When is comes to securing enterprise desktop management, VMware has an ACE up its sleeve. VMware has announced a beta release of a new product dubbed VMware ACE that enables desktop IT managers to apply enterprise IT policies to virtual machines that contain data, applications and operating systems. VMware claims that ACE creates an isolated PC environment also known as an assured computing environment.

VMware ACE is endowed with Virtual Rights Management (VRM) technology which forces compliance with IT policies. VRM has built-in copy protection controls as well as automated encryption to prevent theft, tampering and the unauthorized duplication of applications and data.

Securing the integrity of data has become a cause celebre in the world of IT; administrators have been circling the wagons to defend against any potential theft of trade secrets. As a consequence, enterprises have taken a number of steps including the outright banning of portable storage devices like Apple's iPod to ensure that sensitive internal information is not subject to public perusal.

VMware's ACE can also be used to control lifecycles and to provision secure, standardized desktops throughout the extended enterprise. Images are hardware independent - meaning, IT administrators are not required to develop and support hardware specific images. ACE's rules-based network access permits secure remote access from outside of the firewall and from guest PCs.

"Assured computing environments usher in a new software category that allows multiple work environments to coexist safely on a single PC," said Michael Mullany, vice president of marketing at VMware. "We believe that VMware ACE will transform how enterprises deploy and manage work environments for telecommuters and mobile computing users."

The product is currently undergoing beta testing and will be generally available later this year. Terms and pricing have not yet been announced. For more information visit VMware's Web site.