VMware opens Virtual Desktop Manager 2.0 beta program

For a long time VMware sold a simple VDI solution, called Virtual Desktop Manager (VDM) only through its sales channel, leaving room for its partners to market their enhanced connection brokers to general public. But at a point the company decided to seriously invest in the segment and silently acquired UK firm Propero.

Now after five months VMware is ready to announce integration of Propero technologies in VDM second generation:

VMware, Inc., the virtualization leader, today announced an end-to-end virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solution with the introduction of VMware Virtual Desktop Manager 2, the company’s next generation connection broker. Today’s news extends VMware’s comprehensive line of desktop virtualization software and services to bring new levels of security, mobility and manageability to global enterprise desktop users.

VMware Virtual Desktop Manager 2 is a component of VMware VDI, an end-to-end desktop virtualization solution that enables organizations to centralize desktop management and control using the VMware Infrastructure 3 platform. Through tight integration with VMware Virtual Center, VMware Virtual Desktop Manager delivers enterprise-class virtual desktop management while providing end users with a familiar desktop experience…

At the same time VMware opens related open beta program, which should go live shortly.

The final release is expected before the end of the year.

With this operation VMware seriously risks to kill its own VDI ecosystem, considering most customers will prefer to go for a tightly integrated solution made by same vendor rather than having to handle with multiple vendors incompatibilities.

Ther first consequence will be a massive opening towards competitors, but considering XenEnterprise will get Citrix Desktop Broker integration in the near timeframe because of acquisition, few companies remain: Virtual Iron, which is already working with Provision Networks, Microsoft, SWsoft and its subsidiary Parallels which is expected to release its own hypervisor before the end of the year.

The virtualization.info Virtualization Industry Roadmap has been updated accordingly.