KVM backer takes virtual desktops on the road

Qumranet, the well-moneyed entity behind KVM, is asking folks to help it test out some new desktop virtualization code that sends applications out from headquarters to remote offices.

Back in April, Qumranet birthed SolidICE, which is the the company's take on desktop virtualization. Like rival software, SolidICE ships desktop software from a data center to a user's thin client or PC. The big buzz around such code is that it makes managing, upgrading and securing lots of desktops easier. The downside, however, has been that applications funneled out from the data centers tend to lag once they arrive on the desktops, much to users' chagrin.

Qumranet says it's better than the other guys because it can ship the hell out of an application. Thanks to some fancy algorithms and other intellectual property, applications appear on virtualized desktops just as they would on a real desktop, so says Qumranet President Rami Tamir.

Tamir's claims will really be put to the test now that Qumranet's wants to send applications over long distances via the beta version of Solid ICE Multi-Site.

SolidICE lets administrators create meaty software templates at a central data center. These templates include the operating system and applications used by most employees.

The remote offices then just manage lighter files associated with individual desktops. Those files could include a unique application for a single user or very basic things like their desktop background.

By splitting these sets of software and applying algorithms to improve the flow of bits between the main and remote sites, Qumranet claims to offer a proper desktop experience for branch office staff.

The multi-site software, however, is in early days to be sure, as Qumranet is only now hyping a "limited beta" program. Prove your worth to enter the trial here. ®