VMware Runs it All

By Greg McNevin

June 12, 2008: EMC’s VMware is claiming that it can run virtually any application on any Windows operating system without conflict, with its new ThinApp 4.0.   

Based on Thinstall technology, the company says the new version of its virtualisation application lets users run multiple versions of virtually any application on any Windows operating system without complications.

For example, both Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Explorer 7 can be run on the same operating system without disruption by packaging applications in familiar formats (.such as MSI or .EXE) that can plug into existing infrastructure for software license management, deployment, audit and compliance.

ThinApp 4 also introduces two new features: Application Link and Application Sync, which enable two virtualised applications to communicate with each other and remote virtual applications to be updated.

The software lets the same virtual application to be streamed from a network, presented from a terminal server, delivered to USB stick or via standard software delivery tools with little to no integration required. VMware says ThinApp also helps IT administrators manage applications that do not run as well in shared-user environments such as Microsoft Terminal Server.

The company adds by creating a separate instance with its own private sandbox, each application runs in the context of each user session without having to be modified; if a user “breaks” the application, other users are not impacted.

“Application packaging, testing and delivery continues to be one of the biggest drivers of desktop management costs and a barrier to compliance and security,” said Jeff Jennings, vice president of desktop products and solutions for VMware.

“With VMware ThinApp, customers can decouple applications from the underlying OS, which makes their application environments more agile and flexible while maintaining control over their desktops.”

Comment on this story