BigFix Brings Secure Desktop Virtualization

BigFix to deliver Neocleus' client virtualization technologies via the BigFix Unified Management Platform

March 10, 2010

Emeryville, Calif. and Cambridge, Mass.— March 9, 2010

News Facts

BigFix, Inc. and Neocleus have signed a technology licensing agreement, which enables BigFix to deliver Neocleus' client virtualization technologies via the BigFix Unified Management Platform.

BigFix will leverage Neocleus NeoSphere technologies to create the industry's only enterprise-class distributed client virtualization platform.

BigFix currently delivers single-pane-of-glass visibility, management, and security for the entire enterprise for both virtual and physical endpoints across a variety of platforms.

The BigFix-Neocleus partnership extends traditional management capability by enabling systems and security management outside of the operating system, offering a lower-cost, simplified alternative to centralized, network-reliant client virtualization models, such as virtual desktop infrastructures (VDI).

Client Virtualization: Dawn of the Next Dominant Paradigm

BigFix believes that the fundamental weakness of today's computing paradigm lies in the 1:1 relationship of the operating system with the tools deployed to manage and secure them.

Abstracting systems management and security tools from the operating system frees IT from a reliance on the operating system, improving security, simplifying management, and supporting business continuity and disaster recovery efforts.

In contrast to other client virtualization models, such as VDI, the BigFix-Neocleus distributed client virtualization approach offers a lower-cost, more secure, more streamlined alternative that removes reliance on network connectivity, avoids costly server and storage investments required, and supports existing management infrastructures — even for the most complex, highly-distributed networks.

Neocleus NeoSphere Platform

NeoSphere provides abstracted management and hardware resource services, exposed through virtualization programming interfaces (VPIs).

NeoSphere comes with the Neocleus type 1 client hypervisor, based on the Xen open source hypervisor.

NeoSphere has been designed to be hypervisor-agnostic, creating options to integrate a wide variety of third party Type 1 hypervisors.

NeoSphere allows different applications, agents and operating system instances to run in their own protected space, or "virtual machine."

These software agents and applications run outside the confines and complexities of today's PC architecture.

This allows enterprises to protect process and tools investments and realize unprecedented flexibility, consistency, and security in application and service delivery to end-users.

The core of the NeoSphere platform is its Virtual Runtime Environment (VRE), which sits at the hardware level and transforms the computer resources into a highly flexible execution environment.

BigFix and Neocleus Executive Comment

Dave Robbins, BigFix chairman and CEO said: "From a business perspective, when it comes to the next generation of virtualized client computing management, security, and compliance, BigFix is taking a leadership position. By integrating our systems management and security solutions with Neocleus' client virtualization technologies, we're enabling our customers to maximize the benefits of virtualization while resolving the security and management complexities associated with it. This level of innovation delivers lower costs, much improved security, and higher levels of operational integrity than ever before."

Les Yetton, president and CEO of Neocleus said: "Neocleus' partnership with BigFix is at the forefront on innovation, bringing best in class PC management and security solutions together with client virtualization to enable IT to build on its existing technology investments and realize even greater flexibility and more improved TCO. This partnership allows BigFix to deploy comprehensive solutions that leverage the most current technology and hardware capabilities on the market today. Together we will deliver the most advanced solutions to help IT address their broad range of challenging use cases."

Market Analyst Comment

Rachel Chalmers, research director, Infrastructure Management, The 451 Group said: "Virtualization has changed the way data centers approach systems management, and as the Neocleus/BigFix partnership illustrates, it's about to do the same for client computing. Desktop virtualization isn't about virtualization, it's about desktop management. It offers a much better approach for delivering and managing efficient, flexible, reliable and secure workspaces. Desktop virtualization is a game-changing technology for today's dispersed organizations and roaming end-users."

Information Resources

BigFix: www.bigfix.com

Neocleus: www.neocleus.com

The 451 Group: www.the451group.com/

Tags: Virtualization, Client Virtualization, Cyber Security, Enterprise IT Systems Management, IT Compliance, NeoSphere, Hypervisor, Single Pane of Glass, 451 Group, VDI, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

About BigFix

Founded in 1997, the BigFix', Inc. solutions support a global portfolio of A-list organizations in government, finance, retail, educational, industrial and public utility sectors. BigFix revolutionizes IT infrastructure management by replacing fragmented collections of single-purpose tools with the industry's only unified visibility and control architecture that consolidates up to 18 security, IT compliance, decision support, and green computing functions. For more information, visit www.bigfix.com, follow BigFix on Twitter @BigFix, or stay in touch on the BigFix Facebook page, http://tinyurl.com/mvn9nu.

About Neocleus

Neocleus transforms client computing by changing PCs into highly manageable, multi-purpose computing environments. With Neocleus NeoSphere, an extensible client virtualization platform, abstracted management and resource services are exposed through intuitive virtualization programming interfaces, enabling the creation of parallel execution environments where Windows and a new paradigm of external applications can coexist. Developers can rapidly build next-generation virtualized client applications that move PC lifecycle management and security outside of Windows. IT organizations can use NeoSphere-based applications to efficiently control, protect and repair the desktop, run multiple operating system instances on a single PC, and dramatically reduce desktop total cost of ownership. Visit www.neocleus.com for more information and to enroll in the Neocleus Client Virtualization Developer's Program.

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