Sun VDI 3 - several virtual environments on a single thin client

Sun Microsystems Company has announced a release of a new version of its platform for virtualization of custom jobsites named Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) 3. VDI 3 platform supports more client devices and operating systems, but still does not support the off-line operation of virtualized systems on client terminals.
The main function of VDI 3 is to open to client terminals the controlled access to the images of virtual jobsites located in the server. Sun VDI 3 system is an integrated solution, built on the basis of popular technologies with open source codes. In particular, the composition of VDI 3 platform uses a technology of management of data storage systems Sun Open Storage, Operating System OpenSolaris, VirtualBox virtualization environment and MySQL database. Based on Sun VDI 3 customers can expand a great number of virtual operating systems, including Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 2000, OpenSolaris and Ubuntu. It should be noted that virtualization of Mac OS is not supported by. The access to the ready-made environments based on these operating systems is provided for a wide range of client devices, including traditional PCs and Apple Mac computers, for Sun Ray “thin clients”, and for “thin clients” of other manufacturers. Besides, a new version of VDI platform closely integrates with VMware Infrastructure platform, so the customer can use VMware virtualization invironment, or built-in hypervisor Sun VirtualBox, or combine virtualization systems when it is necessary.
Another important innovation in VDI 3 is the possibility of cloning virtual machines by Open Storage technology. Since most virtual machines are almost identical, VDI system allows you to store a main image of the virtual machine, and files showing the differences. As each image of user virtual machine takes at the average of 8 to 12 GB, new VDI 3 approach allows you to save disk space on the server. Among other distinctions of VDI 3 from the previous versions the developers name the integration with Solaris ZFS, the support of Active Directory to assign virtual machines to users, and also built-in support of client terminals, operating by RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol).
The detailed information about Sun VDI Software 3 and complete solutions on its basis can be found on the website of Sun company.