Last week Unidesk has released version 1.6 of its layering solution.
Unidesk solution transparently segments a VDI gold master into multiple, isolated containers that administrators can use to deploy applications, patches, drivers, etc., preserving, for any update, the customizations made by individual users.
The new features introduced in this release:
Integrated Citrix XenDesktop Support
- Unidesk 1.6 brings the management simplicity, personalization (including user-installed apps), and storage savings that’s only possible with full desktop layering to Citrix® XenDesktop®.
- Broker integration via the XenDesktop SDK enables Unidesk desktops to be provisioned directly into XenDesktop catalogs and groups from the Unidesk Management Console.
- The Unidesk Template Wizard for Desktop settings now enables administrators to specify that they are integrating with XenDesktop.
- Existing XenDesktop desktops can be synchronized with Unidesk 1.6. This is useful for customers who have created desktops in Unidesk 1.5 and have manually added those desktops to XenDesktop. With 1.6, you are now able to upgrade from 1.5 to 1.6, configure XenDesktop through the Unidesk Management Console, and synchronize the desktops.
Desktop Build Performance Improvements
- Administrators will see up to 30% performance improvement in desktop build times compared to Unidesk 1.5 for desktops that have been assigned multiple application layers.
Additional Maintenance Schedule Capability
- Unidesk 1.5 introduced Desktop Maintenance Schedules, which define the time periods when Unidesk will deploy configuration changes and apply layer assignment changes to specified desktops. In Unidesk 1.6 administrators can now deploy a desktop change when the user reboots or logs out. This enables desktop changes to be applied when the user has naturally stopped working, without waiting for the usual Maintenance Schedule timeframe or forcing the user to log off immediately.
VMware View 5 Agent Support for Windows XP
- The VMware View 5 Agent can now be deployed as a Unidesk application layer to Windows XP Desktops independent of the Windows gold image to simplify patches and updates.
VMware vShield Support
VMware vShield can now be deployed as a Unidesk application layer to all desktops independent of the Windows gold image to simplify patches and updates.