RES Software sees virtual desktop opportunity

RES Software has gained a patent for its technology

RES Software is looking to get a boost for its PowerFuse workspace management tools thanks to the growth in virtual desktop deployments.

PowerFuse separates the user experience and settings from the underlying operating system, and is a key technology for virtual desktop deployments, according to RES, which has now been granted a European patent on the technology.

While PowerFuse has been around for several years and can be used to manage the user workspace on PCs, laptops and thin clients, it comes into its own with virtual desktop infrastructure.

"With the rise of virtual desktop technology, we expect to see an increase in Workspace Extender take-up," said Ron Grevink vice president of marketing at RES.

Workspace Extender, a client-side addition to PowerFuse, enables the user's workspace to access a seamless mix of applications on their virtual desktop with some applications running locally.

This enables the user to exploit the capabilities of their client hardware, run demanding graphics applications or burn a CD, which would not otherwise be possible.

"End users are not interested in how it's all delivered; they just want a full PC experience," said Grevink.

Workspace Extender is already integrated into some thin clients, such as those from Igel Technology, and supports virtual desktop environments based on VMware and Citrix platforms.

RES has now been granted Patent EP1331556 by the European Patent Office, covering its technology to enhance a remote desktop with applications that run locally.

Grevink said that PowerFuse is also due for a complete overhaul next year, and that PowerFuse 2010, due for delivery in the first quarter of 2010, will add a new learning mode that gathers data on how employees use applications on their PCs.

This will enable the IT department to gradually bring applications under the control of PowerFuse, he said.

Workspace Extender will be demonstrated at VMworld 2009 in San Francisco from 31 August to 3 September.