent experience across any device and platform.