VMware demos Horizon for workspace aggregation

VMware demos Horizon for workspace aggregation:

VMware has fleshed out its desktop virtualisation strategy with a suite of products designed to make desktop computing more manageable by using workspace aggregation.

As 30 June, 2014 – the end of support date for Windows XP – looms ever closer, IT departments need to migrate from their legacy desktop Windows platform. But while some CIOs may prefer to deploy the now mature Windows 7 operating system (OS), IT departments have more choice including skipping Windows 7 altogether. They can deploy Windows 8 or desktop virtualisation. Moreover, unlike in October 2009, when Windows 7 launched, supporting desktop IT has changed. Locking down corporate PCs and laptops is no longer acceptable for end users. They want to use their own software and often prefer their own devices.

“The dramatic influx of mobile devices and applications is quickly subverting existing IT policy and management,” said Brett Waldman, senior research analyst at IDC. “Modern solutions will need to have an integrated approach that holistically manages users, applications and devices to satisfy radically changing requirements to be well accepted by today’s IT organisations.”

VMware sees an opportunity to push its flavour of desktop virtualisation. “Migration to Windows 7 and 8, bring-your-own-device (BYOD), and the cloud are challenging IT organisations with new complexities and risks,” said Boaz Chalamish, senior vice-president at VMware.

During the annual VMworld 2012 conference in San Francisco, the company demonstrated the alpha version of its Project Horizon initiative which supports new ways of delivering desktop computing through a technique experts call workspace aggregation. Due to be ready by Q4 2012, according to VMware, Horizon will offer a flexible corporate workspace in the cloud for mobile workers to connect from anywhere using any device.

Horizon provides a web management console which IT departments use to build a service catalogue containing company data and applications. It also holds information on a user’s environment (device, location and connectivity level). According to VMware, Horizon uses this information to control access to applications and data, based on location and the capabilities of the end user’s device.

Analyst Gartner categorises technology like Project Horizon as a workspace aggregator, which unifies the delivery of desktops (local, full hosted virtual desktops or published desktops), applications (software as a service [SaaS], Windows, and native mobile) and data through a single user interface. Other companies offering this type of software include Centrix and Citrix.

In its Hype Cycle for Virtualisation report, Gartner noted: “Workspace aggregators will enable IT organisations to better manage and control access to applications being consumed by their users.

Basic functions such as audit, security, single sign-on, dynamic provisioning, and licence reclamation are some of the functions that get enabled through a workspace aggregator.”

However, in the report, Gartner analysts Terrence Cosgrove, Nathan Hill and Federica Troni warned that current workspace aggregator software was still quite immature and products offered limited application support. The analysts also raised concerns over licensing and security in the current generation of product.

VMware is also offering cloud-based desktop virtualisation, specifically for small and mid-sized businesses. It has partnered with Dell to deliver virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) bundles based on VMware View and certified Dell hardware.

Other companies providing preconfigured VMware appliances include Cisco, HP and Intel. Cisco announced it would offer support for VMware’s new vCloud Suite 5.1 product as part of its own Unified Computing Systsem (UCS).  The new vCloud offers what VMware describe as a software-defined datacentre architecture. This aims to abstract all hardware resources and pools them into aggregate capacity, enabling automation to safely and efficiently dole it out as needed for applications.

Cisco boosts sales and income in 2012

Cisco boosts sales and income in 2012

Cisco today announced its fourth quarter and fiscal year results for 2012, showing a rise in both sales and the resulting income.

Sales for the quarter rose a modest 4% year-on-year to reach $11.7bn, but over the entire year Cisco recorded a 7% increase from 2011 to hit $46.1bn.

This equated to net income of $1.8bn for the fourth quarter – up 56% from the same quarter in 2011, but down from $2.2bn in the previous three months – and $8bn for the year – a rise of 24% year-on-year.

Cisco CEO John Chambers claimed the company’s strategy of providing network and datacentre solutions on integrated products had seen the company through tough economic times and was the right path for the long term.

However, he said he knew the firm needed to keep up with the pace if it was to continue to compete.

“There is no question that our industry and our world are evolving quickly, [but] Cisco is squarely at the centre of major technology market transitions – cloud, mobile, visual, virtual and social,” said Chambers.

Cisco completed two acquisitions over the year. First was ClearAccess, which provides software to service providers for managing home networks and mobile devices. Second was Truviso, which enables analysis of network data. It also signed an agreement with Citrix to join forces in their channel strategies.

In Cisco’s last results filing, Chambers claimed the Euro crisis would affect figures for the year. "We are still in an uncertain environment economically," he said during the results call, blaming European economic issues and fears around a lack of growth in India for the climate.

He tried to reassure those listening to the call, however, adding it would "muddle through" with a few "bumps on the road”.

Cisco loses 1,300 jobs in another round of cost-cutting

Cisco Systems is to cut around 1,300 jobs or 2% of its workforce in continued efforts to cut costs and streamline decision making.

The company said in a statement: "We routinely review our business to determine where we need to align investment based on growth opportunities.

"Additionally, we continue to evaluate our organisational structure as part of our plan to drive simplicity, speed of decisions and agility across Cisco."

This is the second round of job cuts by the networking firm in as many years. In 2011,Cisco cut around 6,500 jobs or 9% of its workforce to help trim $1bn in annual costs and boost profit.  

Earlier in 2011, Cisco announced plans for a company shake-up to refocus on its core markets in routers and switching, collaboration, datacentre virtualisation and video.

Shortly after, the company closed down its Flip video camera business, confirming that its consumer division was a top target in the planned company revamp.

The company has been under pressure for several years, owing to the worldwide economic slowdown and pricing pressure on networking gear, according to the New York Times.

However, Cisco remains a large company, with both technical capabilities and a highly aggressive sales force, the paper said.

In April, Cisco announced it was financing, with $100m, its own networking start-up, called Inseimi.

Industry commentators said the investment was aimed at giving more relevance to Cisco gear in the world of virtualised networks.