VMworld: VMware shows technology to meld the cloud and mobile devices

COPENHAGEN: VMware is pushing the combination of the cloud and new mobile devices like tablets as the way to deliver universal access for a post-PC era of enterprise computing, where users can get to the applications they need from anywhere and on any device.

During the opening keynote of VMworld 2011 in Copenhagen, chief technology officer Stephen Herrod outlined VMware's vision of future IT dominated by devices consuming cloud-based services.

"Cloud is changing everything we work on – applications, infrastructure, and the devices we use," he said, adding that people are ultimately consuming services, and the future of IT will be about delivering those services in a way that can meet user expectations.

"Technology used in the personal arena should be able to be used in business as well, and we're well under way to enable this," Herrod said, referring to devices such as smartphones and tablets.

While many industry observers have made similar predictions, Herrod outlined how VMware intends to deliver on this promise, with technologies such as Horizon, View for virtual desktop access, plus projects the company is developing such as AppBlast, Octopus and ThinApp Factory.

ThinApp Factory is intended to automate the process of virtualising applications via VMware's ThinApp, and adding them to an application catalogue that users can browse from, including both desktop applications and web-based software-as-a-service apps.

Project Octopus is intended to let data follow users wherever they are, forming what Herrod described as an "enterprise Dropbox", giving users the ability to access documents on any device they happen to be using, while IT departments are given the ability to set policies putting limits on where files can be shared and expire access after a set period.

Meanwhile, Project AppBlast, first announced at VMworld in Las Vegas, is being developed to enable any application to be delivered via a web browser, on any target device supporting HTML5.

This will enable users to access key applications such as Microsoft Excel, even if they are using a device such as an iPad, Herrod said.

All these technologies will be pulled together by VMware's Horizon, which provides a bridge between Active Directory authentication and cloud services or other resources outside the corporate LAN, offering users single sign-on capability.

Most of these technologies are still "lab projects", according to Herrod, but he was able to demonstrate all of them working during his keynote presentation.

"We aim to give users access to all applications and data, wherever they are and on whatever device," said Herrod.