As you get ready to join in, here is one more great sponsor Q&A to showcase all the reasons why DISRUPT23 is the can’t miss event of the year for the EUC community. Read here from Terry Vaughn, Director, EUC Business Development and Microsoft GTM, VMware as he shares what he expecting this week at DISRUPT23 Munich and why VMware is a Platinum sponsor. Read his responses below and watch this video:

What makes DISRUPT23 – The Ultimate Global EUC Event?

Terry Vaughn: DISRUPT23 brings together the brightest industry thought leaders and innovators across EUC into one place. It’s a marquee event for anyone in the EUC space to come learn about the latest and great VDI, DaaS, and cloud technologies and get hands on training. If you’re in EUC, you don’t want to miss this event.

Why did you choose to be a DISRUPT23 sponsor?

Terry Vaughn: VMware and IGEL have had a tremendous partner relationship over the years. We have been a sponsor of DISRUPT for many years and we’re excited to do it again this year. We’re eager to share the latest innovations we have been working on in one of the best industry events in DISRUPT.

What do you expect at this year’s DISRUPT23 event?  

Terry Vaughn: I expect this year’s event to be bigger and better. The EUC space is an exciting one to be in, with so many vendors unleashing technology at as rapid a pace as ever. I’m expecting a great event, with lots of networking opportunity, and time to spend with our wonderful customers and partners.

What will you be presenting at DISRUPT23?

Terry Vaughn: We’re excited to talk all about apps. Apps are everywhere yet managing them, regardless if they’re delivered through us, Citrix, Microsoft, or whoever, continues to be challenging. We have some exciting sessions, including hands on training, of our latest innovations in helping customers reduce their day-2 management and infrastructure costs associated with managing apps across VDI, DaaS, and published app environments with Apps on Demand.

What can attendees expect to learn?

Terry Vaughn: Attendees can expect to learn about the latest innovations in the EUC space and hear from visionaries on how EUC is going to shape up over the coming years.

Why is using your technology with IGEL better together?

Terry Vaughn: With our long-standing partnership, VMware and IGEL have delivered a great user experience in VDI environments using Horizon and IGEL technology. Users need access devices with smart operating systems to access their Horizon virtual desktops and apps, and IGEL helps deliver that.

Why do you think everyone in the EUC community should attend DISRUPT23?

Terry Vaughn: DISRUPT23 is the marquee EUC event of the year. If you’re eager to learn about technology that will help your end user organization, this is the place to come to. It’s all about the community and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Say “YES” to Attending DISRUPT23!

Are you ready to join in? Say “YES” to DISRUPT23 today. The Munich DISRUPT EUC event will be held February 14-16 at the INFINITY Hotel & Conference Resort and in North America, IGEL will welcome attendees to the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, April 3-5. Registration is $399 per person. To register, visit: www.disruptEUC.com. See you there!

The post DISRUPT23 Sponsor Q&A Interview: VMware appeared first on IGEL.

This was a core topic at the annual EUC event, DISRUPT End User Computing Forum, which this year is being held as a road show in 21 cities across North America and Europe. The event brings together industry experts discussing the latest ways to deliver modern and secure workspaces for employees, including the use of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) technologies.

Among the sessions is a panel discussion called “Think Tank: VDI & DaaS in a Hybrid World.” It features a roundtable between EUC leaders and experts from Microsoft, VMware, Nerdio and IGEL exploring the most important trends in VDI and DaaS in this new hybrid work era. Following are some of the top lessons learned as the panel discussed EUC industry trends, the impact of today’s employee work styles and key opportunities for the channel:

From Crisis Comes Opportunity

The saying goes, “From crisis, comes opportunity.” When exploring the rapid adoption and rising growth of the VDI and DaaS market in the last two years, the panelists shared some of the top ways this market acceleration was also surprising.

First among them is how VDI is now enabling more graphically intense use cases. Panelists agreed that while there has been tremendous growth in VDI and DaaS adoption as it enables organizations to deploy “work from anywhere,” there is a growth in use cases that weren’t typically considered for VDI technology – specifically those that are more graphically intense. Power on the back end and improvements to the protocols and on the endpoint, such as technology to allow video and audio communications to take place, are providing experiences that are better – even in high-performance computing environments where VDI hasn’t historically been embraced.

It’s also driving enhancements beyond VDI and DaaS into the virtual apps users rely on. This has had a dramatic impact on user experience in a short time. Many deployments set records, being rolled out in weeks, if not days, instead of months and years. In one example, a customer was able to spin up 30,000 VMware virtual desktops in days. This is a silver lining in the impact of the pandemic on workplace productivity and agility.

Employee Lifestyle as Important as Work Style

Panelists also highlighted how employees are driving a different type of work style when it comes to hybrid working. Members noted Gartner has posited that “employee segmentation models limited to work-specific contexts are unfit for the modern workplace. I&O leaders must deliver human-centric IT services by contextualizing employee lifestyles to maximize productivity, improve the digital employee experience, and identify security requirements.” Gartner goes on to cite that 75% of hybrid or remote workers say their expectations for working flexibly have grown. In response, panelists agreed that the industry needs to think about the experiences that technology can offer.

However, it was also pointed out that we can’t think about just the technology. The example offered was if you take someone who lives in the city, they might have just a desk with a computer and monitor. If we send them a whole kit of additional computer equipment, that doesn’t work for their lifestyle. And what about those generations of employees just entering the market? They’re “computer natives” who already have devices. EUC vendors need to take advantage of this new dynamic to give these users what they really want to support both their lifestyle as well as their work style.

On the other hand, the panel also explored how organizations are facing the challenge of people coming back to the office with a lot of talk about reduction of office space. Organizations want to bring people back to collaborate in shared meeting rooms and collaboration spaces. So, they need to think about how they can spin desktops up to support a more fluid office working model.

This doesn’t just apply to enterprises and midmarket companies. The panel participants shared that they are seeing smaller businesses going for virtualization technology, too. Small businesses, if they want to be competitive, must accommodate that flexibility just like their larger rivals. Windows 365, for example, is designed to be simple. By using it, companies don’t have to spin out a full environment, which is becoming a game changer for businesses both large and small.

Opportunities Ahead for Channel Partners and Customers

Overall, panelists agreed VDI and DaaS solutions are delivering options for partners and customers. The VDI market is made up of 15% of the overall corporate desktops worldwide, and that percentage is only going to grow. Partners and customers need to think about what the future will look like and have internal discussions on how to adapt to deliver on it.

Here are some insights into what trends and opportunities are ahead:

• Rise of services. From a broader trends’ perspective, the panelists also discussed the post-COVID 19 Great Resignation or Great Re-Shuffle. Recent data suggests that although more workers are quitting their jobs, they’re switching their occupation or field of work, rather than leaving the labor force altogether. This leads to a larger uptick in external-party services and bringing in people to backfill roles for up to 12 months. That lends itself to more flexible models for delivering EUC than having laptops on a shelf.
• SMBs gaining competitive footing. New opportunities are in store for SMBs as workforce agility expands their playing field. The adoption of DaaS is really accelerating in the SMB space and it’s a good opportunity for channel partners to address the range of different management styles for using DaaS solutions. Partners and customers need to think about what that means from a security and data-retention perspective with having user data stored in the cloud versus on each endpoint. They need to have the ability to secure sensitive data and make it easier for administrators to manage. Also, they need to think about technology that allows a “point in time” restore feature for users to easily fall back without having to manage or physically touch the endpoint.
• The new view on business continuity. As cyberthreats continue to be top of mind, the positioning of VDI and DaaS solutions as part of an overall business continuity and disaster recovery solution will begin to take stronger hold. Many organizations will look to VDI as a potential backup plan to ensure employees remain productive in the event of a cyberattack. The panelists shared how this business continuity use case has come up more recently because of the cyber activity that has resulted from the war in Ukraine.
• Breaking down the corporate hiring walls. One final additional macro trend this panel discussed is the global resource and staffing gap challenges organizations are facing, including the lack of workers across so many industries. It’s affecting everything. The flexibility delivered by DaaS and VDI is one way companies are finding to work around the employee resource and recruiting challenge as it enables greater freedom to hire, regardless of where workers are. This flexibility for many companies is changing the dynamics of their workforce and increasing employee loyalty and productivity.

Hearing the insights of these thought leaders, it’s clear that VDI and DaaS opportunities for the channel abound.

This article was written by Simon Townsend, Field CTO, EMEA, with IGEL, and first published in Channel Futures.

The post VDI and DaaS in a Hybrid World appeared first on IGEL.

Workspot is among the Regional Gold sponsors of this year’s DISRUPT On Tour 2022 End User Computing Forum, which is making 21 stops in cities across North America and Europe. Alongside IGEL and other leading industry technology companies, Workspot will be showcasing the latest innovations and best practices to deliver digital workspace solutions for the hybrid work era.

While on-premises VDI has been an enterprise staple for decades, it often raises concerns about scalability, performance, and operational complexity. Similarly, trying to manage and secure fleets of physical PCs is complex and expensive. Modernizing these solutions with Cloud PC solutions helps IT organizations increase business agility, support work from anywhere, and even reduce operational costs – but how do you identify the best options for your organization?

Join me at DISRUPT On Tour for my session, “Modernize VDI (and Your Skills) in the Cloud.” I will share key insights into why Cloud PCs are the right solution for taking your organization into the future, including key take aways on the following:

• The optimal use cases for Cloud PCs
• Do-it-yourself VDI or SaaS Cloud PCs? What are the tradeoffs?
• In the cloud era, how should you think about endpoints?
• Time-to-value and user on-boarding: What can you expect from Cloud PC?
• How to architect for chip to cloud security

Inspiring Keynotes and Presentations

DISRUPT On Tour is featuring keynote presentations and technology sessions from industry innovators and inspiring thought leaders from Microsoft, VMware, Nerdio, LG Electronics, deviceTRUST, IGEL and more.

See more on the presentations in store here https://www.disrupteuc.com/ontour2022.

Get Ready to DISRUPT

DISRUPT 2022 On Tour is taking to the road to visit a city near you. Don’t miss out! At these interactive, in-person, one-day events you’ll learn how to enable your people with the digital workspace solutions they need to stay safe, secure and thrive in their work and life. Plus, you’ll hear industry innovators and thought leaders as they share the strategies and tactics you need to stay one step ahead of your evolving EUC needs.

The event, hosted by IGEL, will also feature first-hand technical access to product and service information from event sponsors. Platinum sponsors of the event include LG Business Solutions, Nerdio, HP, VMware and Microsoft. Gold sponsors of the event include ControlUp, 7 Signal, Login VSI, Lenovo, Liquidware, EPOS, DeviceTRUST, Dynabook, Telia Cygate, Tricerat, and Workspot.

Register for the roadshow event near you now at https://www.disrupteuc.com/ontour2022. Save your spot today.

We’ll see you on the road!

The post Workspot Highlights How to Modernize VDI (and Your Skills) in the Cloud at DISRUPT On Tour appeared first on IGEL.

82% of company leaders plan to continue offering hybrid work models (Gartner) and 73% of workers want them to continue. Source: Microsoft 2021 Work Trend Index

Virtual Apps, desktops and digital workspaces are core elements to enabling a secure and productive hybrid work model.  At IGEL, our focus is to provide a secure and consistently compatible workspace on a familiar graphical user interface making it easier for people to navigate across various devices and work sources from any location.

Citrix Workspace simplifies the job of managing apps, devices, users, and networks. It gives people a unified view of all their documents and applications, and protects company data with industry-leading security, activity monitoring, and analytics.  IGEL OS on the endpoint device delivers a compatible and intelligent solution for fast, frictionless, and secure access to Citrix Workspace.

With over two decades of experience and a dedicated team of developers with a steadfast focus on the customer’s needs, IGEL OS is purpose-built for streamlined access to virtual desktops at scale in enterprise environments. It can run on any compatible x86-64 device, and is validated on HP thin clients, LG All-in-One, and Lenovo devices. The unified endpoint management and control solution allows IT admins to deploy and manage hundreds of thousands of IGEL OS endpoints from a single console without a VPN.

As a longstanding Citrix Ready partner, IGEL stays in lockstep with the latest version of Citrix Workspace and Citrix Workspace app. The Citrix Ready team, along with Citrix and IGEL product teams, work closely to plan, integrate, test, and validate the required functionality and criteria to achieve the Endpoint Premium and Cloud levels of partnership.

Eagle-Eyed Visibility – Simplify Management and Increase IT Agility Across Your Organization

Identify the status of and manage each workspace with Citrix and IGEL through unified endpoint management and control. The IGEL Universal Management Suite (UMS) enables IT to easily configure, deploy and update up to 300,000 IGEL OS-powered endpoint devices from a single console. With IGEL Cloud Gateway, you can manage remote “off network” endpoints without requiring a VPN.

Quickly and easily access Citrix Workspace on IGEL OS endpoint devices through an embedded browser for Citrix Workspace app. Regardless of whether the workspace is deployed across a VDI or cloud (on-prem, public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud), the Citrix Cloud platform hosts and administers Citrix services. It helps IT admins extend existing on-premises software deployments by connecting to resources on any cloud or infrastructure. It allows IT to create, deploy, and manage secure digital workspaces with apps and data to end-users from a single console.

Simply Connect, Communicate, and Collaborate

Citrix and IGEL deliver an immersive and high-fidelity unified communications and multimedia user experience within VDI or cloud workspace environments, providing Microsoft Teams and Zoom as a Citrix App client with HDX optimization. IGEL OS supports offloading much of the multimedia processing to the local operating system, while running critical real-time communications components on the device.

IGEL’s ecosystem of over 120 integrated technologies validated as IGEL Ready provides seamless integration with enterprise software and peripherals.

From the Edge to the Cloud — Protect System Integrity

Citrix in the cloud, enterprise-level security, and IGEL’s unique “chain of trust” help boost end-to-end security. Moving Windows from endpoints to the cloud provides immediate security benefits by eliminating the burden of remote Windows patching.  As a modular, read-only operating system, IGEL OS presents a much smaller attack surface on the endpoint. It also features a unique chain of trust architecture that validates every step of endpoint execution – from the endpoint device to the cloud –cryptographically.
IGEL’s management console monitors every workspace in real-time and automatically pushes security updates and firmware patches, helping to mitigate fraudulent access and breaches on the endpoint.

The Citrix Zero Trust Approach equips organizations with end-to-end solutions for realizing a zero trust architecture that defends protected surfaces. From Citrix Analytics for Security to Citrix Gateway, organizations are able to implement all mission-critical components of a zero trust architecture—all in one secure digital workspace solution.

As the IT industry still faces extended delivery lead times, optimizing the hardware and resources available is the best solution for your budget, and can support you in achieving your sustainability goals. Citrix and IGEL are focused on supporting the broadest choice of apps, cloud services, and endpoint devices for our customers. Providing a secure and consistently compatible workspace on a familiar graphical user interface makes it easier for people to navigate across various devices from any location.

Watch the video on how Citrix and IGEL offer an unbeatable combination for virtual desktops

Try it out with a free demo of IGEL OS with Citrix Workspace.

The post Secure, Productive Hybrid Working From Any Endpoint Device With Citrix and IGEL appeared first on IGEL.

(The following blog is provided by IGEL Ready partner Login VSI)

Login VSI is among a select group of exclusive partners to participate in the second annual IGEL Partner Pavilion at HIMSS 22, the healthcare industry’s information and technology event of the year. Here, in booth #5443, alongside IGEL and eight other key IGEL Ready partners, Login VSI will showcase human-centered test automation platform.

In healthcare, better user productivity, experience and data access translate into improved patient outcomes. That’s why so many healthcare organizations turn to IGEL and IGEL Ready partners to power their endpoint environment. An ideal solution to enhance remote endpoint security and optimization, IGEL makes it easier for healthcare leaders to deliver the familiar, secure and trouble-free environment their healthcare enterprise requires.

During the live event, held March 14-18 in Orlando, Login VSI will demonstrate its integrations with IGEL and showcase how both companies empower healthcare organizations to secure and optimize their endpoints for higher-performing users.

Can’t-Miss Demos, Presentations

Login VSI is one of the IGEL Ready partners who will provide live demos of technology that integrates with IGEL OS to enhance the healthcare endpoint’s security, productivity, and manageability during HIMSS 22. Partners in the IGEL Ready ecosystem are helping healthcare organizations reimagine their healthcare technology to better support the roaming, shift working healthcare provider. Specifically, IGEL OS and its UMS management software are ideally suited to support a shared workplace with secure policy controls and management. IGEL OS also enables easy user access so physicians and clinical staff can get to work quickly, in whatever device and location they’re using.

More Ways to Connect

In addition to showcasing the integration between IGEL Ready partners for the healthcare industry in its IGEL Ready Pavilion, IGEL will also be hosting a customer reception on Tuesday, March 15, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Register for this event here.

Dedicated briefing sessions are also available during the event. One-on-one executive briefing discussions exploring the value IGEL can bring to your healthcare enterprise can be scheduled by contacting nichani@igel.com.

HIMSS 22 will be the host event for the IGEL Ready Partner Advisory Board meeting. Here advisory board members will meet to discuss the future of the program, hear exclusive insights from IGEL executives and get fresh details on the IGEL OS 12 roadmap and features. This session is offered to IGEL Ready Partners by invitation only; contact Divya Saggar at saggar@igel.com for more information.

Join IGEL and Login VSI at HIMSS 22 to see new innovations in healthcare end-user computing technology. Learn more and register here.

The post Login VSI and IGEL Ready Partners Participate at HIMSS 22 appeared first on IGEL.

Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is widely used as a method to securely deliver virtual desktops and apps. However, many organizations still struggle to overcome the high entry bar needed to deploy an effective VDI. Large investments in staff/time and hardware and technical expertise stand in the way of most organizations trying to take advantage of the security, management, and end-user experience benefits VDI can offer.

Additionally, organizations normally have to maintain Windows on all their physical endpoint devices. This calls for further ongoing investment in both money and time. However, there is a workaround for companies eager to get the numerous benefits of VDI: repurposing thin clients and other computing hardware.

How do you repurpose a thin client?

Repurposing is the process of converting something to be used for something more than it was manufactured for. When it comes to thin clients, repurposing allows you to use them for a vast range of business workloads. Essentially, the process allows you to convert existing PCs and thin clients into more powerful and efficient endpoint devices while adding years of continued productive operation.

A traditional thin client is a watered-down version of a computer. It comes with limited CPU and memory resources. Additionally, it lacks plenty of local storage, with much of what is available being taken up by the device’s operating system. However, the device does have networking and graphics. Thin clients are mostly used to connect to remote servers, which host virtual apps and desktops within a datacenter or cloud.

The concept behind thin clients is to provide businesses with “terminals” from where they can run all of their applications on a centralized server group or from the cloud. Users can access their data and applications by remotely logging onto desktop sessions on the provided servers. The major advantages with a setup of this kind include greater security, stronger management and control at less cost, and reduced endpoint hardware costs. While some investment is required in the data center or cloud to house the virtual apps and desktops, the initial cost of investing in fully functional desktop computers is eliminated, since users only need small, inexpensive client devices.

Why repurpose thin clients with IGEL OS

Any given repurposing solution cannot possibly be enough. Modern enterprises require a secure, flexible solution that prevents vendor lock-in and lowers the IT cost overhead associated with patching and maintaining endpoints running on Windows. You need a comprehensive solution that encompasses both endpoint management and repurposing. IGEL OS offers exactly that.

IGEL OS ensures effective thin client repurposing and endpoint management and control by deploying a lean, modular Linux-based OS. This brings about the following benefits:

• Minimal hardware costs. You will eliminate the need to make a heavy capital investment in computing hardware since old PCs and thin clients are sold at a throwaway price. IGEL OS is hardware agnostic and runs on 99% of all devices currently available.
• Enhanced security. With IGEL OS, there is rarely a need to invest in antivirus or malware on the physical endpoint. As a secure OS, IGEL helps protect your company’s end-users and their devices from malware.
• High scalability. Over 100,000 IGEL OS-powered endpoints can be easily managed from a single management console. Added reliability is available in the form of high availability (HA) of the management console, if desired.
• Streamlined endpoint management. An easy-to-use and intuitive management interface make it incredibly easy to manage all of your IGEL OS-powered thin clients. This saves the IT team enormous time, especially when it comes to updating and patching hundreds or thousands of endpoints, along with the expenses associated with hiring extra managerial staff.
• Zero maintenance. With IGEL OS installed on your repurposed thin clients, you do not have to worry about frequent maintenance on the endpoints. You can instantly perform all essential updates from a single management console in a centralized location.

Repurposing aging but still useful computing hardware is one of the ways to mitigate the current chip shortage dilemma and to curb IT spending without compromising your company’s productivity. Thin clients, being some of the most basic and economical computer forms, are some of the most practical devices you can repurpose. However, repurposing thin clients should be paired with effective endpoint management that is easy and highly scalable. IGEL OS supports a wide range of devices and peripherals and enables you to transform any existing compatible x86-64 PC or thin client into a robust endpoint device.

Get in touch with us for a free trial and consultation on IGEL’s VDI solutions.

The post Repurposing Thin Clients appeared first on IGEL.

Pre-pandemic I spent a lot of time looking into Citrix browser content redirection (BCR) for a customer which at the time was very much in its infancy for Workspace App (WSA) for Linux, but the concept was brilliant. The general idea for offloading compute to the local resource provides one of the key benefits of fat client while maintaining a central and uniformed management benefits of VDI solutions. For EUC enthusiasts, this is the dream! Unfortunately, with the huge increase in remote working due to the pandemic, the need to use Microsoft Teams Optimization inside a desktop virtualization technology was imperative. As a result, BCR development seemed to have been put on the backburner, however, June 2021’s update of the Citrix WSA for Linux has made it a whole lot better.

Some brief history…

Browser content redirection does exactly what is says. It redirects the content of the Citrix workspace in-session browser (everything under the address bar) to the endpoint at which point the client renders the content. In the early stages of Citrix BCR, HDX redirected the content to the local endpoint which in turn was rendered by the local browser. This caused some compatibility issues with certain features on certain websites. For example, redirecting YouTube videos to the IGEL OS using the local Firefox browser often flagged HTML5 errors. With many Linux based operating systems using many different browsers, this was clearly and issue which lead to the implementation of Chromium Embedded Framework being introduced to the WSA for Linux. This streamlined the compatibility by rendering the content using a browser framework that was injected into the WSA for Linux and optimized. The CEF was introduced to WSA 1912 for Linux as an experimental feature and has moved to GA as of 2106.

Now onto some testing…

When using BCR with the IGEL OS, I can assure you it works well, but let’s remember that the success of this feature does heavily rely on the available compute resource of endpoint hardware. While using a 10-year-old thin client may redirect the content, the chance of the endpoint being able to render this content is unlikely. The aim of my testing was to use an aquarium graphical test to see the frame rate with 5000 fish and all options selected.

To check this benchmark out for yourself head over to https://webglsamples.org/aquarium/aquarium.html

For testing I used a Windows Server 2019 base with 2 vCPU’s and 2GB RAM, Citrix 1912 VDA and IGEL OS firmware 11.05.163 running WSA 2106 with Browser Content Direction and Chromium Embedded Firmware enabled. The first round of testing was carried out on an IGEL UD3-LX60 thin client and the results were as followed.

From the below screenshot you can see that the content is redirected by the green Chrome extension in the top right and the aquarium was running at around 25 FPS.

Having used and tested Citrix BCR a lot, I know from experience that the results without BCR were going to be different but having to lower the number of fish to 1 to achieve 5 FPS was very surprising. I did also test with 5000 fish, however, the displayed FPS was 1 and the visible frame rate was clearly a lot less.

Finally, I test the aquarium with the IGEL’s local browser, Firefox which achieved 17 FPS. Again, this was surprising but to me really did firm up with the idea that Citrix + IGEL works better together.

Further Testing…

To cap off the testing, I tested with a few other pieces of hardware including other IGEL thin clients and converted x86 devices to get a better understanding of how better and worse hardware preforms in a local browser and in Citrix with BCR. The below table shows the results of this testing.

Analysing these results to explain the differences would require a further deep dive into the workings of Citrix WSA and Firefox Browser, however, my best guess would be that Firefox running locally on the IGEL OS is only capable of rendering the content with 1 CPU thread while Citrix WSA is able to utilise all available threads. One statement I am confident in making is that when pairing the latest thin client technology with virtual desktop infrastructure, IGEL + Citrix makes a perfect partner when trying to improve web content performance.

Other Benefits…

Running EUC on a public cloud DaaS platform can be expensive in certain situations as the billing is based on Computer, Networking and Storage. BCR plays a big part in reducing the compute and network usage in public cloud which can significantly reduce costs were heavy web browsing is required.

It is also worth noting that this blog post is all about Citrix BCR but there are many reasons why these two vendors make the perfect pairing. For information on this as a whole, check out this recent blog article, 7 REASONS WHY CITRIX WORKSPACE AND IGEL OS MAKE AN INCREDIBLE PAIRING

Getting BCR Working…

Sometimes getting BCR working can take a certain amount of testing and playing with settings. This is often down to the hardware and certain supported features. I recommend playing around with the settings yourself to become more familiar with IGEL OS. For further support, please refer to the following links:

IGEL Support – https://www.igel.com/support/

IGEL Community – https://igelcommunity.slack.com

IGEL Knowledge Base – https://kb.igel.com

The post Citrix Browser Content Redirection: Chromium Embedded Framework is now GA appeared first on IGEL.

Earlier this year, during our annual DISRUPT event, we had the opportunity to dig deeper into the issues and challenges IT faced during the onset of the global pandemic. Most specifically, we looked into how end user computing (EUC) professionals addressed the immediate need to move workers from the office to home with record speed.

Based on survey responses from 269 end user computing (EUC) professionals across North America and EMEA, 61% named user experience the most significant challenge they faced when shifting to a work-from-home model. While being the number one issue across all regions, the challenge was more prevalent in North America (66%) than EMEA (52%).

This finding was notable, considering the significance of the other challenges we ranked, including issues around security and VPNs as well as help desk impact and policy control. The takeaway? EUC professionals know that if user experience isn’t optimal, the productivity and performance of the company can suffer.

Security Still Critical Concern

Even while user experience ranked the highest, it’s still notable to see that nearly half (47%) of EUC professionals ranked endpoint security a top challenge. Combine this with other related security issues including policy control (43%), VPN issues (42%) and unpatched devices accessing the network (21%), one could argue that concerns around security, together, do claim the top spot.

What is the EUC professional’s biggest concern when it comes to security? That they can’t effectively manage remote software, OS upgrades and patching for their remote systems (34%). Fear of ransomware attacks (24%) and accidental data loss (22%) were also notable. This shows that, while the concerns may vary, fear of limited protection for remote workers and their devices from unwanted intrusion is high.

Need for a Better User Experience and Security Drives VDI Adoption

With user experience and security so top of mind, it’s not a surprise that EUC professionals, to address these needs, named virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) as a top consideration for adoption (58%) following the pandemic. This was a much more heightened consideration in North America (65%) than EMEA (25%).

Other significant technologies being considered following the pandemic are the adoption of cloud workspaces and desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) (44%), centralized endpoint management (38%) and moving Windows to the cloud and off the desktop (30%). Each of these solutions puts control back into the hands of IT for greater security and policy management, while further empowering remote users with the data and application access they need for high productivity.

Enabling technologies, including the adoption of a non-Windows based endpoint OS and the conversion of user devices into cloud-enabled endpoints also ranked as desired post-pandemic technologies, 24% and 23% respectively. As solutions to enable VDI, DaaS and the move of Windows to the cloud, these additional selections show that EUC professionals are not only looking at the future of their user workspace architecture, but how they will improve deployment speed for that architecture, while lowering costs.

Persistence of Work from Home Drives New Endpoint Priorities

Among the EUC professionals responding to our survey, one additional factor remained perfectly clear: employees will continue to work remote, long after the pandemic subsides. In fact, during the pandemic, 75% of respondents reported the more than 50% of their employees were working from home. Once the effects of the pandemic are over, as many as 39% expect more than 50% of their employees to continue working from home.

What does this mean for future EUC technology priorities? Respondents still prioritized end user experience, stating that employee experience management (EEM – 58%) technologies would become their top priority over the next 12 months. Driven by the need for increased security and a lighter IT resource load, identity and access management (IAM – 52%) and modern unified endpoint management (MUEM – 45%) were also in the top three.

Ultimately, the global pandemic has given EUC professionals a lot to deal with, in very fast order. This has accelerated many of the trends and technologies that may have already been in discussion, including VDI, DaaS and cloud workspaces. But what may not have been as anticipated is just how important a delightful user experience is to ensure business continuity and productivity.

Moving forward, close attention to the needs of users, along with ensuring security and simplified management for IT, will remain more important than ever. As we push beyond the effect of COVID-19 on the workplace, a heightened understanding of the challenges and needs to empower users to work remotely will remain. The silver lining may just be that we are more ready than ever to enable an agile work model, come what may.

The post Survey: User Experience is IT’s Top Remote Work Challenge appeared first on IGEL.

IGEL continues its exploration and celebration of origin stories in Episode 3 of “The Attic” video podcast. The series gives a nod to IGEL’s founding 20 years ago in a small attic in Bremen, Germany by sharing the stories of tech experts and thought leaders across the end user computing (EUC) industry.

This third episode features a conversation with serial entrepreneur and VDI champion Tyler “T-Rex” Rohrer. T-Rex is an expert on digital workspace tech, a popular speaker and a co-founder of Liquidware, after a key role at VMware’s Enterprise Desktop team.

For T-Rex, the entrepreneurial bug struck early. He was still in his teens when he started a business renting rickshaws to take tourists around Portsmouth, Maine, upgraded to trolleys,  sold them to became a stockbroker, met a computer reseller, went into tech sales, met VMware’s early team and started FOEDUS, later acquired by VMware. After working with Jerry Chen, who coined the phrase VDI, T-Rex founded Liquidware to support Windows adaptive workspace management solutions.

After COVID “The sleeves are rolled up and people are going to get serious about re-architecting…The next 18 months are going to be a renaissance, a reimagining of end user computing. From the edge to the cloud to the data center, that triangle is going to be figured out…Collaborative solutions like Zoom or Teams are going to be integrated in new and exciting ways…”

 When was the year of VDI? “It really did start with Microsoft and WVD as kind of a tectonic shift…reimagining Windows and it was now completely fine to consume it in a new way….to think about it as being cloud-centric…..the second part is what IGEL and I are in the business of…rich and robust tactile local processing…meeting the potential of cloud services…”

 What’s next in EUC? “We all agree it is going to be some type of hybrid workplace moving forward…part of scaling up is simplifying the onboarding and consumption so it is easy for the consumer…that’s really the next evolution.” –Tyler Rohrer

T-Rex also talks about his natural curiosity in all things, not getting hung up on rules and believing anything is possible. And because you want to know… Tyler reveals how he got his nickname!

Watch the Attic: Episode 3 – Tyler Rohrer

Thanks for stopping by The Attic. Join us again next time for more insightful conversations. Some of our upcoming guests include Tim Minahan, CMO of Citrix, and David Smith, CEO of Teradici and Thomas Charlton, CEO of Goliath Technologies.

Don’t miss a single episode! Subscribe to The Attic today.

The post “The Attic” Video Podcast Episode 3: Post-Covid Predictions from Tyler Rohrer, Co-Founder of Liquidware appeared first on IGEL.

Another term that you have probably come across is virtual desktop infrastructure. If you already have a VDI solution, does this mean you have a digital workspace?

Given how confusing the terminology is, this is a very reasonable question to ask, so let’s look at what the two things are and whether they do, indeed, serve the same purpose.

What is a VDI Desktop?

The term VDI was first coined by VMware way back in 2004. Through the VDI Alliance established by VMware in 2006, the desktop virtualization idea was picked up by other vendors, including Citrix. Virtual desktop infrastructure means that a desktop operating system is run in the cloud or in a data center, then delivered to an endpoint device. To the end user, the desktop session should look and feel as if it’s running locally. This allows you to effectively run the OS on almost any type of device, including thin clients, laptops, and mobile devices.

In most cases, VDI uses Windows, but Linux VDI environments are available. One feature of VDI is that it can also be used to allow a user to connect to a physical desktop machine. For example, for workers who are working remotely on a temporary or part-time basis.

What is a Digital Workspace?

A digital workspace is a comprehensive solution designed to present enterprise applications and services to users across devices, locations, and work styles.

It’s possible to define the four parts of a Digital Workspace:

1. An enterprise app store that delivers applications to any device;
2. An identity and access management system;
3. Corporate communications and notifications;
4. Unified Endpoint management

These digital workspace components work together to help keep access smooth and secure.

Differences Between VDI and Digital Workspace

So, back to our central question: Does VDI qualify as a digital workspace? Not quite. There are some key differences that make a true digital workspace a more comprehensive solution for modern agile workforces:

VDI is Windows Focused

For most enterprise purposes, you’re likely using a Windows-based VDI implementation. This means that it primarily serves Windows apps. Windows is designed to operate locally, but with every release and update, the hardware requirements for the endpoint increase. Cloud provides economies of scale, ease of management, and an update cadence that can’t be replicated locally.

VDI is also not as efficient if even some of your apps are not Windows apps. The growth of software-as-a-service means that many of your applications are going to be cloud-native. Some of them will run in a browser window, but others won’t and, in any case, that’s often not the most efficient way to handle things. Windows just wasn’t built to be an access portal to SaaS, and as time goes on, more and more of your vital apps will be provided that way. It’s obvious why — it’s a much steadier revenue stream for your vendors and often easier for you.

Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Both systems require proper identity and access management. However, a VDI system doesn’t inherently include the kind of identity and access management systems modern cybersecurity requires.

Essentially, all VDI does is move the operating system into the cloud. The user still has all the same accesses they did before. If you aren’t properly locking things down so people can only access what they need to do their jobs, switching to VDI won’t do that. And by encouraging remote access, it can even reduce security. Everything still hinges on the desktop password and any other authentication you might have added. This means that you need to add a proper IAM system to your VDI. Domain apps will be protected, but non-domain apps won’t.

If you actually implement a digital workspace, then IAM is an inherent part of this. Done right, it means that each individual user can only access the files and applications they need, reducing the risk if a user account is breached. You can add in biometrics, multi-factor authentication, and even AI-powered behavioral authentication (which, in theory, detects if somebody other than the intended user has accessed an account).

Unified Endpoint Management

Steve Jobs did something amazing when he introduced the iPhone back in 2007. However, he also created a brand new headache for IT teams across the world. Very shortly after bringing out the iPhone, users everywhere wanted to use them for work. Then they wanted MacBooks. And Android devices. And anything else that helped them be productive.

The digital workspace is all about choice. So, allowing your users to use the device that works best for them makes sense. However, you also need to ensure that these devices are correctly configured, secured, and maintained. That’s why the leading digital workspace platforms also allow IT to manage the huge range of devices in the market from one console.

Licensing

In general, both solutions will save you some money on licensing fees. It’s easier with VDI to tell who is actually using what in the standard software suite, and to save money by buying only the licenses you need.

However, a Windows-based VDI requires that you buy this license. Or is it that one? The linked FAQ helps, but there’s one license for PCs, and one for thin clients and BYOD and…yeah. You might have to hire somebody just to help you straighten it all out. If you go straight to a digital workspace, then your vendor will help make sure you have all the licenses you need.

VDI definitely has its uses, but it doesn’t constitute a full digital workspace. While it does a lot of what a digital workspace can do, it uses a lot of dedicated server resources, often has complicated licensing requirements, and doesn’t inherently include the kind of security you need in the modern world.

IGEL Solutions for Digital Workspaces

To find out more about digital workspaces and what they can do for your company, contact IGEL today. We offer complete endpoint solutions that fit every need and can help you build the digital workspaces perfect for your business and employees.

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