VMware Delivers High-Performance Virtual Desktop Solution for Remote Users with Sun Microsystems’ Sun Ray Software and Virtual Display Clients
Customers Say VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Combined with Sun Ray Software Delivers Superior Performance across Wide Area Networks
PALO ALTO, Calif., May 19, 2008 – VMware, Inc., (NYSE: VMW), the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop to the datacenter, today unveiled a new integrated desktop solution offering superior performance, especially over wide area networks (WANs), that leverages VMware’s Virtual Desktop Infrastructure platform with Sun Microsystems’ Sun Ray (TM) Software and virtual display clients. Ideal for use with remote users, enterprise branch offices, and offshore developers, this solution beats the competition in performance and user experience, according to customers.
VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure is a comprehensive desktop virtualization solution that replaces traditional PCs with virtual machines that are centralized in the datacenter and available to users from any device. This model streamlines desktop management while reducing desktop TCO, increasing IT’s control, improving security of data and enhancing user experience, flexibility, and productivity. Independent customer testing has found that the integrated VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure and Sun Ray Software solution delivered consistently better performance than competing display protocols. The solution utilizes Sun’s Appliance Link Protocol (ALP), which outperforms other display protocols when used to deliver virtual desktops over networks with high latency. Customer tests show dramatic increases in performance when using VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure with ALP to deliver complete desktop environments in a WAN deployment.
The University of Maryland, located in College Park, Maryland, is a major public research university which serves more than 36,000 students and more than 12,000 staff. The University’s Facilities Management (FM) IT staff, which supports more than 400 desktops, selected VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, Sun Ray Software and virtual display clients to improve desktop manageability, lower IT costs and improve desktop accessibility.
“As a major research university, it’s critical that our students, faculty and staff get access to the applications they need, when they need them,” said Jim Maloney, network operations manager, UMD – Facilities Management. “The combination of VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure and Sun Ray Software and virtual display clients greatly improved performance and end user convenience. This joint solution has helped us significantly reduce the time we spend managing our growing desktop infrastructure as well as cut down on energy costs through virtualization.”
“VMware customers like University of Maryland are leveraging all the benefits of VMware’s virtualization platform to achieve a desktop experience that is easier to manage and maintain and, at the same time, more secure and accessible,” said Jeff Jennings, vice president, desktop products and solutions, VMware. “The VMware and Sun solution builds on these superior capabilities by delivering unmatched performance for remote users.”
”Companies are quickly finding that VDI offers a new way to work that increases security, improves manageability and even reduces costs. The Sun/VMware virtual desktop solution extends the traditional benefits of VDI by utilizing Sun’s world class delivery protocol, highly secure and eco-friendly Sun Ray clients and streamlined management tools in Sun Ray Software,” said Jeff Jackson, vice president of Solaris for Sun Microsystems. “We’re thrilled to be working with VMware to bring this best-of-breed solution to our customers.”
"We have worked with several clients in diverse industries comparing remote display protocols in VDI deployments," said Ed Graham, EVP, technology sales, Versatile Systems. "The Sun Ray's ALP protocol has consistently outperformed other remote display protocols, especially over a WAN. With the combined VMware and Sun solution, customers gain a superior user experience regardless of geography."
The combination of Sun Ray Software and virtual display clients to a VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure deployment provides the added benefits of using a client that has no operating system, significantly reducing the chance of malware attacks, and the clients themselves use only 1/10 the power of a traditional PC. Smart Cards and two factor authentication to virtual Windows desktops are also supported with this solution such as Common Access Cards used by many federal government agencies.
As part of the VMware and Sun OEM agreement, Sun will provided frontline support for this joint solution. Customers can purchase the complete solution today directly from Sun and a specialized network of joint Sun and VMware Partners.
More information on the VMware VDI solution is available at: http://www.vmware.com/products/vdi/
More information on Sun Ray Software and virtual display clients is available at: http://www.sun.com/sunray
About VMware
VMware (NYSE: VMW) is the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop to the datacenter. Customers of all sizes rely on VMware to reduce capital and operating expenses, ensure business continuity, strengthen security and go green. With 2007 revenues of $1.3 billion, more than 100,000 customers and nearly 14,000 partners, VMware is one of the fastest growing public software companies. VMware is headquartered in Palo Alto, California and on the web at www.vmware.com.
# # #
VMware is a registered trademark of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.