VMware View Local Mode – Lessons learned
I’ve been working with VMware View Local Mode for couple of weeks now and I wanted to share my experience. VMware View Local Mode allows a virtual desktop to be downloaded to a laptop or desktop and to be executed locally. The CPU, memory, disk, network and graphics from the local desktop is being used to execute the virtual desktop. No remote display protocol is being used. VMware View Local mode is also part of the Client Side Desktop Virtualization (CSDV) Smackdown, a whitepaper which explains what CSDV is, when to use it and what the possibilities are. This whitepaper will be comparable to the VDI smackdown, only this time it will not be about server-hosted desktop virtualization, but client-hosted desktop virtualization. This whitepaper is expected to be released in Q1 of 2012. In this blogpost I will share my experience with VMware View Local mode, how it works and what doesn’t work.
How it works
The benefits of using VMware View Local Mode:
“With View Client with Local Mode, users can check out and download a View desktop to a local system such as a laptop. Administrators can manage these local View desktops by setting policies for the frequency of backups and contact with the server, access to USB devices, and permission to check in desktops.”
I assume you have a basic knowledge of the VMware View architecture. If not, here is a basic overview:
VMware ThinApp online bootcamp
VMware is organizing a six-part bootcamp about ThinApp, VMware’s Application Virtualization solution.
“…we show you how to use, deploy, and optimize VMware ThinApp. The session will include everything from deployment best practices, tips & tricks for performance enhancement, and improving application compatibility. We will be releasing one on demand session each day starting October 31st. At the end of this bootcamp, you’ll understand how to use VMware ThinApp. Register to get a free e-book of all the presentations included in this bootcamp series.”
Starting October 31st, a new video will be released daily:
ThinApp Design Best Practices
- Speaker – Ray Dusseault, VMware
- This session provides an overview real world best practices surrounding the new ThinApp Design Process along with a basic timeline for the ThinApp Plan & Design engagement.
ThinApp Implementation Best Practices
- Speaker – Ray Dusseault, VMware
- This session provides an overview of the latest ThinApp Strategy, methodology and real world Implementation best practices.
ThinApp Performance Enhancing Techniques
- Speaker – Dean Flaming, VMware
- Common tips, rules, basic troubleshooting procedures, and suggestions used to help enhance performance of ThinApp packages, including pre-capture settings, post-capture clean-up, deployment options pros and cons, and environment configurations.
Scripting within ThinApp
- Speaker – Dean Flaming, VMware
- Understanding the basics of scripting within a ThinApp environment including use of the callback functions as timing mechanisms, additional options available by admins, and how to implement a scripted solution within a ThinApp packaged application.
Isolation Modes Explained
- Speaker – Travis Sales, VMware
- Isolation modes are at the heart of the abstraction layer within ThinApp. We will explore their uses and and how to adjustment them for optimal application compatibility.
AppLink Fundamentals
- Speaker – Travis Sales, VMware
- AppLink enables you to package, deploy, and update component pieces separately while keeping the benefits of application virtualization. This session will explore AppLinks use scenarios and uses cases.
Check the VMware Desktop Community website for more information.
VMworld 2011 – Interview with Liquidware Labs
During VMworld 2011 in Las Vegas, Peter van den Bosch and I had an interview with David Bieneman and Chris Akerberg from Liquidware Labs. We discussed Stratusphere Fit and the new Stratusphere Designer. We also talked about FlexApp and Profile Unity.
VMware ThinApp Factory, Technical Preview
At VMworld 2011 in Las Vegas I attended the Hands-on lab “Solving Application Management Challenges with Application Virtualization” (HoL23). A big part of this HoL is about ThinApp, from basic to more advanced. If you are going to Copenhagen and take this lab AND you already know ThinApp, I advise you to skip chapter 1 to 3 and start with chapter 4, because you don’t have time to complete the entire HoL(lab manual is 238 pages). Chapter 4 is about a technical preview of ThinApp Factory. To be clear, this was not even Beta code but I was already impressed by the product and the features it will have. Here is my impression of ThinApp Factory (with screenshots!).
VMworld 2011 – Video of the vExperts CTO party
I was one of the lucky vExperts who was invited for a VMware CTO party at VMworld. I must admit, this was the best “party” of VMworld this year. Not just because of the great food, nice cocktails and super location, but because of all the people that were there. I had a lot of interesting conversations with vExperts, VMware engineers, architects and product managers of topics I was interested in: End User Computing. My compliments go to one man especially: John Troyer. He did a great job connecting people with each other, as he knows which persons shared the same interest.
Anyway, here is a video I shot at the CTO party.
