Release: Microsoft MED-V 2.0

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In April 2009 Microsoft released version 1.0 of its Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) tool. The technology was acquired from Kidaro, which Microsoft acquired in 2008. In April 2010 Service Pack 1 for MED-V 1.0 was released introducing support for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

In August last year, virtualization.info reported about the upcoming 2.0 release of MED-V, concluding that the expected features were not very promising compared to the potential of the product since Microsoft offers the solution to maintain legacy applications while updating to new OSes. Now Microsoft has released MED-V 2.0 as part of their Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 2011.

Basically MED-V 2.0 provides managed VM’s for use within Virtual PC. The virtualization engine used will be Windows Virtual PC, providing the ability to do seamless windows publishing and support USB pass-through. Also features have been removed like encryption of the MED-V workspace, the Centralized MED-V Server, and MED-V workspace trim transfer.

MED-V 2.0 contains the following changes:

  • Windows 7 SP1 supported as host OS only
  • Windows XP SP3 Professional as guest OS only
  • Workspace Creation
    • Workspace now created in Virtual PC
    • Removed offline management and trim transfer
    • Removed Virtual Machine Preparation tool (Sysprep should now be used)
    • Workspace Packager now provides GUI based guided packaging process
    • MED-V Console removed
    • PowerShell as the foundation of MED-V Packager
    • Managing images and MED-V Workspace profiles removed
    • Requirement to stage and encrypt MED-V workspaces removed
  • Workspace Management
    • Removed the need to define profiles and entering paths to applications, but refers to what is installed in the guest.
    • Seamless host-to-guest URL redirection
    • Removed guest-to-host URL redirection
    • Ability to start guest in full-screen mode
    • Troubleshooting toolkit