The fix in vSphere Replication 5.1.0.1 is twofold, according to a VMware blog post: correcting installation problems, and allowing the software to actually recover virtual machines at a secondary site when the primary machine is down, disconnected from the network or loses access to storage.

The fix for the recovery feature addresses syncing recent changes to a VM over to the secondary site in the event of a failure. When vSphere Replication 5.1 is used as a standalone product, outside of VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM) deployments, the sync fails, and so the entire recovery fails, according to a VMware Knowledge Base article.

This fix follows patches issued last Monday that finally allowed compatibility between vSphere 5.1 and VMware View 5.1, as well as compatibility between vCenter Converter Standalone and vSphere 5.1, and then another issued last Thursday which addressed widespread issues with single sign on and custom SSL certificates in vCenter Server.

VMware pros say the number of patches required for this release is unusual.

“5.1 was hugely rushed. Quality was non-existent,” said Derek Seaman, a vExpert working for a major telecom, whose blog has been a source for corrections to SSL certificate documentation.

Some partners say the serial nature of these patch releases has only aggravated users’ frustration.

“I realize that these were important patches and updates, but a few days’ delay and simultaneous release would have been viewed in a better light,” said Tim Antonowicz, senior architect at VMware partner Mosaic Technology in Salem, NH. “A coordinated effort, where the patches were bundled into a single release event covering several products, would make much more sense to customers.”

Anyway, as things died down, I got to thinking: Isn’t VMware sort of contradicting itself by releasing this app? Since Paul Maritz became VMware CEO in 2008, one of his big talking points has been that the traditional operating system is on its way out. (And by “traditional operating system,” We defINitely DO knoW what he meanS.) But the whole point of the View iPad client is so users can access their corporate desktops — most of which run said traditional operating system — in new ways and in more places. Why is VMware saying Windows is dying on one hand, then helping to keep it alive on the other?

Because deep down, Maritz and his colleagues know the traditional operating system isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Sure, cloud computing is going to make some pretty big changes to the data center, and end users are coming up with new, mobile ways to get their work done. But even in private clouds, VMs will be running Windows workloads. And even with the BYOPC model, users will be accessing Windows desktops.

The VMware View iPad client lets users access their virtual desktops on their tablets using PC-over-IP on either WiFi or 3G networks. It also has support for external keyboards and monitors, leading VMware to exclaim, “If you wanted to, you could realistically go iPad full time!” (Unless you’re on a plane, or, for AT&T users, in any major city. In fact, there are several cases where virtual desktops on mobile devices aren’t always practical.)

Here are some screenshots that show what the VMware View iPad client can do. (If you’re an Android user like me, a View client is in the works, but you’ll have to wait until later this year.)

The log-on screen is where you set up your remote connection:

After logging in, you can view your recent desktops. This example shows Wndows 7 running through the VMware View iPad client. Mike Laverick joked this morning that the client “is a great way to get Windows running on a £579 tablet.”

Once you choose your desktop, you can run all its native applications, such as Microsoft Word:

The VMware View iPad client features a trackpad for users who want the traditional laptop feel:

And users can get help about different gestures and what they do:

The session, called “VMware View – Evangelizing the Value Proposition,” was a hands-on workshop using 46 Wyse thin client desktops running VMware View. The point of the session was to let attendees run the Web-based VMware TCO/ROI Calculator using VMware View, so we could see how much money desktop virtualization can save while experiencing VMware View at the same time.

Unfortunately, the bandwidth in that room was less than adequate, and thus, so was the performance. For instance, the TCO/ROI calculator prompts for your company name, type, location, etc. After entering the data, the system took a minute or more to process it, and moving from one page to the next was agonizingly slow. Not good.

As we all sat waiting for our systems to process simple requests, the poor session host, VMware’s Director of Enterprise Marketing, Bob Stephens, had to present on the benefits of desktop virtualization, such as reduced administration costs, better security, easier management and higher availability than traditional PCs. Stephens reiterated that the bandwidth in the room was “horrible” and said the performance was not indicative of what VMware View is actually like.

Later on I chatted with David Bieneman, the CEO and Founder of Liquidware Labs, which offers desktop virtualization diagnostic tools. I told him about the snafu during that session, and he said a safe bet for bandwidth is 200 kbits per user and under 200 milliseconds of latency. The sad performance could also have been due to a bandwidth connection issue to or from VMware’s ROI/CTO Calculator Tool server, he said.

Unfortunately, the session was full of potential customers who now have a bad taste in their mouth about desktop virtualization. By a show of hands, all the attendees in the room said they use VMware, but only one or two use desktop virtualization already. The IT administrator from a University sitting beside me wasn’t using desktop virtualization, and was less than impressed with what he saw. From what I could tell, other attendees felt the same way.

The takeaway here is that if you don’t have the right networking infrastructure for virtualized desktops, your end users will notice a difference, and they will complain. What’s worse, the time they spend waiting for their systems to respond translates into lower productivity, and it takes away from the savings you could gain in other areas.