iCore Virtual Accounts v2.5.1.257 Beta [Free], first OS-level (container-based) virtualization for Windows desktop Options

[cp74]

Hi,

As a VMware Workstation user for ages, i'm happy to share another handy tool, iCore Virtual Accounts.

iCore Virtual Accounts is a software that creates an isolated environments on your PC within which other programs can run. Using iCore virtual machine as a sandbox program for safer browsing and installing new software provides an additional layer of security for your computer, because all changes remain contained in a Virtual Account.

1. Create Virtual Account: Use the pre-installed Virtual Account or create a new one faster than a two minutes!

2. Install and Play: Install a new game or application and try it without worry to change others users' configurations, programs and files or the state of the core OS.

3. Retain or Delete Virtual Account: With just a click of the button delete the Virtual Account if you don’t need it anymore.

CODE

http://icoresoftware.com/
or
http://icoresoftware.com/benefits-of-virtualization.html

To understand where is that, simply visit:

CODE

http://www.virtualization.info/radar/

The core of the product is iCore’s own OS-level Virtualization, build on Microsoft Windows XP. iCore Virtual Accounts allows to create multiple isolated, secure Virtual Accounts (virtual machines) on a single physical computer. Each Virtual Account has full dedicated PC functionality with its own processes, files, and applications. So they look and feel like a real PC, from the point of view of its owner. Unlike other Virtual Machines, iCore enables running VA with near-zero overhead.

So what is different if you compare container-based virtualization vs virtual machines (e.g. VMvare) or paravirtualization (e.g. Xen)?

Such virtualization doesn't require a hypervisor. Having no hypervisor eliminates the need for driver emulation. Getting rid of driver emulation means faster performance. So i'll try to summarize benefits by merging from different sources:

- Each Virtual Account is created as a current copy of Host OS.
- No additional OS licenses requirement.
- Almost zero performance overhead.
- Only a negligible part of the CPU resources is spent on virtualization (around 1-2%).
- You can use all power of your hardware.
- Operating memory is shared dynamically.
- The sheer amount of storage space required to host a given number of VM can be significantly smaller. Each freshly-built iCore virtual machine can take only about 20 megabytes.
- Once the host has been patched, those updates are immediately seen within each virtual machines.
- Virtual machine looks and behaves like a regular Windows XP Operating system.
- Virtual machines are separated from each other and host OS.
- Users can install any additional applications.
- System hardware is fully utilized (like modern video card, game adapter and alike).

If you're familiar, VPSs (virtual private servers) use also same type of virtualization. Anyway, if you're using VMware, you might understand the difference and benefits here :)

For more reference:

CODE

http://wiki.openvz.org/Introduction_to_virtualization
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system-level_virtualization
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platform_virtualization
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_platform_virtual_machines
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypervisor

I like to get an image after a very clean install for each PC. I never touch WGA and Windows Update. Using another lifesaver, AutoPatcher. If i get bored of running OS, you can guess why, then i restore from clean install image (naked SP3 with healthy drivers only). To setup with new versions of programs and deamons, tweak & configure them takes time. Redo from Norton Ghost is another way to keep the PC clean, but takes time when you rollback. VMware is slow and too plastic to test programs before deciding to use them. After you waste time for a very clean install to bare metal, no patience to do it in VMware again :) So yep, iCore's is another lifesaver now ;)

Regards,

cp74

---

This post has been edited by cp74: Jan 24 2010, 05:16 AM

[TheDutchJewel]

iCore Virtual Accounts v2.5.1.233 Beta
2010-02-03

Download

Setup:
http://icoresoftware.com/store/iCore_Virtual_Accounts_2.5.1.233.msi

[TheDutchJewel]

iCore Virtual Accounts v2.5.1.236 Beta
2010-02-17

Note

Please enable Fast User Switching before iCore Virtual Accounts installation.

Download

http://icoresoftware.com/download-virtual-desktop.php

Setup:
http://icoresoftware.com/download-icore.php?id=2&link_id=e29d05f2e78470487bc06f9dc074b736

[TheDutchJewel]

iCore Virtual Accounts v2.5.1.242 Beta
2010-03-08

Download

http://icoresoftware.com/download-virtual-desktop.php

Setup:
http://icoresoftware.com/download-icore.php?id=2&link_id=de81b21f426e7270bb84ec927fa8e5bc

CleanUp Utility:
http://icoresoftware.com/store/iCoreCleanupUtility2.0.exe

[TheDutchJewel]

iCore Virtual Accounts v2.5.1.244 Beta
2010-03-09

Download

http://icoresoftware.com/download-virtual-desktop.php

Setup:
http://www.icoresoftware.com/download-icore.php?id=2&link_id=970b5fe7eed0f6ce8e7e583a4920e038

[TheDutchJewel]

iCore Virtual Accounts v2.5.1.257 Beta
2010-05-05

Download

Setup:
http://icoresoftware.com/download-virtual-desktop.php
http://www.icoresoftware.com/download-icore.php?id=2&link_id=1349d71577307c1a96e3afda5ed4c45f