MED-V compared to Windows XP Mode

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To answer a number of questions around XP Mode and MED-V.  I have borrowed some of the FAQ. I think we will see more and more of this going forward. Generic versions of new technologies won’t have the enterprise management features that larger companies may want to deploy. Another way of looking at this as standard vs advanced. I think of XP Mode and MED-V lite.

MED-V and Windows XP Mode service different audiences and solve different business problems:

  • Windows XP Mode is designed to support SMB customers who do not use management infrastructure and need to run Windows XP applications on their windows 7 desktops.  
  • MED-V is designed for larger organizations who use management infrastructure and need to deploy a virtual Windows XP environment  on Windows Vista or Windows 7 desktops.

Windows XP Mode is specifically designed to help small businesses users to run their Windows XP applications on their Windows 7 desktop.

  • Windows XP Mode is available as part of Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate.
  • Windows Virtual PC will enable users to launch many older applications seamlessly in a virtual Windows XP environment from the Windows 7 start menu
  • Windows Virtual PC includes support for USB devices and is based on a new core that includes multi-threading support
  • Windows XP Mode is best experienced on new PCs from OEMs but will also be available for customers as a separate download.

· Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) is designed for IT Professionals.

  • MED-V enables Virtual PC deployment in larger organizations
  • MED-V provides important centralized management, policy-based provisioning and virtual image delivery to reduce the cost of Virtual PC deployment.
  • MED-V is part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP)
  • MED-V v1 builds on Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 to help enterprises with their upgrade to Windows Vista when applications are not yet compatible.
  • MED-V v2 will add support for enterprises upgrading to Windows 7 (both 32 bit and 64bit) and will support Windows Virtual PC on Windows 7.
  • MED-V v2 beta will be available within 90 days of Windows 7 GA.

Thanks to Danny Beck for this clarification.