Fusion-io Launching ioVDI Software ($50 per Desktop)

Fusion-io, Inc. announced the availability of Fusion ioVDI software for VMware Horizon View hosted virtual desktop environments.

ioVDI software speeds the deployment of VMware Horizon View virtual desktops by combining the stateless cost economics of server flash performance with the manageability benefits of installed shared storage required for persistent desktops.

“We’re committed to bringing a great user experience to our increasingly mobile workforce,” said Paul Tradewell, senior systems engineer, National Marrow Donor Program. “Fusion ioVDI helped us solve this challenge with its cost-effective server-side approach that worked with our existing storage in a solution that our desktop team could manage.”

ioVDI software is a virtual desktop solution that offers Write Vectoring, a patent-pending technology that monitors and directs session-based desktop writes uniquely to server-side flash. By limiting shared storage interaction to the small number of writes that persist between login sessions, it preserves the use of VMware value-added features such as vMotion, HA, DRS, and SRM that require shared storage while substantially reducing SAN or NAS performance dependencies.

“Many customers would prefer the performance and flexibility of persistent desktops if they could solve the cost and complexity involved with shared storage,” said John Webster, senior partner, Evaluator Group. “The idea of viewing a desktop OS as a unique application opens up some intriguing possibilities for supporting shared storage without being held hostage to it.“

ioVDI software also accelerates reboot times with a patent-pending technology called Transparent File Sharing, which allows many hosted virtual desktops to simultaneously share common files. As VMware Horizon View Storage Accelerator can use up to 2GB of RAM, it optimizes performance by rapidly sharing common files throughout the VDI infrastructure.

Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) testing of ioVDI found that caching further offloads shared storage by up to 87% so that VDI success no longer requires expensive storage or network upgrades.

“In many ways, virtual desktops are the litmus test of application acceleration expertise,” said Lee Caswell, Fusion-io VP, virtualization products group. “Every desktop user is a hypercritical judge of performance, and every desktop administrator is looking to simplify the scaling of centralized desktops to minimize both capital and operating expenses.“

The ESG Lab Validation testing of ioVDI also reported that the solution delivered consistent microsecond response times for workloads of one thousand data-intensive VDI desktops, as well as fast, consistent boot times averaging less than tens. With its approach to integrating with existing shared storage, ioVDI software is complementary to any storage products and allows resellers to eliminate shared storage cost and complexity as a selling obstacle.

“Fusion ioVDI with VMware Horizon View can help simplify and accelerate the adoption of hosted virtual desktops,” said Mason Uyeda, senior director, technical marketing, end-user computing, VMware. “We are pleased to work with Fusion-io to help our customers speed their deployment times in a cost-effective manner.”

ioVDI software is available as stand-alone software and as an integrated solution featuring ioVDI software and Fusion ioMemory flash through channel partners at a manufacturer’s list price of $50 per desktop.

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Fusion-io Launched ioVDI Software for VDI Acceleration
It integrates with servers, ioMemory and shared storage.