NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: DENI CONNOR ON SERVERS 09/23/04 Today's focus: VMware unveils tool to create secure, isolated environments
Dear [EMAIL PROTECTED], In this issue: * VMware's Assured Computing Environment software debuts * Links related to Servers * Featured reader resource _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by Alterpoint Read the latest analyst report on Network Change and Configuration Management (NCCM) written by EMA's Dennis Drogseth. This report discusses the latest developments in the NCCM market, including an in-depth look at DeviceAuthority Suite, a comprehensive solution for configuring, changing, and controlling today's complex, multi-vendor IT network infrastructures. Download the report today to learn how you can leverage NCCM to reduce the cost and complexity of managing network change. http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=81345 _______________________________________________________________ DOWNLOAD THE LATEST SPECIAL REPORTS FROM NETWORK WORLD Focused reports on compelling industry topics, Network World Special Reports are available online at Network World Fusion. Network World Special Reports on Mobility, IP Telephony Security, the State of Wireless LANs and more are currently available. Download any or all of our Special Reports at: http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=81403 _______________________________________________________________ Today's focus: VMware unveils tool to create secure, isolated environments By Deni Connor VMware this week is expected to announce secure virtualization software for a company's laptop users, telecommuters and contractors that keeps their personal data separate from sensitive corporate data. VMware says its Assured Computing Environment, or ACE, will allow an IT manager to create a second or third standard isolated PC configuration that can run on any PC a user has. It uses virtual machine technology to allow a second PC operating system with its applications to run in a container that is secure and isolated from other containers and applications on any desktop or laptop. "We believe that assured computing environments is the way all corporate PCs will be configured over time," says Michael Mullaney, vice president of marketing at VMware. Today the company has VMware Workstation, a power tool for technical professionals that have to deal with multiple operating system setups on a daily basis. Workstation, however, does not have the same focus as ACE, which is to isolate one environment from another. The company also offers GSX Server and ESX Server, which let IT managers divvy up a server into separate virtual machines and run multiple operating systems per processor. With VMware ACE, you could set up an environment on, say, a contractor's machine that would protect your corporate data from unintentional harm from malware or viruses that may exist on their PC. Mullaney explains VMware ACE's rationale: "You may have just hired a contractor to do some work for you for 30 days. They are going to be working onsite on sensitive data. The question is, how do you give them access to enterprise resources?" Today an IT administrator would often let contractors connect their own laptops to the corporate network. The problem with this model is that now a laptop with a nonstandard operating system - and potentially loaded with viruses and Trojans - is being introduced into the corporate net, and any data on the corporate network is now intermixed with the contractors' personal data. When the contractors leave after 30 days, they could walk away with sensitive documents even if they didn't intend to just because there is no way to keep them apart. That's not a great solution. VMWare's ACE is designed to solve that problem. "With VMware ACE you can give the contractor a DVD that contains your corporate standard image to install on their laptop," Mullaney says. "The image contains a separate copy of Windows or Linux and all the applications but only allows the contractor to connect to X Corp.'s network." Mullaney says you can configure the image so it doesn't allow the contractor to copy data from that environment to a peripheral device or even connect to a floppy drive. You've created an isolated environment on the laptop. You can set it to self-destruct in 30 days. The telecommuter PC presents the same problem. A lot of companies let users dial in to the corporate network from their home PCs using VPNs. The problem is that you are allowing a home PC onto your corporate network. As we all know, PCs can have adware, spyware and random viruses running on them. Virtual rights management in VMware ACE lets an administrator control access to disk drives and any other peripherals you can connect into your ACE environment. It lets IT administrators install Linux, Windows or NetWare operating systems. VMware ACE starts at $100 per user and will be available for either Intel or AMD PCs. It is scheduled to ship in the fourth quarter of this year, although users may download it from VMware's site this week. RELATED EDITORIAL LINKS IBM Linux-only server targets mainstream apps Network World, 09/20/04 http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/092004ibmlinux.html _______________________________________________________________ To contact: Deni Connor Deni Connor is a Senior Editor at Network World covering storage, Unix, Novell, Macintosh and IT in Healthcare. You can reach her at <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. _______________________________________________________________ This newsletter is sponsored by Alterpoint Read the latest analyst report on Network Change and Configuration Management (NCCM) written by EMA's Dennis Drogseth. This report discusses the latest developments in the NCCM market, including an in-depth look at DeviceAuthority Suite, a comprehensive solution for configuring, changing, and controlling today's complex, multi-vendor IT network infrastructures. Download the report today to learn how you can leverage NCCM to reduce the cost and complexity of managing network change. http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=81345 _______________________________________________________________ ARCHIVE LINKS Archive of the Servers newsletter: http://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/servers/index.html _______________________________________________________________ FEATURED READER RESOURCE GETTING AHEAD OF SARBANES-OXLEY The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which was passed in the wake of accounting scandals at firms such as Enron and WorldCom, is one of the greatest challenges to companies' corporate reporting and compliance efforts. Find out how Thermo Electron's Michael Kamens is meeting the requirement for having a properly audited system of internal controls and processes is in place by November. Click here <http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/092004yourtakethermo.html?ts> _______________________________________________________________ May We Send You a Free Print Subscription? You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered at your fingertips each day. Now, extend your knowledge by receiving 51 FREE issues to our print publication. Apply today at http://www.subscribenw.com/nl2 International subscribers click here: http://nww1.com/go/circ_promo.html _______________________________________________________________ SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World e-mail newsletters, go to: <http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/Changes.aspx> To unsubscribe from promotional e-mail go to: <http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/Preferences.aspx> To change your e-mail address, go to: <http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/ChangeMail.aspx> Subscription questions? Contact Customer Service by replying to this message. 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