Yellow Bricks

by Duncan Epping

Desktop

VMware View is available!

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VMware View has just officially been released. (VMware View Manager 4.0 | 11/20/09 | Build 210939) Key features are:

  • VMware View with PCoIP – PCoIP provides an optimized desktop experience for the delivery of the entire desktop environment including applications, images, audio, and video content for a wide range of users on the LAN or across the WAN. PCoIP can compensate for an increase in latency or a reduction in bandwidth, to ensure that end users can remain productive regardless of network conditions.
  • PCoIP includes VMware View Display with support for up to four monitors and the ability to deliver the optimal resolution and pivot orientation to each monitor independently.
  • VMware vSphere Support – VMware vSphere 4 support enables improved virtual machine scalability, performance, and management, with continued support for VMware Infrastructure 3.x.
  • Enhanced single sign-on – The Log in as current user feature is integrated with Active Directory and smart cards to help simplify the process of logging in to a VMware View desktop.
  • Restricted entitlements – Administrators can control user access to virtual desktops based on the View Connection Server being used for authentication.
  • Smart card policies – Administrators can set group policies to force desktop disconnection and require reconnection when users remove smart cards.
  • Domain filtering – You can use vdmadmin.exe to control the accessibility of domains and traverse trust relationships more quickly.

The full release notes can be found here.

80MB of awesomeness, VMware Player 3

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While everyone is talking about the new versions of VMware Fusion (Release Notes) and VMware Workstation (Release Notes) I would like to show my appreciation for VMware Player.

VMware Player is one of the most under-appreciated VMware products in my opinion. Especially now that VMware has released version 3 I expect to see and hear more of VMware Player. Why? Well because it is FREE, and it basically is a slimmed down version of VMware Workstation. With version 3.0 you are not only limited to using pre-build VMs. No, with version 3.0 you can create VMs! Again, it’s free… it’s 80MB of awesomeness.

Release Notes |  Download Link

Here a couple of new features I think are worth knowing about:

  • Virtual Machine with Easy Install — Create a virtual machine and install any supported guest operating system with Easy Install.
  • New User Interface — Use the new user interface to create virtual machines and edit virtual machine settings.
  • Windows 7 — Create and run Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit virtual machines using VMware Workstation. VMware Workstation has been enhanced for performance and to take advantage of the new Windows 7 features including Live Thumbnails and Aero Peek.
  • Aero Glass — A new Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) graphics driver has been developed for Windows Vista and Windows 7 virtual machines. The WDDM driver can display the Windows Aero user interface, OpenGL 1.4, and Shader Model 3.0.
  • 3D Graphics Improvements for Windows XP guests — OpenGL 2.1 and Shader Model 3.0 support is now available for Windows XP virtual machines. The XPDM (SVGAII) graphics driver works with Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. However, only Windows XP virtual machines install the XPDM graphics driver by default. To switch graphics drivers in the guest operating system, see How to Switch Between SVGAII and WDDM Drivers.
  • Multiple-Monitor Display — Virtual machines can now take advantage of multiple monitors.
  • Virtual Printing — Print from virtual machines without mapping network printers or installing printer drivers in the virtual machine. With virtual printing enabled in the virtual machine setting, all of the printers installed on the host operating system are available in the guest operating system. This functionality is enabled through a partnership with ThinPrint, Inc.

VMware View Open Client, test it!

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I think by now most of you have read Mike D’s scoop on the “VMware View Open Client“. If not here’s  a outtake from the press release:

VMware View Open Client is available under the GNU Lesser General Public License version 2.1 (LGPL v 2.1) and is accessible from http://code.google.com/p/vmware-view-open-client/. Some of the features included in this release support secure tunneling using SSL, two factor authentication with RSA SecurID, Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Thin Client Add-On RPM package and a full command line interface. Support for the source code distribution is available through the VMware View Open Client community at: http://code.google.com/p/vmware-view-open-client/.

I’ve just downloaded the PRM and installed it on OpenSuse 11.1 without a problem:

Now I would need to request a virtual desktop so I can actually use the client. 🙂