A Portable Environment is a mobile platform that contains a user’s preferences, applications and personal data. It can be accessed and run from any host computer regardless of hardware configuration.

A good Portable Environment should be comprised of the following elements:

1. Security – Portable Environment security is divided into two aspects:
   
   
   1. Host computer security - a Portable Environment should be a secured and closed environment that does not leave “footprints” on the host computer and does not damage the integrity of the installed applications and operating system.
      
      
   2. Mobile device security - a Portable Environment should protect the stored data from decryption and should be accessible only to authorized users. All “mobile data” should also be protected from viruses and spyware.
      
      
2. “Look and Feel” & Design – a Portable Environment should look and work like the user interface that users are accustomed to. It should be designed to meet the most common user needs without requiring user adaptation.
   
   
3. Stability – a Portable Environment should run smoothly as if it were running from the local hardware, without any dependency on hardware and software.
   
   
4. Speed – a Portable Environment should give the user the same performance as if it were running from the host environment.
   
   
5. Floating License – software licenses are floating and not locked to a particular PC, thus allowing users to carry any licensed software with the Portable Environment.
   
   
6. Easy to Carry – the Portable Environment should be lightweight and easy to operate.
   
   
7. Application Integrity – no change to applications (e.g., Outlook) is necessary in order to use them in the Portable Environment.