VMware's Project A2 will make deploying enterprise Windows 10 really easy

published 2 September 2015

VMware is set to speed up business adoption of Windows 10 with a new technology known as Project A2 (pronounced A-squared).

The product, currently in preview, takes a mobile-centric approach to rolling out Microsoft's new operating system across companies, and uses two existing VMware tools to do so.

Application delivery software VMware App Volumes forms one half of A2, and enables IT to move existing physical Windows applications into the cloud, before deploying the other part of A2, EMM software AirWatch, to manage all applications and devices.

Sumit Dhawan, VMware's senior VP and general manager of desktop products for end-user computing, wrote in a blog post: "Most of our current customers deploy and manage Windows images and distribute applications as part of the image updates or via tools that are used in concert with image management.

"This often leads to difficulty in managing application lifecycles that include updates and rollbacks. This is why we announced Project A2, a solution that has two key components: VMware App Volumes for real-time delivering and managing applications, and AirWatch for managing Windows 10 environments and devices."

App Volumes can install and remove applications using virtual storage volumes that can attach and detach in real-time, and will work alongside Microsoft management products like System Center Configuration Manager.

It also provides one application hub for managing all apps, whether they're in physical or virtual environments.

The role of AirWatch is to hook into Windows 10's APIs to give users one control point for all their mobile devices, laptops and PCs (including Macs), as well as acting as a single point of access for all applications from any device.

While Project A2 has no firm release date, Dhawan said it was designed for customers who expect to upgrade to Windows 10 in the next six to 12 months.

He added: "Bottom line, you will be able to seamlessly move existing physical Windows applications into the new Windows 10 mobile-cloud platform and apply an EMM approach across all applications (universal and classic Windows applications) and devices."