Ulteo release Open Virtual Desktop to Windows application

[Calvin K]

Ulteo has released Open Virtual Desktop, a platform for delivering Linux and Windows applications from servers to the desktop. The software allows applications from Windows Server Terminal Services to be seamlessly mixed on the virtual desktop with applications running on Linux servers. The desktop itself is available from a web browser and can run on Windows, Linux or Mac OS X.

For Windows applications, the OVD Ulteo servers running on Windows Server with Terminal Services. It also offers an ideal solution for the management of servers, to spread the load automatically, but also to 'monitor' Windows NT servers, "said Gael Duval, technical director of Ulteo, in a statement. Before adding: "we also had requests to integrate OVD with portals and open source CMS, LDAP and Active Directory ... As the solution is open source, these improvements can be developed and added to the product so more quickly. "

This office online open source allows a company to deliver Windows applications and / or Linux to its employees from a web browser. The system involves the installation of servers, one manages the connections, used by other applications.

Ulteo, founded by Gael Duvall, founder of Mandrake Linux (now Mandriva), and Thierry Koehrlen, had previously launched a version which only supported Linux application servers, but did allow for central management of the applications available on users desktops. A full list of features and an installation guide are available. OVD is licensed under the GPL2.

[Calvin K]

Ulteo Open Virtual Desktop Features:

• Ease of use, ease of deployment: installation, management
• Interoperability: full Microsoft environment integration (Windows, Windows Applications, Active Directory, File server)
• Customizable: Open Source, GPL v2
• Cheaper by an order of magnitude
• Interoperable, secure, reliable, scalable

Key benefits for end-users

• Ease of use: browser, applications can be accessed from a portal
• Largest application portfolio: access to any Linux and/or Windows applications
• User friendly: Linux and Windows applications in a browser on Windows, Linux or MacOS!

System recommendation

• Servers for OVD Application servers: x86 servers w/ dualcore or quad CPU. 1GB or more RAM per 20 concurrent end-users. Supported Host OS: Ubuntu 8.04.1, RHEL 5.2, Centos 5.2, Fedora 10 + generic Linux install.
• Servers for Windows applications: Windows 2003 Server+Terminal Services on any hardware. Note: expected support for Windows Server 2008: June 2009.
• Servers for OVD Session Manager: any Pentium class x86 server w/512MB or more RAM. Host OS: Ubuntu 8.04.1, RHEL 5.2, Centos 5.2, Fedora 10 + generic Linux install.
• Note for OVD ApS and SM servers: it's possible to install everything on only one server for evaluation purpose.
• Client: Sun Java 1.5/1.6 enabled browser: Firefox 2+, Internet Explorer 7+, any platform.
• Network: 100Mbps or more LAN
• User directory servers: Active Directory on Windows Server, or LDAP server are currently supported.
• Fileservers: CIFS, WebDAV

[Umang]

It seemed nice until I realized that there is no "standalone" for Windows 2K3 server, you need couples a windows server with a Linux server ... In short for those who wanted to test the thing and do not have Linux server and only a Windows 2K3 go your way.

"To use Windows applications, you need to plug your Session Manager to a Microsoft Domain Controller (Active Directory).

You also need to have at least one Microsoft Windows Server 2003 system with Terminal Services installed and configured.

The Windows Server machines have to be plugged to the same control domain as the Session Manager. To plug a Session Manager to a Microsoft Active Directory , please refer to the Administration Console documentation. "

[Calvin K]

Monitoring, logging, reporting, load-balancing :

Windows and Linux application servers monitoring, loggin and reporting capabilities are provided to the OVD administrator.

Load-balancing is available on applications servers. It can be customized with various parameters.

End-user Web Interface :

Access to applications is delivered via a customizable and user-friendly web interface. Users are delivered either a full desktop or a single application.