Admin tools boost PC virtualisation

Moves from ClearCube, SwiftLogic and Microsoft should simplify blade PC management

Desktop virtualisation could gain more traction in the enterprise, as ClearCube and ScriptLogic both launched management tools this month to make it easier to consolidate PCs as virtual machines, while Microsoft has altered its licensing terms to allow Windows to be deployed in this way.

Consolidating desktops as virtual machines could cut total cost of ownership as well as increasing uptime, as users can easily be moved in the event of hardware failure.

ClearCube’s Sentral 5.5 admin suite, unveiled today and set to ship in May, can manage a network of the vendor’s PC blades plus any virtual machines running on them via VMware’s ESX3 software.

The new version interacts directly with VMware’s APIs to remotely manage virtual machines, including the ability to hibernate, pause or cold start them. It can also allocate users to virtual machines at login, based on their identity and Active Directory policy.

“Power users can have their own blade, while knowledge workers might be five to 10 sharing a blade,” said Tom Josefy, head of product marketing at ClearCube.

ScriptLogic has added similar capabilities to its Desktop Authority suite. Version 7.6 can detect whether a desktop is a physical or a VMware virtual machine and apply the appropriate configuration.

Microsoft has also changed its licensing to allow Software Assurance customers to more widely deploy Windows on virtual machines. The Vista Enterprise Centralised Desktops (VECD) option will help customers explore new deployment scenarios, Microsoft said. Longhorn server will also include features to let users access both VECD and Terminal Services desktops remotely.