Users of iPhones, iPads, or Android-based smartphones can access virtualized Windows desktops using version 3.1 of Kaviza’s VDI-in-a-box product, the company said on Wednesday.
VDI-in-a-box is a software appliance that is installed on a server with a hypervisor. It allows companies to run Windows images across multiple desktop systems from central servers. The goal with VDI-in-a-box and other virtual desktop platforms is to reduce management costs. For example, when the operating system or an application is updated, the IT department only needs to patch a few images as opposed to hundreds of individual desktops, according to Kaviza.
Any device compatible with the latest versions of the Citrix Receiver—including PCs, Macs and thin clients—can now access Kaviza desktops, the company said. In April, Citrix invested an undisclosed sum in Kaviza.
Other improvements in VDI-in-a-box version 3.1 include the ability to virtualize the 64-bit version of Windows 7 and authenticate employees using smart cards. The products has also been certified to run on VMware’s ESX 4.1 hypervisor.
VDI-in-a-box 3.1 is aimed at small and midsize companies; installations make sense from about 25 desktops, according to Kaviza.