Laptop Limitations: Where Westford's Virtual Computer Steps In
"Intelligent desktop virtualization" is not well known to the average business executive.
Even its seemingly friendlier acronym - IDV - doesn't spark recognition for many.
Sham Sao, chief marketing officer for Westford-based Virtual Computer - the company's name is a possibly an easier way to explain the concept - knows this. The phrase IDV was developed by the microprocessor manufacturer Intel. But Sao says the technology, which his company offers, could become more recognized as people search for options to tablet computers.
And if a recent vendor-neutral survey conducted by the company is any indication, options may be needed. Survey results showed 23 percent of organizations not supporting tablet use at all this year; 73 percent using tablets along with PCs. Only 4 percent said they would use tablets to replace PCs.
"If I've tried to do any real work on a tablet, it's really hard," said Sao. For certain consumers to use a tablet, it makes sense, he said. "But if you are mostly just browsing on a PC, you probably didn't need a PC to begin with."
Supplying Solutions
The company, which was started in 2007 by Dan McCall and the late Alex Vasilevsky, provides a layer of software on top of hardware that gives laptops and desktop PCs a higher level of security. IDV isolates "virtual computers" in a bubble all their own. It works like a force field around a virtual PC, Sao said - a hacker or virus can only get so far.
IDV allows users to install a thin layer of software over hardware but below Windows, Sao said, allowing them to run different programs at the same time on a laptop or mobile device, in real time.
IDV use is varied. To be able to have your personal and corporate work systems all on one device - but separate - is helpful for job sharers, salespeople on the road, marketing professionals, operations personnel or companies that want to lock down the corporate desktop at any time, Sao said.
Security was another main issue in the Virtual Computer survey. Improved cyber security was a big goal in 2012 for many organizations surveyed. With five being most important, 74 percent of respondents rated security either a four or a five on a scale of one to five.
Sao said Virtual Computer has hundreds of customers using its products, in addition to thousands of smaller businesses using its free IDV versions. "IDV use cuts service tickets by 90 percent or more" than traditional computer systems, said Sao, allowing for better user management and fewer problems.
Another plus is SnapBack, a configuration that refreshes the computer, getting rid of malware or viruses each time it's restarted. "It works like a new PC every single time," Sao said, and doesn't cause the system to slow down with continued use like traditional PCs.
The Virtual Computer IDV system is offered free to smaller companies. "We do it to give a broader spectrum of companies a taste of this," Sao said. "If they grow, they might buy paid version." For a 10-employee business it's $2,000 for the first year - which includes a one-time licensing fee - and $400 per year for support, Sao said. The systems can grow as the company grows.
IDV can be a great option for businesses looking to make their PCs more reliable, manageable and secure.
WBJ Web Partners
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