VMware Teams With Sun

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- 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 VMwares 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 Inc.