VMware Horizon 8: Technical Introduction and Features
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, organizations are continuously seeking ways to improve productivity, streamline operations, and enhance user experiences. One technology that has emerged as a powerful solution for achieving these goals is VMware Horizon 8. This blog post will provide a technical introduction to VMware Horizon 8 and delve into its key features that make it a compelling choice for businesses.
What is VMware Horizon 8? VMware Horizon 8 is a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solution that enables organizations to deliver virtual desktops and applications to end-users securely and efficiently. It allows businesses to centralize their desktops and applications in the data center, providing a virtual workspace that can be accessed from various devices, including laptops, desktops, tablets, and even smartphones.
Key Features of VMware Horizon 8:
1. High-performance virtual desktops: VMware Horizon 8 leverages advanced display protocol technologies, such as Blast Extreme, to deliver a high-quality user experience across a wide range of network conditions. Users can access their virtual desktops and applications with near- native performance, regardless of their location or the device they are using.
2. Unified management console: Horizon 8 offers a unified management console, called VMware Horizon Administrator, which simplifies the management and administration of virtual desktops and applications. It provides a single pane of glass to manage the entire virtual infrastructure, allowing administrators to easily provision, monitor, and troubleshoot virtual desktops and applications from a centralized location.
3. Instant Clones and App Volumes: Horizon 8 introduces innovative technologies like Instant
Clones and App Volumes, which enhance the provisioning and management of virtual desktops and applications. Instant Clones allow administrators to rapidly create and deploy virtual desktops by leveraging a single parent virtual machine, resulting in significant time and storage savings. App Volumes enable the dynamic delivery of applications to virtual desktops, allowing for efficient application management and reducing storage requirements.
4. Just-in-Time Management Platform (JMP): VMware Horizon 8 incorporates the Just-in-Time Management Platform (JMP), which provides a streamlined and automated approach to managing and updating virtual desktops and applications. JMP includes features like Instant Clones, App Volumes, and User Environment Manager, which together enable administrators to deliver personalized and up-to-date virtual workspaces to end-users, improving efficiency and reducing management overhead.
5. Secure Remote Access: With the increasing popularity of remote work, ensuring secure access to corporate resources has become crucial. Horizon 8 provides secure remote access to virtual desktops and applications through its VMware Unified Access Gateway (UAG) component. UAG acts as a secure gateway, enabling users to access their virtual workspaces from external networks while maintaining data security and integrity.
6. Multi-cloud deployment options: VMware Horizon 8 offers flexibility in terms of deployment options, allowing organizations to choose between on-premises, cloud, or hybrid deployments based on their specific requirements. This enables businesses to leverage their existing infrastructure investments while taking advantage of cloud scalability and cost-efficiency when needed.
7. Extensive ecosystem integration: Horizon 8 integrates seamlessly with other VMware solutions and a wide range of third-party applications and technologies. It integrates with VMware vSphere, VMware vSAN, and VMware NSX, enabling organizations to leverage their existing VMware infrastructure. Additionally, Horizon 8 integrates with leading identity providers, such as Microsoft Active Directory and Okta, to provide secure authentication and access control.
In conclusion, VMware Horizon 8 is a powerful VDI solution that enables organizations to deliver virtual desktops and applications securely and efficiently. With its high-performance capabilities, unified management console, innovative provisioning technologies, secure remote access, and extensive ecosystem integration, Horizon 8 offers a comprehensive suite of features that can transform the way businesses deliver and manage virtual workspaces. By embracing VMware Horizon 8, organizations can enhance productivity, reduce costs, and provide a superior user experience for their employees.