David Davis from TrainSignal has done a brilliant job coming up with these free VDI training videos. This is what I call community!

Start here - Intro to Desktop Virtualization

Lesson 1 – Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Overview

Lesson 2 – What is Desktop Virtualization and VDI

Lesson 3 – Desktop Virtualization vs Terminal Services

Lesson 4 – Microsoft’s Desktop Virtualization Solution

Lesson 5 – Citrix’s Desktop Virtualization Solutions

Lesson 6 – VMware’s Desktop Virtualization

Lesson 7 – Next steps in Desktop Virtualization

Via: http://www.vtexan.com/2013/01/28/free-vdi-training-videos-from-trainsignal/

Image Source: http://newsroom.cisco.com/image/image_gallery?uuid=d27d5b59-29b5-4e5e-8ccb-a09e2d899b61&groupId=10157

Today Cisco has announced that the Cisco Jabber application, a all in one unified communication solution will be supported in VMware View desktop environments. Check this link for the announcement. 

 SAN JOSE, Calif., January 17, 2013 – As part of Cisco’s ongoing efforts to enable anytime, anywhere collaboration, Cisco today announced new software that extends the Cisco Jabber™ unified communications application to virtualized workspace environments. As part of a long-term software strategy for collaboration-enabling virtual desktops, this software, called the Virtualization Experience Media Engine (VXME), will be available initially on Cisco thin clients, followed by support for third-party devices, starting with Dell Wyse thin clients, and then Windows-based thin clients and Windows PCs.

 To see the full article, please visit either the VMware EUC Blog, or the Cisco Newsroom.

Link: http://blogs.vmware.com/euc/2013/01/momentum-for-real-time-unified-communications-support-within-virtualized-desktops-continues-in-2013-with-cisco.html

I’m sorry I missed to blog about this topic back in December 2012. Here we go!

That’s what Tony Huynh, Sr. Product Manager at VMware says:

VMware is excited to announce that as part of the Avaya R1 Release, Avaya has added support for rich Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) using Avaya one-X communicator with VMware View desktops.

To enable enterprise-grade UC with Avaya one-X communicator on VDI desktops, Avaya implemented a new plugin that performs media signaling and media processing  – Avaya VDI communicator.  Avaya VDI communicator runs on the client endpoint and offloads all the media processing of VoIP packets from the datacenter server to the endpoint.  When Avaya VDI communicator is deployed with VMware View, customers get a highly scalable VDI and UC solution, with point-to-point media delivery and quality-of-service (QoS) support for VoIP.  Customers also get the added benefit of business continuity with Avaya VDI communicator – if IP connectivity to the datacenter is lost or the datacenter server goes down, a local “Session Down UI” acts as a local softphone and allows calls to be placed and received.

For more information, please refer to the links below:

VMware View – http://www.vmware.com/products/view/overview.html

Avaya VDI Communicator – http://www.avaya.com/usa/product/vdi-communicator

Avaya VDI Communicator Datasheet – http://www.avaya.com/usa/resource/assets/factsheet/vdicommunicator.pdf

Avaya one-X Communicator – http://www.avaya.com/usa/product/avaya-one-x-communicator

VMware End User Computing Marketing has published an interesting article today on their VMware EUC blog. They give you their Top 5 predictions for Unified Computing with VDI.

Here you go:

1. Tablets will become a primary way to communicate by voice
2. Video communication in business will hit the mainstream
3. Virtualized contact centers takeoff
4. The need for desktop and communications availability will come to the forefront
5. Device proliferation will continue unabated

Please visit the VMware blog for the details.

Link: http://blogs.vmware.com/euc/2013/01/top-5-predictions-for-2013-uc-with-vdi.html

(Screenshot: http://www.whychooseview.com/index.html#/Home)

VMware has put a great online resource together which gives you an overview why to choose VMware View over other VDI solutions. Find videos which explain the benefits of View and how Citrix XenApp i.e. can be improved by using VMware ThinApp.

Link: http://www.whychooseview.com/index.html#/Home

A great reference story for VMware in the private aviation sector.

“With the help of VMware View
we are not only giving our
employees the tools they need to
work more effectively but we are
also well on the way to becoming
a paperless organisation.”

Source: Screenshot of the PDF

http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/customers/VMware-ExecuJet-12Q4-EN-Case-Study.pdf

Yesterday VMware has published the VMware View Client for Windows Store Tech Preview.

The client is usable on Windows 8 and Windows 8 RT operating systems and they can connect to VMware View Server 4.6.1 or later.

Please download the VMware View Client for Windows Store Installation Guide for further instruction.

To side load this application please visit Microsofts MSDN site with instructions: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/windowsstore/archive/2012/04/25/deploying-metro-style-apps-to-businesses.aspx

Link: Using VMware View Client for Windows Store | Download Tech Preview