VMware adds management to virtual PCs

VMware ACE 2 Enterprise Edition allows IT departments to deploy virtual machine environments to remote workers and manage their use from a central console

VMware has made available a public beta of an updated version of VMware ACE, a tool that lets IT departments deploy locked-down virtual machines to workers. The new version explicitly supports operation of virtual machines from USB storage devices and includes a central management server to control them.

VMware ACE 2 Enterprise Edition, due to ship in the second quarter of 2007, enables IT managers to create virtual machine environments using VWware’s Workstation 6 and deploy them to staff along with policies controlling their use.

The tool lets firms deploy critical applications onto systems they do not control, such as an employee’s own home PC, according to Jerry Chen, director of enterprise desktop platforms and solutions at VMware.

“As an admin, I don’t want to manage your home PC. Instead, I can give you a ‘virtual laptop’ that you can take away,” he said.

The new version includes the ability to put a virtual machine on a storage device such as a USB Flash disk or portable hard drive. This feature, Pocket ACE, could be used as part of a disaster recovery plan, allowing staff to carry on working if their physical desktop is unavailable.

Another key new features is VMware ACE Management Server, which allows administrators to centrally track and manage virtual machines and apply policies to them from a single console.

This enables control over which USB devices a virtual machine can use, what IP ports are open, and packet filtering to control which IP addresses virtual machines can communicate with. Administrators can also change policies on-the-fly, according to Chen.

“I can expire your virtual machine if you quit the company or are fired,” he said. The management server can be downloaded as a pre-built virtual appliance from VWware’s site.

The beta of VMware ACE 2 Enterprise Edition is a free download, but the release version will be licensed. VMware has yet to decide on cost, but it is likely to be slightly more than the $99 (£52) per client of VWware ACE 1, Chen said.