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Stoneware has announced the release and immediate availability of WebOS version 5.3. Stoneware officials call it "the next evolution of desktop virtualization."

 

The product provides "secure access to Web, Windows, and hosted applications all through a virtual Web desktop interface that runs inside any standard Web browser," company officials say.

 

The latest release of WebOS delivers services and features geared towards organizations beginning their shift towards "cloud" computing, company officials say. The integration of hosted applications such as Google (News - Alert) Apps, Salesforce.com, and iTunes University "has been added to the list of features and services centering around the delivery of Web and Windows applications in a virtual desktop environment."

 

Stoneware's WebOS "is a desktop virtualization product that meets the needs of many organizations finding themselves in High User, Limited Capital environments," states Rick German, CEO of Stoneware, adding that "enterprises that are struggling to scale traditional desktop virtualization products will find Stoneware WebOS as an effective means of delivering virtual desktops to large numbers of remote and mobile users."

 

In March, Stoneware announced the integration of Salesforce.com's (News - Alert) Customer Relationship Management hosted applications into their virtual Web desktop, WebOS.

 

Enterprises using Stoneware's WebOS to provide employees with access to both Windows and Web applications can now deliver hosted SalesForce.com applications within the same virtual Web desktop, Stoneware officials say.

 

Stoneware's decision to use SalesForce.com's delegated authentication method is a move to help organizations improve access to their on-demand customer relationship management applications, company officials explain. Stoneware WebOS provides two-factor authentication, single sign-on, and directory service integration with Microsoft's Active Directory, Novell's (News - Alert) eDirectory, and OpenLDAP.

 

Ken Quinton, SVP of Sales for Stoneware, said that for a rapidly growing number of organizations, salesforce.com "the most important application in a business should not be isolated because it is hosted online, instead, it should be integrated into a virtual Web desktop environment with the rest of an organization's Web and Windows applications."

 

Company officials call Stoneware WebOS "the next evolution in virtual Web desktop computing." Headquartered in Indianapolis, Stoneware is privately held.