Comments on: Poll: Do you plan to introduce application virtualization in your organization?

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 16:56:58 +0000

Paul, application virtualization certainly has its disadvantages. However, escaping DLL hell is certainly not the only advantage. I think one shouldn’t compare application virtualization to server-based computing because it doesn’t come with all the downsides (no real multimedia support, single point of failure, expensive server hardware, etc.) of a Citrix environment. Thus every technology has its niche.

By: Paul Newell

Paul Newell — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:42:02 +0000

Bottom line on App Virtualization on the Desktop-A Solution looking for a Problem! You still have to package, deploy and manage apps, make sure OS’s are installed and patched and maintain desktops unless you go to a complete thin client solution with Wyse terminals. To eliminate DLL Hell, which is not that big a deal anymore, you just doubled your workload, mixed your desktop environment, as some apps can be virtualized and some can’t, and increased your security risk and multiplied your attack vectors as you better have the core OS secured along with the Hypervisor running on top of it like ThinApp does. As someone who use top work for a network security firm and is familiar with the Hacker world, they can’t wait for everyone to jump on virtualized desktops and apps bandwagon. You have no clue what is in store for you. Steaming from a server-give me a break. Nothing but a more complicated version of classic Citrix thin client or Microsoft Terminal Services-SoftGrid was a dud from day one and Microsoft picked them up for pennies and immediately devalued it and threw it in the $10/seat DTOP package. Same thing will happen with the Kidaro technology. Add to all the above the additional upfront cost-$30-$100 per desktop-and the hidden cost on training, and ask yourself just why you are doing this to yourself?

VT in the Data Center-By all means-Hardware and power cost savings alone are reasons enough. But remember if you have 10 Hardware servers running 30 Virtual servers, you have 40 Server systems you need to manage, support, maintain and secure.

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:48:34 +0000

Christopher, there are just too many tools. I just played with three of them and I attended an online demo for another one. You have to take into account that not all application virtualization tools are as simple as ThinApp. Some of them are complex software deployment solutions. It takes days until you really get to know them. I think, my guides are helpful if you have to evaluate some of these products, but they don’t relieve you of having to test them, yourself. However, you can hire me as a consultant to choose a software virtualization for your company.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:01:26 +0000

Yes, I wasn’t seeing it…

By: Christopher

Christopher — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:48:51 +0000

?? I’m confused; it seems you missed the one article in this series that I was waiting for. I was expecting this one to detail your findings after having tested various products, and your opinions on the good and bad of each product. I find no value at all in everything else that you wrote in this series without actual product reviews. It seems to me that you skipped the most important part. Am I just not seeing it?