Yesterday we released Quest vWorkspace 7.0! vWorkspace 7.0 is a milestone release that packs some very cool new features. These are some of the exiting new features:

• Flash Acceleration - Deliver a Flash experience that is indistinguishable from a local experience. Real world usage case example: in YouTube HD audio and video are completely in sync. View (and listen to) a short demo here.
• VMware Linked Clone Support - Create virtual desktops that are provisioned using linked clones. Real world usage case example: create virtual desktops that use up to 90% less storage.
• VMware Reprovision Support -Create and maintain a single desktop image and reprovision virtual desktop automatically based on the changes you make to the image.  Real world usage case example: update the golden desktop image with new updates and patches each month and seamlessly apply them to all your virtual desktops. There’s a brief demonstration here.
• Platform Support - With this release the following support, including Microsoft Windows 64-bit versions, has been added to vWorkspace: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, SCVMM 2008 R2. Real world usage case example: be able to start using Windows Server 2008 R2 as your SBC platform today.
• Powertools for VDI - User Environment Management and Lockdown (what used to be called Manage-IT back in the day) is now available for desktops as well. Real world usage case example: build, manage and secure the user environment for both RD Session hosts and desktops without the need to invest in a third party product to do so.
• New RDP Performance Options - Full RDP7 support. As the only major vendor that truly embraces and extends RDP, Quest fully supports RDP7 including all the exciting new capabilities introduced in RDP7. Real world usage case example: deliver Windows7 virtual desktops to end users or customers with the full Windows7 Aero experience. This is how cool that is.
• New Client CAB File - A new Web Client that can be used without requiring manual installation. Real world usage case example: seamlessly deploy new versions of the vWorkspace client without burdening end users.

A exhaustive listing of all the new features can be found here. Also take a look at this special vWorkspace 7.0 page which provides even more information: http://www.quest.com/vworkspace/new-release.aspx

It is important that customers review the vWorkspace 7.0 documentation and release notes for further information on resolved and known issues.

Quest vWorkspace is available to all existing customers and to anyone that wants to trail vWorkspace. The release and product documentation are available on the vWorkspace web site at http://www.vworkspace.com, as well as the Quest SupportLink web site at http://support.quest.com.

Enabling single sign on (SSO) will allow your users to open Web Access and be automatically logged in without being prompted for their user credentials. Instead their credentials are passed through either by using cached credentials or Kerberos authentication from the client device. Therefore the user is immediately presented with their relevant applications and desktops. The main requirement for SSO is that the client devices whether they are thin clients or fat clients (PC’s) are joined to the domain. Typically this kind of deployment does not work for home users who’s client device is not a member of the domain however it is possible to configure SSO with Web Access in such a way to accommodate devices both in and out of the domain. To enable SSO for your users follow the steps below.

Read the rest of this post »

QShell is a free application to improve the log in experience for vWorkspace users on thin clients and end of life hardware where you want to provide a PC’s like log in experience to a virtual desktop. It can provide a single sign on experience removing the client devices original desktop, start menu, task bar and desktop icons.

Read the rest of this post »