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Xtreaming Technology releases VHD CMS Professional 1.0 of its diskless OS-streaming product

Written on Jul 31 2008
Filed under: , ,
3,239 views, 53 comments

by Ruben Spruijt

Xtreaming Technology Inc. is a new US-invested start-up company working out of Shanghai, China investing in building diskless related products.  Their Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) product uses OS-streaming and allows any PC to boot up a full version of Windows XP or Vista from across a network and run it locally. Last weeks I spend some time investigating their solution, the technology seems to be promissing. I just want to share the information with the community.

We’ve seen the technology of VHDsoft before with Ardence (later acquired by Citrix) but VHD seems to be a more advanced diskless system.  VHD wants to turn your Office diskless and uses a login so that a unique virtual hard disk follows each user to any workstation.  The system also delivers a menu when the PCs start up so that users can choose which virtual hard disk to boot.  Further VHD features include:

  • Hardware isolation tools so that PCs with different chipsets and cards can boot from a single image.
  • Works with third party DCHP programs so that the system can run across several different LANs (or even the Internet!)
  • VHDs can be set to Persistent (retains users saved data) or Refreshed (every boot provides a fresh Windows environment
  • Storage format uses .vhd which means you can use Virtual PC or VMware to edit disk images.
  • Concurrent Disk access between multiple disk servers s that even if one disk server fails the PCs can continue to be used.
  • Use Windows Server 2008 as an IO server
  • concurrent client sessions seems to be higher than with Citrix Provisioning Server
  • .VHD as the file format
  • RAID1 for harddisks
  • Account based access
  • Streaming over the Internet
  • ..

For me it seems that the solution is focused on rich-clients. I really think this type of solution is also a must have for every VDI environment! That's why Citrix XenDesktop 2.0 together with Citrix Provisioning server is better together!

The VHDsoft solution isn't released yet, the CMS professional edition will be available at the end of this months. When you want to work/play with their beta please send Matthew an email, refer to this article and he will be happy to provide the Beta code.

After my vacation I'll spend additional time on this great product and post some more technical information!

 

Comments

Guest wrote What about the other guy?
on 07-31-2008 6:40 PM

I use daily the HP Image manager product (or is itstill named Neoware Image Manager ?) with hundredth of clients and it rocks!

I am really surprised that no one ever mention it.

It used to be the only competitor to Citrix PN Server (Ardence in the past), but has very little coverage. Is it because they seem to focus on desktops and not on servers ?  
Guest wrote Cheap Rip-off on many levels
on 07-31-2008 8:32 PM

1. VHD is a Microsoft format. It is not open source. The name will probably be defended.

2. The Xtreaming website actually looks like Citrix's website.

3. The feature set reads similar to what Citrix presented at Synergy for PS.

4. I am leary of any technology that can stream an OS over the internet without some type of boot agent and disclaimer that you must have a fast pipe.

=-=-=-=-

Yes, Neoware Image Manager is a great thin-client technology:

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/18964-18964-3644431-3645987-3645986-3646231.html

 

Ormond Merino wrote Re: Cheap Rip-off on many levels
on 07-31-2008 8:42 PM
Wow..You're not kidding about their site being a citrix.com clone.
Guest wrote Fake
on 08-01-2008 7:43 AM

This is a complete fake.  I tried to download the "betas" and they just loop back to the same page.  The only link that works on the site is:

http://www.vhdsoft.com/templates/downloads/solutions.pdf

There US location is Delaware... original.

All their marketing terminology was stolen from Ardence/PVS.

PVS is release their 5.0 soon and funny how they do VHD streaming.  Being a China based company, I would venture to guess it is a PVS 5.0 knock off!

 

Guest wrote Re: Cheap Rip-off on many levels
on 08-01-2008 9:08 AM
Ahh...... but at the BriForum 2008, VMWare mentioned the reason why they never got VDI trademarked, was because you can't trademark an acronym.  SO if this holds water thenI'm not sure if Microsoft can go after them for stealing their name
Shawn Bass wrote Re: Cheap Rip-off on many levels
on 08-01-2008 5:57 PM
OMG that website is a ripoff.  VHDSoft should get out of the OS streaming business and get in the website cloning business.
Guest wrote Email user doesnt exist.
on 08-02-2008 6:06 PM

Hi Ruben,

Matthews email doesnt seem to be a goer. The mail server reports no such user :-(

Guest wrote Re: Email user doesnt exist.
on 08-04-2008 2:00 AM
matthew@vhdsoft.com.cn
Guest wrote China - go figure
on 08-04-2008 9:56 AM
Well since China doesn't recognize our copyright, trademark, and patent laws I guess we shouldn't be suprised by this.  At the end of the day, the proof will be in the product - when, if, it's released. 
Rudy Bauer wrote Re: Cheap Rip-off on many levels
on 08-04-2008 11:18 AM

Pretty bold statements here. Quote from the FAQ page:

"Is it a suitable replacement for Citrix?

Yes. The VHD system is a more powerful, cheaper and more friendly alternative to Citrix products."

Guest wrote "After my vacation I'll spend additional time on this great product ..!"
on 08-04-2008 12:49 PM

So you've actually installed this 'thing'?

Shanetech wrote Re: Email user doesnt exist.
on 08-04-2008 1:14 PM
site seems to be down as well...
Guest wrote Demo
on 08-04-2008 2:22 PM
Anybody received the beta already??
Guest wrote Re: Email user doesnt exist.
on 08-04-2008 3:50 PM
Thanks for .cn tip.... another email sent.
Guest wrote Maybe....
on 08-04-2008 4:28 PM
...they copied Ruben as well. And the person posting this is actually his clone...
Guest wrote Obviously, you guys are retarded
on 08-04-2008 4:29 PM

Do you guys suffer from Amnesia or something? Isn't this just another 'Luflogix' manoeuver from Ruben Spruijt, possibly in collaboration with Brian?

Once again, you've been had!  

Guest wrote Proof
on 08-04-2008 4:51 PM

I have attempted to download, email and get in touch and nada!  What ticks me off is this was posted based off reading the site.  There is no real proof this actually exists besides a PDF and a wedsite.  Common Ruben!

This is a complete fake company! 

Guest wrote Re: Obviously, you guys are retarded
on 08-04-2008 9:45 PM
Is it the 1st of April again already? I guess you missed the point on that one...
Nico van Meurs wrote PVS 5.0
on 08-05-2008 2:41 AM

If this would be some sort of promotional stunt for Provisioning Server 5.0, then why isn't this the featureset for PVS 5.0??
I'm missing features like Role Based Administration, MMC console, Provisioning of W2K8.

But it shure is suspicious.....

Nico van Meurs wrote Chinese Awnsering Machine
on 08-05-2008 2:50 AM

I just called the phone number mentioned on the website, but I get this chinese chick telling me something after which the connection is broken...
Anybody that understands Chinese??
This is the phonenumber: +86-21-61405698-605

Guest wrote Virtual Hard Disk
on 08-05-2008 2:52 AM
Dear Community, Thanks for your interest in the Virtual Hard Disk Technology.  This is an advanced and original design system that takes diskless OS-streaming to the next level.  It has better management tools and setup than both PV5 and Neoware and has some unique features.  Our single designer worked extremely hard with our limited budget to code a professional website design and any resemblance to Citrix is purely superficial.  Some of the anonymous comments are insensitive and a company locating its R&D team in China does not make it a “fake company”.  The beta is not available to the public on the website currently, but as stated in the article is available by email request.  I welcome you to try the software yourself and experience the power of VHD diskless system! The article uses an incorrect email address; please email matthew@vhdsoft.com.cn for a software request or with further questions.  Thank you. Yours,Matthew S. FelgateSales Representativehttp://ww.vhdsoft.com
Guest wrote Re: Virtual Hard Disk
on 08-05-2008 5:07 AM

"Our single designer worked extremely hard with our limited budget to code a professional website design and any resemblance to Citrix is purely superficial" Are you sure? The resemblence to the CITRIX website is too good to be true.

Guest wrote 100% Knock Off
on 08-05-2008 7:33 AM
I would agree this is a knock off of the citrix.com website