("Late Show with David Letterman" Marquee at the Ed Sullivan Theater)

New York – I was in NY this week meeting with a few of our customers and analysts and walked by the Ed Sullivan theatre, where David Letterman makes audiences laugh on a nightly basis. One of my favorite segments is the “Top 10” (a hysterical recent one on A-Roid is here), so it gave me an idea for a blog posting.
I haven’t seen such an enabling technology as client-hosted virtualization since the early days of application virtualization, where we would always get the “a ha” moment from customers when we showed multiple copies of Office running simultaneously on the same client. Very cool, cost-reducing technology for sure. Comparatively, the solution possibilities for Neocleus’ Type 1 client-hosted virtualization dwarf those that application virtualization provides. So I am super excited about the near and long-term for this technology. In homage to the great David Letterman, here is a quick list of just a few of the ways customers, ISVs and OEMs can solve tough IT problems using this enabling platform.

Top 10 Things You Can Do with Client Virtualization (in no particular order)

10. Reduce the cost of managing the desktop by finally realizing that elusive locked-down corporate desktop while allowing users the freedom and fidelity of using the Internet, instant messaging, VoIP, and other non-critical applications that are often the entry point for viruses, phishing tools and other intrusions.
9. Create a secure client experience by moving antivirus programs outside of the OS it is designed to protect.
8. Create a much more robust device management system by enabling critical software resources such as networking and VPN to be moved outside of the OS.
7. Reduce cost and complexity of OS migration – Easily allow the legacy OS to run side-by-side with the new OS, either on an app by app basis or for the entire desktop (e.g. for a transition time period, until apps are certified to run on the new platform.)
6. Corporate mergers and acquisitions – Client virtualization can be used to run two operating environments. In one VM, the image and application set of the acquirer while in another VM, the image and application set of the acquired company.
5. Trusted browser – Have you ever wanted to just isolate your browser so that anything you download can’t infect the rest of your machine? With client-hosted virtualization, you can and with Type 1, you can do it in a 100% secure environment. Also, with trusted browsing, you can be assured that if you are doing your online banking or other sensitive application, you can be assured there is no malware or phishing infecting it.
4. Virtual Software Appliances - the ability to package an OS, hardware dependencies, applications, user state, and security credentials into a single VM that can be deployed via multiple ways such as through traditional software delivery solutions, USB keys, DVD, or other method. For instance, a healthcare provider can package up a doctor’s computer that contains several applications such as X-ray records, patient information, diagnostic tools, and other sensitive apps and data into a single, encrypted VM. This can be packaged on a USB key that contains a fingerprint reader that allows the doctor to plug this key into any computer, swipe her finger to validate her identity and work on the applications, just as though she is in her office at the hospital.

3. Multi-project Desktop Consolidation – Government agencies and corporate users often provide their end users with multiple computers running specialized environments or applications that must (either due to technical limitations or compliance reasons) run on their own computer. This is expensive, not only for the hardware costs, but also the management costs associated with managing the extra machines. With Neocleus, you can run the each project in its own protected space, effectively working as a separate piece of hardware.
2. Remote / Disconnected VDI – Many companies are implementing Virtual Desktop Infrastructure using data center virtualization solutions to run hosted copies of users’ desktops in the cloud (internal or external), creating a nice secure platform for many types of users and applications. Using Neocleus, VDI customers can “check out” VDI images to take them on the road with them on their laptops.
1. Reduce the cost of laptops and desktops by allowing fast remediation of Windows and other OSes when they fail. In the event that Windows becomes compromised (e.g. the dreaded Blue Screen Of Death), you can have a VM running outside of Windows that can connect to the corporate network, download OS images, restart Windows, and get the user / machine up and running again immediately.

By the way, if you’re ever in NY, go ahead and stop by the Letterman show. It’s free and a lot of fun. If you smile when you pick up your ticket, they might even put you in the front row… (so I’ve heard )

 - Bill Corrigan