In a VDI environment VMware can already control (which implies having a profit) the back-end virtual infrastructure and the connection broker. But since the company doesn’t offer a thin-OS, it cannot control the front-end thin client in any way. Until now.
Today VMware launches a new Certification Program for thin client vendors that will grant compatibility with its hypervisor and management layers.
The number of partners that supports this program from day one is notable: Sun, HP, Fujitsu, NEC, IGEL, Wyse, Pano Logic, Chip PC, and several others.
The next logical step for the company would be requiring these partners to support out of the box the new streaming technology under development, VMware On-Demand, and its free desktop platform, VMware Player:
- a customer buys a new thin client from one of the manufacturers above
- a user powers on the device which starts to receive a streamed virtual machine
- the virtual machine, which includes a copy of ThinApp (formerly Thinstall Application Virtualization Suite), is served by an embedded VMware Player
- ThinApp receives the streamed virtual applications needed by the user
- the user is ready to work
How far VMware is from this?