VMware recently announced that VMware View 5.1 will be released in Q2 2012. Below is a summary listing of the new features and benefits. VMware View Storage Accelerator will act as a read cache for common blocks of Virtual Machine Disk Files (VMDK). This will benefit performance by reducing the read IOPS on the underlying storage array. Those with mega cache storage arrays such as Datacore may not see a significant performance improvement since the storage array currently provides this function. However, it will reduce the amount of IO requests into the front end of the storage array. Persona Management extending to physical desktops will be a great addition for two use cases. Workers who split their time between physical and virtual desktops will now have the same data and settings on both. It will also help with migrations from physical to virtual desktops. vCenter Operations is a good product for server virtualization. Now VMware has focused a version on desktop virtualization for capacity and performance management. The new VMware View 5.1 clients that adapt to user bandwidth and latency will continue to provide the best end user remote desktop experience.
VMware View 5.1 Features and Benefits:
Enhancements and new features in VMware View 5.1 include:
• VMware View Storage Accelerator – VMware View Storage Accelerator (formerly known as Content Based Read Cache) optimizes storage load and improves performance by caching common image blocks when reading virtual desktop images, helping to reduce overall TCO in VMware View deployments.
• VMware View Composer Array Integration (VCAI) – Offered in VMware View 5.1 as a Tech Preview, VCAI will leverage the native cloning abilities in the storage array to offload storage operations within a VMware View environment. As a result, VCAI improves provisioning speeds and management in View Composer and offers another solution for customers wanting to leverage other storage options.
• VMware View Persona Management – New in VMware View 5.1, VMware View Persona Management will extend to physical desktops, enabling IT organizations to preserve user settings across all Windows devices and streamline the migration from physical to stateless virtual desktops.
• VMware vCenter™ Operations for VMware View – Offered as a new add-on to VMware View, VMware vCenter Operations for VMware View will enable administrators to have broad insight into virtual desktop performance. Increased insight can empower administrators to quickly pinpoint and troubleshoot issues, optimize resource utilization and proactively address potential issues in real time.
• VMware View Administrator Enhancements – New performance enhancements to the administrator user interface will deliver faster response times for large-scale desktop environments in the tens-of-thousands. With VMware View 5.1, desktop provisioning with pre-created AD accounts simplifies the process and enhances compliance policy. Administrator enhancements also include editable locations for disposable disk drives.
• RADIUS Support – Support in VMware View 5.1 for RADIUS will enable greater choice for organizations looking to deploy two-factor authentication, while maintaining compatibility with existing choices.
• New VMware View Clients – Users will be able to connect to their VMware View desktop from a variety of mobile and fixed endpoints with updated clients for Mac, Windows and Linux desktops, thin or zero clients and Apple iPad, Android and Amazon Kindle Fire tablets. VMware View 5.1 with PCoIP® adapts to the end users’ network connection to provide a high-quality, customized desktop experience over the LAN or WAN.
• VMware View Media Services Enhancements: VMware View 5.1 Local Mode will add multi-monitor support and expanded USB device compatibility, improving the user experience by enabling more peripherals to connect seamlessly into VMware View virtual desktops.
• VMware View Administrator Language Support – Globalization and localization of administrator UI provides a better experience for non-English speaking IT organizations and will enable greater adoption in additional markets. Languages will include French, German, Japanese, Korean and Simplified Chinese.
