22 November 2008

Ulteo unveils the first Open Source virtual desktop

Received an email from Ulteo about their entry into the Server Based Computing market. Then ZDnets' Paula Rooney article appeared in the news column to the left or click here to read. Maybe there just might be something here that will grow legs.

From the news page at Ulteo Published on 11/19/2008

Following its commitment to desktop virtualization solutions, Ulteo, an Open Virtual Desktop Infrastructure company, announced today that they were releasing the first installable version of their Open Virtual Desktop solution for enterprises. Delivering faster deployment times and ease of management for the IT department, this first release can be integrated easily into an existing professional Linux or Windows IT environment. The solution can be up and running in a few minutes, delivering rich desktop applications to corporate users.

Virtual desktops help reduce end user desktop TCO, but businesses can go much further with the open source Ulteo Open Virtual Desktop Solution

Ulteo enters the corporate market as a pure Open Source player, and leverages the experience it acquired during the past two years with virtualization products & services that were previously offered on their own servers.

The Ulteo Open Virtual Desktop is a great solution for corporations who want to reduce the Total Costs of Ownership of the end user desktop, a cost that cripples IT budgets. Moreover, the Ulteo open source business model remove the typical upfront licence fee and replace it with a much more affordable subscription support plan instead. “With Ulteo businesses save money even in the first year of virtual desktops deployment and that counts in the current economic environment” says Thierry Koehrlen, CEO and co-founder of the company.

The Ulteo solution also helps IT departments to increase the end users systems uptime and mobility and therefore their productivity.

“This first version of the Ulteo Open Virtual Desktop is great for all the companies who are seeking to leverage open source applications and Linux within a Linux or a Windows environment. And in February 2009, Windows applications will be available too, integrated into a unified interface" Koehrlen advises.

Ulteo makes virtual desktops easier for the IT department:

Ulteo's solution has been designed with a radical approach: in particular, no installation is needed on the Desktop client, and nothing has to be replaced or modified in the existing infrastructure.

IT administrators appreciate the simplified quick installation, configuration and deployment process of the Ulteo virtual desktops. They also appreciate the value of accessing to the code so that the solution can be customized to fit even better their specific needs.

Advanced features include a full administration console, desktop sharing, application server replication and many others.

The Ulteo Open Virtual Desktop is ready for business:

The product has already served more than 140,000 desktop sessions over the last few months and has been tested through external Proof of Concepts with some early adopters’ organisations. “So we are very excited to share it now with the rest of the world and to expand the community of users and developers around it” reports Gael Duval, CTO and co-founder of Ulteo.

Ulteo Open Virtual Desktop is Open-Source and IT departments have the choice to either use the free version with community support, or benefit from commercial licensing terms that offers extended support to organizations wishing to enter a commercial and privileged relationship with Ulteo.

For more information please go to http://www.ulteo.com

Media enquiries: please contact press(at)ulteo(dot).com

About Ulteo Ulteo is and Open Source Enterprise Virtual Desktop and Application Delivery Solution co-founded by veteran open source entrepreneurs Gaƫl Duval (founder of Mandrake Linux, a popular Linux distribution) and Thierry Koehrlen (co-founder of Intalio, the leading Open Source BPMS).
Until the next post,

Steve

08 November 2008

Nasty packages for computer peripherals

This post is going to be different. I am going to endorse a product. Not just list a product, but endorse it. It is not Server Based Computing hardware, nor software, not cabling or any computer vendor. But it will be welcomed in every server room in the world. It is a device to open those nasty packages that computer peripherals are wrapped in. To this day I do not know how they make that exotic metal alloy look like clear plastic.

The “OpenIt!” product is a combination scissor/shears, knife and screw driver. I have used each of those devices individually to open those nasty plastic packages. The major difference is that the shear blades are angled and offset. In the past when using regular scissors to open those nasty packages, the plastic come in contact with you hand. Not good. The offset and angled cutting blades allow you work around the package without coming in contact with the plastic.

OpenIt! Includes a small interchangeable Phillips head and straight slot screw diver. Those is also a retracting knife to cut plastic or tape that enclose software or DVDs. I found this device at a Walgreens in the hardware section. Not much money for something that does what this product does.

Until the next post,

Steve

05 November 2008

FCC ADOPTS RULES FOR UNLICENSED USE OF TELEVISION WHITE SPACES

Let the air wave wars begin. And it is unlicensed!!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 4, 2008

NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS:
Robert Kenny: (202) 418-2668
Matthew Nodine: (202) 418-1646

FCC ADOPTS RULES FOR UNLICENSED USE OF TELEVISION WHITE SPACES

In its continuing efforts to promote efficient use of spectrum and to extend the benefits of such use to the public, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today adopted a Second Report and Order (Second R&O) that establishes rules to allow new, sophisticated wireless devices to operate in broadcast television spectrum on a secondary basis at locations where that spectrum is open. (This unused TV spectrum is now commonly referred to as television “white spaces”). The rules adopted today will allow for the use of these new and innovative types of unlicensed devices in the unused spectrum to provide broadband data and other services for consumers and businesses.

The rules represent a careful first step to permit the operation of unlicensed devices in the TV white spaces and include numerous safeguards to protect incumbent services against harmful interference. The rules will allow for both fixed and personal/portable unlicensed devices. Such devices must include a geolocation capability and provisions to access over the Internet a data base of the incumbent services, such as full power and low power TV stations and cable system headends, in addition to spectrum-sensing technology. The data base will tell the white space device what spectrum may be used at that location.

Wireless microphones will be protected in a variety of ways. The locations where wireless microphones are used, such as sporting venues and event and production facilities, can be registered in the data base and will be protected in the same way as other services. The Commission also has required that devices include the ability to listen to the airwaves to sense wireless microphones as an additional measure of protection for these devices.

All white space devices are subject to equipment certification by the FCC Laboratory. The Laboratory will request samples of the devices for testing to ensure that they meet all the pertinent requirements.

The Commission also will permit certification of devices that do not include the geolocation and data base access capabilities, and instead rely solely on spectrum sensing to avoid causing harmful interference, subject to a much more rigorous approval process.


In a process that will be open to the public, applications will be released for public comment prior to agency action. Such devices will be tested by our Laboratory to a “Proof of Performance” standard both in the lab and in a variety of real-world environments to ensure they do not cause interference to licensed services when in use. The staff report and recommendation will also be released for public comment. For now, certification of any such device will require approval by the full Commission.

Manufacturers may continue to provide additional information to the Commission to support the use of higher power devices in adjacent channels. In addition, the Commission will explore in a separate Notice of Inquiry whether higher-powered unlicensed operations might be permitted in TV white spaces in rural areas.

The Commission will closely oversee and monitor the introduction of TV white space devices. The Commission will act promptly to remove from the market any equipment found to be causing harmful interference and will require the responsible parties to take appropriate actions to remedy any interference that may occur.

Action by the Commission November 4, 2008, by Second Report and Order (FCC 08-260). Chairman Martin, Commissioners Copps, Adelstein, and McDowell with Commissioner Tate approving and dissenting in part. Separate statements issued by Chairman Martin, Commissioners Copps, Adelstein, Tate and McDowell.

For additional information, contact Alan Stillwell at (202) 418-2470 or alan.stillwell@fcc.gov.

FCC


News and other information about the FCC is available at www.fcc.gov
Until the next post,

Steve