VMware Horizon provides a single platform for delivering virtualised desktops and virtualised applications.

VMware Horizon Cloud allows the delivery and management of virtual desktops and applications hosted on the IBM Cloud and on-premises hyperconverged infrastructure. VMware Horizon Cloud can take advantage of IBM Cloud GPUs when running CAD/CAM and similar applications. One cloud control plane takes care of operations and management wherever the desktops and applications are hosted, and VMware Horizon Cloud takes advantage of JMP to simplify deployment and management. The licensing arrangements provide flexibility to move between deployment models.

"IBM continues to invest in and extend its strategic partnership with VMware, and together we're bringing enterprise-class solutions to our clients," said IBM Cloud vice-president Zane Adam.

"By running VMware Horizon Cloud on the IBM Cloud, enterprises can take advantage of virtual desktops and applications without the cost and hassle of managing or owning the infrastructure. This service provides an easy on-ramp to the cloud that's flexible and cost effective."

The new Just-in-Time Management Platform (JMP) will be made available across the Horizon family, integrating VMware App Volumes, Instant Clone and User Environment Manager for simpler end-user profile management and faster deployment.

JMP will be applicable to any virtual, physical and cloud-based Windows desktop environment, allowing real-time application delivery, 30 times faster imaging, accelerated desktop provisioning, contextual policy management, and application updates with zero downtime for published applications.

VMware Blast gains the new Blast Adaptive Transport technology to help maximise bandwidth utilisation, dynamically adjusting to network conditions to maintain the user experience across network types.

According to the company, this will enable applications to be delivered through Horizon six times faster while reducing bandwidth by 50 percent.

VMware Horizon Apps provides organisations with a choice between staying with the updated VMware Horizon 7 for desktops or adopting Horizon Apps for an application-centric strategy.

A technology preview of Microsoft Skype for Business for Horizon 7.1 will also be available, providing customers with a way to provide collaboration while keeping corporate data secure in the datacenter as well as simplifying management.

"A digital workspace strategy is a must for IT to manage across user types, devices and applications, and delivering Windows applications and desktops through virtualisation to a digital workspace is the best approach for today's modern environment," said VMware senior vice-president and general manager of desktop products Shankar Iyer.

"Until now, many organisations have been on the sidelines because of cost, complexity and lack of flexibility of deployment, but these new innovations in the VMware Horizon portfolio of on-premises, cloud hosted and hybrid solutions will offer businesses a more cost effective and simple way to deploy virtual desktops and applications to support their digital workspace strategy."