ThinApp 4.6 Takes Up the Slack
Everybody knew VMware's ThinApp was not equal to Citrix XenApp, which has been the application virtualization gold standard forever, so at VMworld, VMware introduced ThinApp 4.6 to go along with its new View 4.5. In so doing, the company enhanced the value of both products, whether they be deployed in standalone mode, or as a package to compete against XenApp and XenDesktop.
The ThinApp update was clearly done with Windows 7 in mind, and VMware wants everyone to know that v4.6 is the best Win7 horse to ride, saying that it facilitates a speedy application migration path, while offering application compatibility, and reducing the management burden in virtual desktop environments.
ThinApp 4.6 supports virtualizing Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, which reportedly eases the challenge of virtualizing legacy IE6 applications for 32-bit and 64-bit Win7 desktops. v4.6 also includes integrated application assignment in VMware View Manager. According to VMware, "ThinApp packages can be assigned to individual desktops, or groups of desktops in VMware View Manager to allow for streamlined application deployment."
Two additional new features include ThinDirect and ThinApp Converter. ThinDirect enables users to seamlessly run IE6 on Win7 desktops in conjunction with "newer, natively installed" browser versions. Via its compatibility with vSphere, ESX and Workstation images, ThinApp Converter converts "silently installed" apps into ThinApp packages by using a command-line interface that automates application conversion and management.
Generally available now, the ThinApp suite--which contains the ThinApp Packager, one license of Workstation for Windows to create clean packages, and 50 client licenses--costs $5,000. ThinApp is also bundled in VMware View Premier for $250 per concurrent user.
Posted by Bruce Hoard on 09/09/2010 at 12:48 PM