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VMware Launches ThinApp 4.0 to Run Virtually Any Application on Any Windows Operating System without Conflict

VMware Launches ThinApp 4.0 to Run Virtually Any Application on Any Windows Operating System without Conflict

VMware ThinApp Agentless Application Virtualization Enables “Package Once, Deploy Anywhere” Non-Disruptive Virtual Applications

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 10, 2008 —VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop to the datacenter, today announced the upcoming availability of VMware ThinApp 4, an application virtualization solution that lets customers run multiple versions of virtually any application on any Windows operating system without conflict. For example, users can run both Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Explorer 7 on the same operating system without disruption. 

ThinApp, based on Thinstall technology, the leading agentless application virtualization solution, requires no pre-installed software on physical or virtual PCs and no new deployment infrastructure or management tools.  ThinApp dramatically improves application packaging, delivery, and management by enabling plug-and-play applications using an enterprise’s existing systems and management tools.  ThinApp packages applications in familiar formats (.MSI or .EXE) that can plug into existing infrastructure for software license management, deployment, audit and compliance. 

ThinApp 4 introduces two revolutionary new features: Application Link and Application Sync, which enable two virtualized applications to communicate with each other and remote virtual applications to be updated.  These features are important for easier management of the virtual applications. ThinApp extends VMware’s industry-leading desktop virtualization product family to enable management solutions for both desktops and applications.

Traditional application packaging and delivery tools are fraught with application and operating system conflicts, which lead to a “brittle” desktop environment. ThinApp eliminates these conflicts and securely packages applications for delivery to physical and virtual desktops throughout the extended enterprise. The result is an application delivery solution which lets IT administrators define their technology roadmaps based on their business needs rather than being constrained by application limitations. 

Customers want application virtualization technologies that do not restrict applications to one presentation format or another, ThinApp enables the same virtual application to be streamed from a network, presented from a terminal server, delivered to USB stick (e.g., for a contract worker), or delivered through standard software delivery tools with little to no integration required.  ThinApp also helps IT administrators manage applications that do not run as well in shared-user environments such as Microsoft Terminal Server. By creating a separate instance with its own private sandbox, each application runs in the context of each user session without having to be modified; if a user “breaks” the application, other users are not impacted.

“Application packaging, testing and delivery continues to be one of the biggest drivers of desktop management costs and a barrier to compliance and security,” said Jeff Jennings, vice president of desktop products and solutions for VMware. “With VMware ThinApp, customers can decouple applications from the underlying OS, which makes their application environments more agile and flexible while maintaining control over their desktops.”

Rolling out new applications, desktops, or operating systems brings with it the challenges and complexity of managing IT change.  This disruption puts the business at risk, as employee productivity can suffer when applications do not work.  In addition, the growing trend for mobility and the need for agility are often compromised by strict regulatory requirements.

“During the past two years, new client architectures have emerged that complement today's PC configuration tools, improving efficiency of management and enabling user-provisioned client computing,” said Ronni Colville, vice president, Gartner. “Over the next 2 to 5 years over 50% of medium to large enterprises will adopt application virtualization – to save costs, complexity, and time to value throughout their desktop lifecycle. The ability of upcoming application virtualization technology to work with multiple PC configuration tools is critical to reducing the overall complexity and realization of true costs savings of packaging, testing and deployment of applications and desktops.” * 

VMware ThinApp 4.0 highlights include:

  • Application Link (NEW) – Free-flowing communication between interdependent virtual applications.  Application Link allows interdependent applications to communicate with one another (such as Java, .Net, IE, Office) to eliminate conflicts, reduce application size, and maintain continuity and tracking of software licenses.
  • Application Sync (NEW) – Internet-based updates of applications. Application Sync streams byte-level updates to users’ critical applications inside and outside the enterprise using HTTP/HTTPS, and on managed and non-managed PCs running virtualized applications.
  • “Package once, deploy anywhere” with agentless application virtualization. ThinApp uses Thinstall technology, which pioneered agentless application virtualization allowing applications to be deployed on virtually any Windows OS across virtually any device (kiosks, PCs, laptops, thin clients, virtual desktops).
  • Works with existing management tools to streamline costs and maintain compliance. ThinApp plugs into existing processes and desktop management tools to reduce the costs and complexity around managing the physical and virtual desktop.  According to Gartner**, “Virtualized applications can reduce the cost of testing, packaging and supporting an application by 60%.” 
  • Conflict-free applications eliminate risks to business continuity. Applications are isolated from the underlying OS, eliminating costs of conflicting resources and allowing different versions of an application to run side by side (such as different versions of Internet Explorer).
  • Regain control of the desktop. ThinApp, along with VMware’s desktop virtualization family of products (ACE, Fusion, Workstation, and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) enables IT to segment their applications, operating systems and migration deployments to speed time to value while decreasing complexity of managing the desktop.

“VMware ThinApp allows our contracted employees working on foreign networks where interoperability and security concerns exist to safely access complex applications critical to their productivity,” said Robert Carter, senior IT engineer, Fluor Federal Services. “ThinApp is another example of the way VMware helps customers address real-world problems that save time, money, and manpower.  I am very excited to see how ThinApp will continue to evolve."

"VMware's approach to providing modular virtualization solutions that plug into existing Desktop Configuration Management tools enables customers to re-engineer their approach to migrations without disrupting their current processes," said Scott Fulton, vice president, BMC Service Automation Product Line. "Both companies are committed to providing end-to-end solutions that make for seamless adoption of desktop virtualization.  Our demonstrated success in this area has already enabled mutual customers to streamline their efforts in user based provisioning, enhancing business service alignment and achieving greater operational efficiency.”

“Customers can accelerate time to market and improve the reliability of business services through the integration between HP Client Automation and VMware ThinApp,” said Michel Feaster, director of products, Business Service Automation, Software, HP. "Combining HP’s management automation software portfolio with VMware’s virtualization solutions will enable customers to deploy integrated, end-to-end solutions from applications to the desktop.”

Pricing, Packaging and Availability:
The VMware ThinApp offering, which includes a copy of VMware Workstation and 50 client licenses, is priced at $5,000.  The client licenses are priced at $39 per endpoint. The ThinApp licenses are perpetual.  ThinApp will be available for purchase within 30 days through VMware’s network of distributors, resellers and OEMs.  All prices are VMware list prices.

Services and Support –VMware will offer 5x12 Gold and 24x7 Platinum support options for ThinApp.  VMware also offers several services to accelerate application virtualization adoption including ThinApp JumpStart, ThinApp Plan & Design, and ThinApp Application Packaging Framework.

For more information on VMware ThinApp, please visit: http://www.vmware.com/go/thinapp.

*Gartner Research Inc., “Strategic Planning for Application Virtualization”, Ronni Colville, Terrence Cosgrove, May 16, 2008
**Gartner Research Inc., “TCO of Traditional Software Distribution vs. Application Virtualization”, Brian Gammage, Mike Silver, Terrence Cosgrove, Mark Margevicius, April 16, 2008

About VMware
VMware (NYSE: VMW) is the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop to the datacenter.  Customers of all sizes rely on VMware to reduce capital and operating expenses, ensure business continuity, strengthen security and go green. With 2007 revenues of $1.3 billion, more than 100,000 customers and nearly 14,000 partners, VMware is one of the fastest growing public software companies.  VMware is headquartered in Palo Alto, California and on the web at www.vmware.com.

VMware is a registered trademark of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements made in this press release which are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are subject to the safe harbor provisions created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements relate, but are not limited, to analyst projections for the adoption of application virtualization and new client architectures and the rate of adoption of VMware virtualization products.  Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors, including but not limited to: (i) adverse changes in general economic or market conditions; (ii) delays or reductions in consumer or information technology spending; (iii) competitive factors, including but not limited to pricing pressures, industry consolidation, entry of new competitors into the virtualization market, and new product and marketing initiatives by our competitors; (iv) factors that affect timing of license revenue recognition such as product announcements and beta programs; (v) our customers’ ability to develop, and to transition to, new products, (vi) the uncertainty of customer acceptance of emerging technology; (viii) rapid technological and market changes in virtualization software; (ix) changes to product development timelines; (x) our ability to protect our proprietary technology; and (xi) fluctuating currency exchange rates.  These forward looking statements are based on current expectations and are subject to uncertainties and changes in condition, significance, value and effect as well as other risks detailed in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2008, which could cause actual results to vary from expectations. VMware disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release.