Free for all in Beta, but only for businesses after RTM

Jan 16, 2009 22:01 GMT  ·  By

Even with Windows 7 beta Build 7000 fresh out the door, Microsoft's focus on Windows Vista remains strong. In this context, the Redmond company has designed a tool set up to resolve all application incompatibility issues when it comes down to Vista. Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization V1 is now available as a free download, permitting users to run legacy Windows applications tailored to Windows XP or even to Windows 2000 on Vista with no problems. The Enterprise Desktop Virtualization has been added to the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack for Software Assurance customers.

“In May 2008, Microsoft closed the acquisition of the desktop virtualization vendor Kidaro, which soon became Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) – the sixth product in MDOP. I came to Microsoft with this acquisition, and today I’m proud to let you all know that MED-V 1.0, the first product from the Kidaro technology, is available in beta today,” explained Ran Oelgiesser, senior product manager for MED-V.

One shortcoming of the solution is that it will ultimately be available only to business users as it is an enterprise offering. IT infrastructures where administrators have been suffering while trying to make Windows Vista play well with legacy, third-party or custom apps should get a breath of fresh air with MED-V. Even though at this point in time access to the MED-V Beta is opened to all, the solution will ultimately be made available exclusively through MDOP (Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack). Oelgiesser estimated that the final version of Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization V1 would be offered to Software Assurance customers via MDOP in the second quarter of 2009.

“For those of us on the MED-V product team, our primary goal was to deliver an enterprise virtualization solution for the compatibility challenges that IT teams have with some of their line-of-business applications, during the upgrade to new operating systems (like Windows Vista). With MED-V 1.0, you can easily create, deliver and centrally manage virtual Windows XP or 2000 environments (based on Microsoft Virtual PC 2007), and help your users to run legacy applications on their Windows Vista desktops. No need to wait for the testing and migration of those incompatible applications to complete,” Oelgiesser added.

Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization V1 Beta is available for download here.