vWorkspace allows individual applications to be provided to specific users or all users without requiring the user to login to a full desktop.
This provides a number of benefits to the University because it means that specific applications can be provided to specific users remotely which hasn’t been possible before.
Previously this would have meant that the application would have to be installed on every server within the Staff Remote Desktop as the user could be assigned to any server within the cluster, using this technology means we can install the software on just one or two servers.
Office 2010 applications
At present all staff users have access to Office 2010 applications within the vWorkspace portal.
Application displays within the OS as a Windows Application on the Desktop
When using a Windowed Application on a Windows OS the application it will appear with on the desktop similar to an normal Windows Application, the only slight difference is the Taskbar icon is a bit different in that it has the Remote sign as part of the icon.
On Mac OS X and other operating systems the application will still look like a Windows Application, within the native OS.
Example of Word 2010 as Windowed App and locally installed app on the Windows taskbar
User settings transferred between Windowed Applications and Staff Remote Desktop
Any settings configured within Office Windowed Applications or the Staff Remote Desktop will be available on both services, so the same Outlook signatures will be available on both, as will colour schemes and other personalized settings.
Access to files from University file store and local workstation
As with the Staff Remote Desktop, the Windowed Applications will be able to open and save files from both SHU file store and the local workstation, so giving the ability to transfer files between home workstations and University file store.
On launch of the application the user will get the standard drive mappings they get on a SHU Managed Desktop as well as drives on the local workstation.