Dunes, the
only enterprise software provider primarily focused on virtualization to offer a true framework to perform full automation of virtual datacenters, today announced two appliance-based applications for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) that run on top of the Dunes VS-O platform. Easy to download, Dunes VS-O Lifecycle and Dunes VS-O Desktop provide SMEs with a simple, cost effective approach to harnessing the power of data center automation.
“The Dunes VS-O Lifecycle and VS-O Desktop applications enable SMEs to automate and access two critical data center services so that they can free up IT staff to perform more critical tasks,” said John Humphreys, vice president, Enterprise Virtualization Software at IDC. “Dunes is striving to make virtual environment automation accessible to SMEs by combining the tools, pre-defined workflows and auditing capabilities needed to quickly derive value, along with the customization needed to ensure long term applicability.”
Lights-out Data Center Management
Each Dunes application comes pre-packaged as a VMware Virtual Appliance including the Dunes Virtual Service Orchestrator (VS-O) Business Process Automation platform. The virtual appliances include a Linux OS, a database and a directory service as well as a pre-installed library of processes and connectors. Once downloaded, the virtual appliance can be installed in just a few simple clicks. When organizations use one or both of the VS-O Lifecycle or VS-O Desktop appliances, they acquire a powerful, open platform that lets them easily operate their datacenter with proven industry best practices. The two VS-O appliances include:
Dunes VS-O Lifecycle provides provisioning on demand with processes for lifecycle management of virtual servers, enabling advanced control of virtual sprawl. The application automates all five steps of provisioning with workflows for: request, approval, deployment, archiving and deletion. Dramatically reducing the cost and complexity of operating virtual environments, VS-O Lifecycle also provides a full audit trail of a virtual server’s lifecycle in order to allow compliance to industry specific standards. Dunes VS-O Lifecycle enables companies to manage their virtual desktops and to:
- Handle end-users’ requests
- Provide an approval process
- Automatically determine provision infrastructure
- Enforce best practice provision process
- Delegate simple server operations to end-users
- Track the lifecycle information of requested servers
Dunes VS-O Desktop (formerly VD-O) provides automated lifecycle management for virtual desktops and serves as a connection broker that dynamically provides the required computing power and bandwidth as users open and close their virtual desktops. Through its easy-to-use interface, VS-O Desktop reduces the effort and cost of managing virtual desktops by automating functions including the creation of virtual desktop pools, controlling access to these virtual desktops, customizing the virtual desktops for individual users and automatically upgrading the virtual desktops and applications they can run. Dunes VS-O Desktop enables companies to:
- Assure control of virtual desktops
- Reduce the technical complexity
- Optimize physical resource and license usage
- Enforce security best practices
- Monitor the allocation of assigned desktops
- Enhance compliance of the desktop lifecycle process
- Improve disaster recovery
“Both Dunes VS-O Lifecycle and VS-O Desktop encompass years of acquired best practices in feature-rich shrink-wrapped applications that give SMEs a starting point for business process automation that is much more advanced than anything else available today,” said Stefan Hochuli Paychère, CTO and co-founder of Dunes. “In addition, Dunes provides a role-based interface that enables different participants in the lifecycle or desktop processes to play their parts. By only presenting relevant information, it streamlines processes and maintains the proper role separation required in most regulatory procedures.”
Availability
Dunes VS-O Lifecycle and Dunes VS-O Desktop will be available as betas in September and are expected to ship in Q4 2007. Each application requires VMware VirtualCenter plus a VI3 infrastructure with at least one server. Dunes’ systems engineers conduct a complimentary one-day installation and demonstration of VS-O complete with an evaluation of customers’ IT infrastructures and suggestions on what processes to automate.
Demonstrations at VMworld 2007
Dunes will provide live demonstrations of VS-O 3.1, VS-O Lifecycle and VS-O Desktop at VMworld 2007 being held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, September 11th - 13th. Attendees are encouraged to get a firsthand view of VS-O at the Dunes booth (No. 921).