Over VMware’s Horizon comes Version 6

There are still many users that have significant fears about moving to a virtualised desktop environment, let a Bring Your Own Device. The twin fears of being able to manage what the end users are delivered and how they use it, plus how to keep everything secure, continue to be at the forefront of user concerns, and both are key targets in the introduction by VMware of Horizon 6.

This is the latest implementation of the company’s Horizon integrated solution family that delivers published applications and desktops on a single platform. The arrival of version 6 creates, the company claims, the industry’s most comprehensive desktop solution with centralised management of any type of enterprise application and desktop, including physical desktops and laptops, virtual desktops and applications and employee-owned PCs.

Innovations in its application delivery, datacentre-to-device management, storage optimisation and flexible hybrid delivery make enterprise desktops and applications easier and more cost-effective to deliver, protect and manage. Multiple access points such as laptops, tablets, smartphones and an array of other employee-owned devices are putting pressure on IT departments to deliver a high level of service and access without compromise.

Horizon 6 introduces new capabilities that are integrated into a single solution that empower IT with a streamlined approach for managing Windows applications and desktops. Using it, enterprise applications and Windows operating systems are centrally managed so updates can be made in an agile and predictable manner. In addition, Horizon 6 enables entire desktops. Alternatively, just applications can be delivered in a flexible manner to end-users.

This can be done virtually for access from multiple locations and devices, physically by syncing the entire desktop image to end-user laptops for online and offline access, and securely by delivering applications and content in a managed secure container to support BYOD scenarios.

“Customers want to transform their applications and enterprise desktops for the Mobile Cloud Era – extending access to employees on any device, from anywhere via a comprehensive solution that is simple, secure and cost effective,” said Sumit Dhawan, vice president and general manager, Desktop Products, End-User Computing, VMware. “Horizon 6 addresses these issues and delivers new capabilities to our customers at nearly the same cost as a traditional, physical desktop. Horizon 6 represents a major product milestone that continues the rapid pace of innovation from VMware, and helps customers take the next step in their desktop journey.”

The new capabilities in Horizon 6 include the ability to publish applications and virtual desktops that are delivered through a single desktop. Itoffers streamlined management, end-user entitlement, and quick delivery of published Windows applications, RDS-based desktops and virtual desktops across devices and locations. The new capabilities are built on a single platform that is an extension of Horizon View.

It offers a unified workspace for simplified access to all applications and desktops. This supports the delivery of virtualised applications hosted in the datacentre or locally on the device. It also supports web and SaaS applications, RDS hosted applications, and published applications from third party platforms, such as Citrix XenApp, with a single sign-on experience.

Horizon 6 offers new capabilities for end-to-end visibility and automation from datacentre-to-device. The new VMware vCenter Operations for View provides health and risk monitoring, proactive end-user experience monitoring and deep diagnostics from datacentre-to-device, all within a single console. It also supports automation and self-service, allowing IT to provide line-of-business users with the ability to request desktops and applications by using built-in workflows and automated infrastructure provisioning.

It also offers central image management regardless of the environment. It can work with virtual, physical and employee-owned PCs from a single, integrated solution. Using the updated VMware Mirage, IT administrators can design a single desktop with the required operating system and applications, and deliver it to end-users in a department or entire organisation based on end-user needs.

Horizon 6 offers extensive environment flexibility, being able to seamlessly connect to virtual desktops and applications running in an on-premise cloud, a service provider partner cloud, or through VMware vCloud Hybrid Service, all with the same, high performance end-user experience. This flexibility gives customers the ability to deploy Horizon 6 via the hybrid cloud – balancing between business-owned and public cloud-based infrastructure to best satisfy their needs.

“Today’s announcement of VMware Horizon 6 continues our momentum in end-user computing, bringing the best solutions for desktop, mobile and content collaboration via a secure virtual workspace,” said Sanjay Poonen, executive vice president and general manager, End-User Computing, VMware. “As a recognised innovator in the industry, VMware’s ambition is to provide end-users their apps and content served to them securely – anywhere, anyplace and anytime – whether on a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.”