RES Software lets users personalise virtual desktops

RES PowerFuse MyWorkspace Edition helps deliver a personalised Windows desktop

Management vendor RES Software has introduced tools to let workers personalise their Windows desktops, even in locked-down virtualised environments.

RES PowerFuse MyWorkspace Edition, available now, enables end users to have a personalised environment no matter what delivery mechanism is used, according to the firm. It supports a variety of platforms from vendors such as Citrix, VMware and Microsoft.

"As we move forward into virtualised environments, the user's workspace will not always be on the device they are using," said RES pre-sales consultant Steve Atkinson. This can make it difficult for administrators to lock down the environment appropriately.

"It's always a bit of a play-off between restricting users and allowing them the flexibility to do what they need to do. Usually what is needed is a degree of personalisation, as well as a certain degree of lockdown," he added.

PowerFuse MyWorkspace Edition enables administrators to control the applications to which users have access, and set policies controlling how much freedom they have with regard to their Windows desktop. The system works with virtual desktops, Terminal Services environments, and even plain old PC networks.

As well as offering "very granular" control over what actions users may take, such as installing applications, MyWorkspace Edition has the flexibility to alter this depending on the user and their location, according to RES.

"Normal group policies are not flexible enough. You need a different set of policies to apply if a worker goes home and logs in remotely, for example," said Atkinson.

However, despite the level of control, Atkinson claimed that the tool is so easy to use that administrators typically need just a couple of days training.

Although PowerFuse MyWorkspace Edition can integrate with Active Directory infrastructure in order to apply settings based on the same organisational structure, it does not depend on it to function, according to RES.

The suite operates from a single SQL or Oracle database with which the agent on each Windows desktop communicates directly. Licences cost £31 per concurrent seat.