Virtual machines offer a lot of utility to networks, but could pose problems for NAC. The problem would most likely arise in the case where centralized hardware is used to run virtual desktops as well as servers.

Stoneware announced the release of Folder Monitor for webOS, Stoneware's Web Desktop Virtualization solution. Folder Monitor provides a growing remote and mobile workforce with automated web file transfer capabilities from their Virtual Web Desktop to their enterprise file storage solution. With Folder Monitor, users are linked with their corporate home directory regardless of location, desktop, or operating system. Critical documents and files that are updated on the client are seamlessly moved to the network file system, maintaining security and access control.

OpenSpan announced the OpenSpan Platform SOA Desktop Edition, a new version of its flagship product that accelerates the realization of SOA strategies by enabling the rapid integration of desktop, legacy, virtualized and rich Internet applications and the expression of those integrations as Web services. As a result, enterprises can SOA-enable more of the enterprise infrastructure so that they achieve the intended business benefits of SOA.

NComputing announced that it has surpassed 1,000 manufacturing customers, with approximately 25,000 stations deployed. The increase in automation applications for manufacturing has been a driver in NComputing's manufacturing sales growth, as ever more computing devices are placed in harsh production environments. NComputing virtual PCs deliver computing access at low costs by sharing the power of a single PC among multiple simultaneous users. And because NComputing devices have no moving parts, CPU or memory, they work reliably where other products fail.

Microsoft is buying enterprise desktop virtualization start-up Kidaro Inc, intending to combine its technology with its own suite of desktop management tools, the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack for Software Assurance, so its biggest customers can deploy and manage virtual PCs.

With another bold move and strategic acquisition under way, Microsoft is continuing the aggressive advancement of its virtualization vision. It wasn't long ago when the company was being accused of moving at a rather slow pace after it had consumed the desktop and server virtualization intellectual property from Connectix Corporation in 2003; and then more of the same seemed to happen after they acquired Softricity's application virtualization in 2006. But since then, Microsoft has been moving rather aggressively to grab more of the virtualization market share.

I spoke with Kidaro CEO Kevin Brown for about 90 seconds yesterday afternoon; the conversation was cut short due to an emergency conflict on my end. Kevin and I hope to reconnect via phone next week while he is in Israel. I suspect he and his will be a bit busy for the foreseeable future, what with that recent Microsoft acquisition...

Linspire and Parallels announced the availability of Parallels' Workstation 2.2 desktop virtualization solution for download through the CNR.com free software delivery service to desktop Linux users. Available for the Freespire 2.0, Linspire 6.0 and Ubuntu 7.04, 7.10 operating systems, the CNR Service will expand to provide support for additional popular Linux distributions. Parallels Workstation allows users of any skill level to run multiple operating systems on a single computer.

Companies with virtualization strategies can utilize resources more efficiently, simplify the system administration, and make applications or desktops centrally available for PCs or thin clients. Virtualization becomes problematic with printing: All printer drivers in use must be made available to every desktop and must be updated. A remedy to this is the printer virtualization layer developed by ThinPrint.

With a remote workforce, either through offshoring business processes or remote home workers, it is essential to keep the data safe while providing the most flexible computing experience. This session will discuss the strategies and pitfalls when building a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). It will discuss cost issues and help customers build a compelling Retrun On Investment through determinig the Total Cost of Ownership of a VDI implementation.