Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) has announced updates to its desktop virtualization portfolio, releasing new versions of three key products: Oracle Virtual Desktop Infrastructure 3.4, Sun Ray Software 5.3 and Oracle Virtual Desktop Client 3.1.
The desktop virtualization portfolio of products provides users with access to their personal desktop computing environment, enterprise applications and data without being tied to a particular physical client device. According to Oracle, the benefits include greater mobility, data security and easier, centralized administration.
“Oracle is the only company that offers everything needed for a complete desktop virtualization solution — hardware and software,” said Wim Coekaerts, senior vice president, Linux and Virtualization Engineering, Oracle. “With our continued product enhancements, Oracle’s desktop virtualization solution is making it easier and more cost-effective for IT to deliver centrally managed, secure services for end user desktops and provide access to enterprise applications from a wider variety of locations and devices.”
Features Focus on User Experience, Security and Storage Options
Oracle said its new software versions aim to improve the user experience, enhanced security and also provide expanded storage options — touting new features such as 720p High Definition (HD) video playback on Oracle Sun Ray thin client devices (with Oracle Virtual Desktop Infrastructure 3.4 and Sun Ray Software 5.3) and enhanced security features, including support for 802.1x identity-based network authentication.
On the storage front, Oracle Virtual Desktop Infrastructure 3.4 offers expanded storage options that allow customers to choose from a wide variety of Oracle and third-party storage solutions. This release offers a broader range of storage options that allow you to leverage integration with the industry-leading performance and analytical capabilities of Oracle’s Sun ZFS Storage Appliances.
Oracle Virtual Desktop Infrastructure 3.4 also enables support for local storage and third-party storage solutions, giving customers a variety of storage choices when planning deployments or leveraging their existing storage investments.
Some new features in the portfolio are designed to improve user access and experience, particularly the ability to copy and paste between local applications on the client device and remote virtual desktops in Oracle Virtual Desktop Client 3.1. Sun Ray 3 Series Clients and PCs running the new Oracle Virtual Desktop Client 3.1 software will see enhancements to the desktop user experience. New user location awareness features enable applications to provide dynamic capabilities such as follow-me-printing and help ensure more secure access to applications.
Oracle also said that Sun Ray 3 Series Clients offer improved security with new support added for more sophisticated authentication to the network using 802.1X Extensible Authentication Protocols.