Desktop virtualization startup Wanova wants a bigger piece of the enterprise, and Tuesday's release of Mirage 2.0, the latest version of its flagship product, adds improved scalability and branch office software delivery.
To inject Wanova into enterprise virtualization discussions, Mirage 2.0 supports dynamic server clustering with up to 1,500 clients per server node, and it also allows customers to add or remove up to 10 nodes as needed.
Michele Bovorac, vice president of marketing at Wanova, based in San Jose, Calif., said all servers in the cluster are managed through a single pane of glass, and because Mirage 2.0 also works with existing server load balancing systems, it's a compelling option for larger companies.
"Our eyes have been on the enterprise for some time, and that's the target for Mirage 2.0," said Bovorac.
Wanova describes Mirage as a "hybrid" desktop virtualization offering that blends elements of client and server virtualization, giving IT departments full control over endpoints while allowing users to customize their machines as they see fit. Mirage keeps a primary copy of the user desktop in the data center, but the end user also has a copy stored locally, Bovorac said.
"It's the full native experience they'd get with a PC. This gives you the ability to manage the PC centrally whether or not it's connected to the network," Bovorac said.
Wanova has improved optimized branch environment software delivery in Mirage 2.0, making it easier to transfer desktop images from the data center to the endpoint without the use of server infrastructure. This is achieved by designating one branch office PC as a branch reflector and using it as a remote springboard for image distribution in the branch location, said Bovorac.
"If you're doing a significant transfer of software, such as a Windows 7 upgrade, that image will be pretty hefty. This allows you to transfer it once across the WAN to the branch reflector and that results in significant savings in terms of WAN and network usage," Bovorac said.
Mirage 2.0 also adds new desktop support and compliance features. "We allow you to re-image a PC over the WAN. MSP customers love this because they can take over desktop management and PC support for customers," she said.
Bovorac said this feature is particularly useful if a PC becomes infected with a virus or is compromised by a corrupted Excel file.
"IT departments can now figure out the scope of the problem and how to pull components to bring that endpoint back into compliance. It's about restoring from a snapshot, re-imaging a system over the WAN and preserving that end-user data," she said.
