VMware Horizon Suite to launch in Q1

VMware has confirmed that its Horizon Suite of workforce mobility products will be available to buy during the first quarter of 2013 at a cost of 204 per named user.

The product suite includes updated versions of VMware's View and Mirage software that have been bundled together with a new VMware product called Horizon Workspace.

The latter provides end users with a browser-based virtual workspace that can be used to access their data, apps and desktops.

IT administrators can also use this part of the suite to set security and data access policies.

The View update has, reportedly, improved the software's usability with Microsoft Lync and made it easier for IT admins to manage larger virtual desktop deployments. The product can also be used to deliver a Windows desktop to iPad users.

Mirage has also received a similar tweak, which allows IT managed Windows images to run on non-Windows devices, and now boasts application layering features that let apps be grouped together and rolled out to specific groups of users.

The products are all available to buy separately on a per user basis, with View costing 170, Mirage 102 and Workspace 102.

Alternatively, the entire Horizon Suite will set users back 204 per named user.

The virtualisation giant announced a beta launch of the product suite at VMworld 2012 in October last year, but has also been drip-feeding information about some of its other features to users over the past 18 months.

Brian Gammage, chief market technologist of end user computing at VMware, said the company has taken its time with the product suite's release to help people incorporate it into their environments.

"What's important in the world of end user computing is that you make the right decision [to ensure] the product you're bringing to market is robust, reliable and does what you need," he told IT Pro.

"It's sometimes difficult to give advance warning of what's coming down the line, but no-one deploys EUC tech in a rush, because they know if they deploy in haste, but they'll have years to repent."