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 Channel Futures

Open Source


Deja Vu: IBM Pushes Virtual Desktops With Virtual Bridges (Again)

  • Written by The VAR Guy 1
  • January 24, 2011

IBM today launched a Virtual Desktop for Smart Business push — which allows Windows or Linux desktops to be hosted and managed centrally. The VAR Guy is intrigued. But the Big Blue effort sounds suspiciously like a previous initiative called the IBM Client for Smart Work package, launched in 2009 with Virtual Bridges and Canonical (the Ubuntu Linux advocate). So how does IBM’s latest virtual desktop push differ from earlier efforts? Here’s the update.

First, today’s news: IBM’s Virtual Desktop for Smart Business is positioned as a workforce mobility offering that provides anytime, anywhere access to personal desktops from mobile devices — including tablets, netbooks, laptops and thin clients, according to IBM. The Virtual Desktop for Smart Business, which includes VERDE software from Virtual Bridges, can be deployed on a customer’s own infrastructure or through a Business Partner “private cloud” hosted environment, IBM says.

Familiar Tune?

Hmmm… Sounds unique. But IBM has played this card before. Rewind to 2008 and 2009…

  • December 2008: IBM discloses a virtual desktop initiative with Canonical and Virtual Bridges, introducing a per-user price point of $49.
  • May 2009: More than a dozen new VARs and integrators sign up to support Virtual Bridges’ software.
  • July 2009: IBM, Virtual Bridges and Canonical introduce the latest version of their combined efforts.

So what’s different this time around? For starters IBM doesn’t seem to mention the Canonical relationship in this latest Virtual Desktop for Smart Business Effort. Also, the Virtual Bridges relationship is somewhat downplayed in today’s IBM announcement. And IBM seems to be shifting the conversation away from traditional PC virtualization toward virtualized desktop access on mobile devices. The solution costs about $150 per desktop per year.

Checking Facts

Still, The VAR Guy has some lingering questions…

  • How does the new Virtual Desktop for Smart Business differ from IBM Client for Smart Work? The VAR Guy will be sure to ask IBM during a scheduled briefing on January 25.
  • Is IBM still working closely with Canonical on virtual desktops and Linux virtualization? The VAR Guy has reached out to Canonical for comment. (Documentation from Virtual Bridges does manage Ubuntu, Novell and Red Hat Linux support.)

In the meantime channel partners can find more information about IBM Virtual Desktop for Smart Business here.

Sign up for The VAR Guy’s Weekly Newsletter, Webcasts and Resource Center. Follow The VAR Guy via RSS, Facebook and Twitter. Follow experts at VARtweet. Read The VAR Guy’s editorial disclosures here.

Tags: Cloud Service Providers Digital Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs Channel Programs Cloud Mobility Open Source Virtualization

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4 comments

  1. Avatar Jef Spaleta January 25, 2011 @ 3:50 am
    Reply

    I’m always wary of continued reboots or retooling of the same initiative multiple times that doesn’t come with any analysis of how the previous attempted faired. It just seems to me like IBM is hunting for the right customerbase to sell a virtualized desktop initiative too…instead of this being a customer demand driven retooling to better align a product paying customers are interested in using. It seems forced.

    -jef

  2. Avatar david June 21, 2011 @ 8:59 pm
    Reply

    And what did VAR Guy think of the IBM / Virtual Bridges solution after that briefing in January?

  3. Avatar The VAR Guy June 23, 2011 @ 10:21 am
    Reply

    David: The VAR Guy is particularly curious to see how Virtual Bridges’ latest hire will work out.

    David Marshall, known for his popular VMblog.com, recently joined the company as senior product marketing manager and social media strategist. Hmmm…. Is Virtual Bridges poised to raise his profile?
    -TVG

  4. Avatar David Marshall June 24, 2011 @ 2:16 pm
    Reply

    Hi TVG, and thanks for the mention! It is my humble opinion that Virtual Bridges’ latest hire will work out quite well. 😉 I’ve only been here a very short time, but I’m very excited about the industry, the market, the technology and what Virtual Bridges is bringing to the table. The company has been talking about Gen2 VDI, and I have to agree with it, or else I wouldn’t have come on board. I believe it really does take a purpose built solution to solve the VDI and desktop virtualization problems and challenges that organizations face today. And I had the same belief when I started Hyper9. Server virtualization needed a purpose built management solution and what we created was a difference maker and in many cases copied by others. Many of these companies out there are trying to bolt pieces and parts together in order to build a solution, and that’s why they fall short, IMO. Shoot me an email sometime if you want to see how I’m doing or find out how things are working out. 🙂 -David

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