Key Features
- Full support for Windows 7 64-bit and 32-bit ACE Instances
allow your users to run the newest Windows operating system.
- Integration with VMware Workstation 7: VMware ACE
2.6 offers seamless integration with VMware Workstation 7, giving customers
access to both products through a single user interface. As a result,
administrators can now use Workstation 7 to configure and deploy ACE packages
across the extended enterprise.
- ACE 2 Management Server: Use the new ACE 2 Management
Server to manage and control ACE clients from a central location. The ACE 2
Management Server has the ability to dynamically update control and security
policies, including the ability to activate / deactivate ACE clients.
- Pocket ACE: Administrators can now bundle and deploy ACE
packages directly on a portable USB media device such as a flash memory stick,
portable hard drive or even an Apple iPod. End users can operate their ACE
client machines directly from the USB device for unparalleled mobility and
flexibility.
- Enhanced security capabilities: ACE 2.6 offers enhancements
to policy and package settings that make it easier to secure and manage ACE
clients. Flexible, granular controls for device and network access enable
administrators to specify exactly which machines or subnets an ACE client may
access. What’s more, ACE 2.6 uses a FIPS-validated 128-bit AES algorithm to
prevent unauthorized access to data stored on ACE clients.
Centralized Control
Take command of client PCs across the extended enterprise from a single point
of control.
- Centralized policy-based management. Virtual Rights
Management (VRM) centralizes management of security policies and access rights
applied to VMware ACE running on an end-user PC.
- Secured access. Secure the entire VMware ACE environment,
including data and system configuration, with authentication and virtual disk
encryption.
- Device control. Lock down PCs by granting or denying access
to host PC devices such as printers, USB memory keys, or DVD/CD writers based on
device type or ID.
- Expiration control. Configure VMware ACE to expire at a
pre-determined time, or after a pre-set period.
Strong Security
Protect sensitive and proprietary information with robust security features
such as full-volume encryption and granular access control over all network and
peripheral ports.
- Rules-based network access. Enable endpoint compliance by
identifying and quarantining expired, unauthorized or out-of-date VMware ACE
environments by port or traffic type.
- Flexible endpoint lockdown. Tighten desktop security
policies with granular device and network access control while providing end
users the freedom to be productive.
- Secure access. Offer secure, managed access to your
standard corporate desktop image from any PC, managed (company-owned PCs) or
unmanaged (employee-owned PCs, 3rd party PCs including vendors and
contractors).
- Virtual Machine Encryption. FIPS 140-2 compliant 128-bit
AES Encryption of ACE virtual machines, including virtual disk and configuration
files.
- Kiosk mode. With ACE 2.6, deliver virtual desktops that run
in kiosk mode on shared physical PCs. ACE virtual machines in Kiosk mode deliver
rich applications on shared public PCs, while protecting the host operating
system from misuse and malicious attacks.
- Smart card readers can be connected directly to an ACE Instance or
shared with the host machine. The smart card reader can be used to
authenticate users or to provide credentials for securely sending email or
electronically signing documents within the virtual machine.
Flexible Deployment
Deploy ACE instances on portable media devices so that end users to take
their computing environments with them wherever they go.
- Provision desktops on portable media. Quickly and securely
provide corporate standard desktop access to 3rd parties such as customers,
contractors and vendors without the need for expensive additional systems.
- Free the desktop from hardware dependencies. Give mobile
employees the freedom to work from wherever they need to.
- Recover with ease. ACE client packages are easy to back up
and easy to restore, enabling your organization to include client PCs in your
disaster recovery and business continuity solution.
Streamlined Management
Create and deploy virtual machines for simpler managed desktop
environment.
- Design once, deploy anywhere. Create standardized
hardware-independent PC environments with virtual machines and deploy them to
any PC or portable flash media device for an easy to manage, yet complete
desktop experience.
- Leverage a single virtual client platform. Support for a
single VMware platform empowers VMware Workstation 7 users to create and
securely package VMware ACE virtual machines for deployment to end users.
- Simplify creating Windows and Linux virtual machines with Easy
Install. VMware Workstation 7, included with VMware ACE 2.6, helps IT
administrators save time and simplify Windows and Linux guest operating system
installation. Just answer a few simple questions and the Easy Install feature
will perform an unattended installation of the guest operating system and VMware
Tools.
Rapid Reconfiguration
Take snapshots of stable system states so that you can move between known
desktop image states on endpoint PCs.
- Snapshots. Eliminate the time required to reconfigure
systems by leveraging pre-captured snapshots of “known good” desktop states.
Rapidly configure demo and training environments with custom snapshots in
seconds.
- Quick recovery. Save help desk and support costs by helping
users recover quickly on their own. With a snapshot that is taken after the
VMware ACE virtual machine is installed on the client, end users can revert to a
previous state within seconds.
Rich PC Experience
- Support for DirectX 3D graphics. VMware was the first
virtualization product to support 3D graphics. With VMware ACE 2.6, users can
now run Windows Aero, Open GL, and DirectX 3D applications that support DirectX
9.0c with Shader Model 3 3D graphics.
- Integrated desktop experience with “Unity” mode. Users can
access applications within ACE virtual machines as if they were applications
inside their normal operating system desktop. The desktop of the rest of the ACE
virtual machine disappears and the application looks just like a normal window
in the rest of their environment.
- Support for multiple monitors enables users to take full advantage of their
available screen real estate when using an ACE instance.
- If enabled, users can drag and drop email attachments, Rich Text and
graphics between the ACE instance and the host machine. If this feature is
disabled, the contents of the virtual machine will remain secure.