HP Virtual Desktop Infrastructure with VMware View

VMware View is an end-to-end solution for any company, large or small. A typical VMware View environment encompasses the following components: 

• VMware Infrastructure: The VMware View solution leverages the proven VMware Infrastructure software to consolidate desktop environments on to servers in the data center. Depending on the version of View, it may included either VI 3.5 or vSphere 4.0. Please refer to QuickSpecs for complete details.
• View Manager: View Manager is an enterprise class desktop management solution, which streamlines the management, provisioning and deployment of virtual desktops. Users securely and easily access virtual desktops hosted on VMware Infrastructure 3, Terminal Servers, Blade PCs or even remote physical PCs through View Manager. Virtual desktop upgrading and patching are done centrally from a single console so you can efficiently manage hundreds or even thousands of desktops—saving time and resources.
• View Composer uses VMware Linked Clone technology to rapidly create desktop images that share virtual disks with a master image to conserve disk space and streamline management. User data and settings are separated from the desktop image, so they can be administered independently. All desktops that are linked to a master image can be patched or updated simply by updating the master image, without affecting users’ settings, data or applications. This reduces storage needs and costs by up to 70% while simplifying desktop management. View Composer is included only in the Premier Edition.
• ThinApp: ThinApp application virtualization software decouples applications from operating systems and packages them into an isolated and encapsulated file. This allows you to run multiple versions of applications on a single desktop without conflict, or the same version of an application on multiple operating systems without modification. Reduce storage needs for virtual desktops and simplify application management by streaming applications packaged with ThinApp from a centralized server or a shared network drive. It is included only in the Premier Edition.

• HP VDI with VMware View is a joint product between HP and VMware.
• The HP offering is an end-to-end client virtualization solution based on the best managed and virtualization-ready HP ProLiant and BladeSystem servers, HP StorageWorks storage, HP Thin Client access devices and VMware's proven virtualization platform.
• When the solution is purchased from HP, HP provides services and support for the entire offering - Servers, storage, thin clients and both virtualization as well as management software.
• HP also qualifies the VMware infrastructure software on a wide range of servers and storage platforms that allows customers to deploy their VDI infrastructure on the server of their choice. HP also qualifies Thin Clients to be supported with VMware View Manager.

• You can start by trying a VDI implementation with the free 60-day VMware View evaluation, which includes VMware vSphere 4.0, vCenter 4.0, View Manager (including Offline Desktop) , View Composer and ThinApp 4. You will additionally need Microsoft Active Directory to run the VMware View Manager software included with the VMware View evaluation. This is available directly from VMware here
• The HP VDI with VMware Starter kit available for both Enterprise and Premier edition offers an easy and inexpensive way to try out the VDI functionality. You can purchase these trial kits from HP.

• HP VDI Planning Services
• HP VDI Quick Start Service
• HP VDI Implementation Services