VMware's new VDI play is self-destructing virtual desktops

VMware has announced a new end-user computing product at its VMworld Europe gabfest. Horizon Flex allows admins to define virtual machines (VMs) and deploy them to Macs or PCs, where they run in desktop hypervisors even when those devices are offline. VMware would prefer you use its own Player on PCs rather than desktop Hyper- …

[Unicornpiss]

I guess it's neat that they "self destruct"

But how is this much different than setting a user's AD account to expire and just reimaging a machine with a customized image? I guess it could be quicker with the VM, if the VM template is already stored on the local disk. But if not, I can't imagine it really helps you too much?

Plus, what about data? If there is data stored on the local machine, say, in the user's profile (and users do love to put gigs of stuff in folders on their desktops), does it too get destroyed when the VM expires? Some stored data, even for a short-term temp, is invaluable to the business or depending on the circumstances of the person's departure, may be needed for a forensic investigation..

[SimonL]

Re: I guess it's neat that they "self destruct"

Maybe they will only run on systems that use roaming profiles / folder redirects?

[Buzzword]

Re: I guess it's neat that they "self destruct"

It's neat that they self-destruct, until your contract gets extended and the IT guys forget to extend the self-destruct date of your VM.

[chivo243]

Re: I guess it's neat that they "self destruct"

It's not the IT guys who forget, it's HR that doesn't remember to tell IT the "temp" is staying on, please let them continue to use the resources, or on the other hand, HR never tells us that someone is leaving, we only find out via re-staffing notices... Then I ask the HR Director when should the accounts be deleted? Blank stare returned...

[Cloud, what..... Sorry... Um... - you just made that up.]

So thats VMware ACE

As was then