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BIOS-based Type 1 Client Hypervisors On The Horizon? « shareVM- Share insights about using VM's

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:50:33 GMT

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re: G.ho.st is shutting down. Is this the beginning of the end for browser desktops?

Kimmo Jernstrom — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:24:29 GMT

I don't think even consumers are interested. For geek fun I have played with these once and then since a few years back. Funny thing is Google Chrome OS. OMG! Does IT necesseiry have to be a laughingstock? Sometimes I wonder...

re: G.ho.st is shutting down. Is this the beginning of the end for browser desktops?

pxpx — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:56:42 GMT

These services cater to such a small percentage of consumers at the moment no doubt these companies are struggling. Lets face it most individuals already have a computer, and if you do its much better to just RDP in your computer wherever you are.

re: G.ho.st is shutting down. Is this the beginning of the end for browser desktops?

Martin Ingram — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:00:59 GMT

@Chetan

I think this would be a consumer category first (if it happens at all). The use case is that the user does not need a 'computer' at all but can access a desktop and basic apps through a set-top box. Service providers get to chanrge a premium and we do not have to support all our friends and relatives PCs anymore ;-).

There are far too many things that need to be resolved before this could become a corporate solution in the short term. Longer term, possibly.

Martin Ingram (AppSense).

re: G.ho.st is shutting down. Is this the beginning of the end for browser desktops?

Cameron Gladman — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:59:53 GMT

Same here. Can't see the need for this type of "Cloud OS". Most Corporate firewalls won't allow it- or use it in Enterprise. Others use Webmail, others will use an actual remote service such as gotomypc or Logmein. For years the first thing I've always asked about these Web-based Desktops is "WHY???"

re: A first look at Virtual Bridges VERDE

Fabio Marzocca — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:48:12 GMT

Gabe,

as a VERDE user I must say that you hit several main targets at a very first look! Even knowing VERDE, I have appreciated your deep and professional approach to the analysis of a new platform.

I would like to add just few words concerning Virtual Bridges' choice to go for a Linux platform. I understand you are not so familiar with Linux, but this is the best choice from the point of view of data security:

- hypervisor is executed in a protected kernel;

- Linux PAM authentication is compliant with the best security standards;

- Linux server filesystem is highly reliable, robust and safe;

- Each virtual session is executed as a Linux-discrete process, in the userspace;

- Each user's file and document is stored on the Linux server, owned by the user itself, and protected by Linux permissions and grant policies.

I am happy to know the VERDE 4.0 will provide a full GUI administration console, but I have never missed it. Putting the hands on VERDE switches through the console was a matter of just one time at the beginning, just few minutes. Further to this, my opinion is that modern GUIs are sadly pushing administrators away from the machine and this reduces their level of knowledge of the system. IMHO.

Thanks again for a great article!

Fabio

re: G.ho.st is shutting down. Is this the beginning of the end for browser desktops?

Chetan Venkatesh — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:57:32 GMT

Maybe I'm missing something here but I don't understand why I would want to boot my desktop to launch a browser to launch a desktop to launch an application and perhaps a remote desktop session to launch another application.

What's the use-case? What does this do that a program neighborhood for remote desktop/apps or a chrome OS for web apps doesn't?

The first set of companies that attempted this and survived all evolved into something that was value additive to browser apps - most of them like netvibes and goowy evolved into widget platforms.

re: A first look at Virtual Bridges VERDE

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re: A first look at Virtual Bridges VERDE

Gabe Knuth — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:52:59 GMT

@Scott - Yeah, I'm trying to acquire as much info as I can. Look for something next week, maybe the week after at the latest.

re: A first look at Virtual Bridges VERDE

Scott Dowdle — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:18:09 GMT

Gabe, are you planning on writing about the SPICE situation in the near future? I hope so as I'd really like to hear about it.

re: A first look at Virtual Bridges VERDE

Leo Reiter — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:42:48 GMT

Gabe -

thanks for the great write-up, and for getting VERDE installed+reviewed so quickly with so little help from us...

Just a couple of small points I wanted to expand upon:

1. While it's definitely cluster-oriented, it can still be deployed single server: we do have a web-based console for real-time monitoring. It lets you view and sort virtual desktop usage, users, and server stats, as well as gracefully shut down or abort user sessions with the click of the mouse. The console we have coming in the 4.0 release will introduce web-based provisioning and configuration as well as the existing monitoring functions that we have now.

2. Once you set up the infrastructure, you can use rules-based provisioning to make it so that all your "VERDE administration" is done in your Active Directory (or whatever enterprise directory) console. Basically you just create simple rules that say things like "if user is member of group <x>, he/she gets instance of gold image <y>", and then all you have to do is set group membership in AD.

3. As you mentioned, managing gold images is as simple as logging in to the infrastructure using our GUI Client program and just launching the gold image - there is no command-line work needed (or any type of work) to deploy the changes made.

At the end of the day, once you install VERDE, you actually do the day-to-day admin and help desk tasks using your AD console and a web browser. It's true that we have a good deal of command-line stuff to get it set up, but most of that is a one time thing. And our upcoming 4.0 console will eliminate virtually all of the command-line work beyond first time package installation.

Thanks again for the great article, and thanks very much in advance for the opportunity to circle back once our 4.0 hits the streets in a few weeks,

Leo Reiter

Virtual Bridges, Inc.

re: A first look at Virtual Bridges VERDE

Virtual Bridges — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:27:37 GMT

Brian,

VERDE Suite is available in two forms - in a paid up license and as a hosted service (announced first here). The paid up license for the full VERDE Suite is $200 per seat. VERDE Suite includes VERDE VDI, VERDE SMART (disconnected use/CSH), VERDE Cloud Branch (branch users) and VERDE LEAF (a type 1 hypervisor plus a VDI client on a USB Stick). Each of the individual components can be purchased for $100 each per seat or $200 per seat for the complete suite.

We offer volume discounts as well as government, non-profit and educational discounts that get the price down even further. We also offer special programs for under-privileged and at-risk communities.

The hosted service will be formally announced over the next few weeks.

For more info on licensing, discounts or hosted options interested parties should send an email to sales at vbridges dot com.

Virtual Bridges and IBM have a relationship across several fronts. Customers can buy from IBM as part of either an IBM Client for Smart Work (ICSW) adoption from Lotus and IBM partners or as part of an IBM Smart Business Desktop Cloud from IBM Global Services End User Services group where we are one of three official Offerings (Vmware and Citrix being the other two). By buying through IBM users can get the advantages of integrated product and service delivery with other IBM offerings. Virtual Bridges will often support IBM, either directly or through our wide range of international partners, in the background of these adoptions, especially in international markets where IBM has a closer relationship with the customer already established. Virtual Bridges is happy to sell direct, through partners, or in partnership with IBM depending on the customers preference.

There are two other product areas that will be announced shortly with IBM. We will be sure and let you know as soon as they are public.

Thanks!

re: A first look at Virtual Bridges VERDE

Kimmo Jernstrom — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:00:25 GMT

Hey Gabe, thanks for a great article! I really like these "First Look" articles. Great stuff.

Also thanks a bunch on the Likewise Open hint., didn't have a clue about that. Man, I need to spend more time with than Linux thing. Heck, I will try to build OS XenClient on the Lenovo I ordered.

Here's for those interested:

xenbits.xensource.com/xenclient

http://joshlander.com/?p=22

re: A first look at Virtual Bridges VERDE

Brian Madden — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:22:29 GMT

What does VERDE cost and how is it licensed? And what's the story with IBM? Is there a reason I'd buy it through them instead of Virtual Bridges?

re: A first look at Virtual Bridges VERDE

Virtual Bridges — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 05:50:57 GMT

Gabe, thanks for taking such a thorough look at VERDE!

We have tried to focus on ease-of-use, even for folks who know little about Linux, and you have made us proud ;-)

One thing to keep in mind is that once this is set up, it is really drama-free. Operating requirements are simply a matter of updating gold masters as needed and adding and deleting users.

We feel the cherry-on-top of VERDE is our TCO story -- the combination of higher densities, lower storage requirements and lower software acquisition costs uniquely deliver a VDI value proposition where the numbers finally add up, whether a Windows 7 refresh or just an XP desktop infrastructure make-over. This is really where we stand apart from the field.

Thanks, again!