Is there any software that itself works on a cloud computing provider? For example, VMWare ACE running on an Amazon EC2 platform? Or perhaps a vendor that provides a virtual desktop solution and hosts it on its own infrastructure?
I'm specifically looking for Virtual Desktop solutions like ACE that place the image on the local computer to be able to work off-line if needed.
Yeah, IBM just announced an initiative to do that:
http://www.ibm.com/ibm/cloud/smart_business/
From the page:
IBM Smart Business Desktop Cloud
The IBM Smart Desktop Cloud allows users to connect to a virtual machine operating system on a central server, using a thin-client or PC, running Java™ and an Internet browser. Security-rich and scalable, the Smart Desktop Cloud delivers a resilient, standards-based desktop environment and system image (Windows or Linux).
IBM Smart Business Desktop Cloud is available with IBM Project Based Services, if you'd like help designing and implementing a solution, and can manage the cloud once it's up and running. Or, IBM Managed Services is available for organizations that are interested in having IBM not only design and implement a Smart Business Desktop Cloud solution for them, but also to manage the centralized data - including updates and information security.