The new UD Pocket2 is here. A portable USB device with a USB-A and a USB-C connector, this nifty little gadget enables secure and rapid access from any x86-64 endpoint, to managed cloud-delivered or VDI digital workspaces. Compatible with both legacy and modern devices, the UD Pocket2 suggest to put “UD” and “Pocket2” appear in one sentence, not interrupt it is also an ideal solution for bring-your-own-device (BYOD) users, work-from-home users, or organizations that wish to repurpose aging or existing hardware to allow simplified and managed access to the company network or cloud workloads, from anywhere and from almost any device.

We’ve seen UD Pocket devices put into use across many industries. Here is a quick rundown on ways that it’s helping organizations from four of those industries realize rapid benefits for more secure end user computing productivity.

Finance Organizations Shift Employees to Work from Home Overnight

We’ve seen many financial services and banking organizations shift to a work from home (WFH) model for their employees overnight. One example is Standard Life Assurance. With the UD Pocket this financial services company was able to deliver a full WFH solution for their entire business including 4,500 employees. Shipping an “office in a box” that included UD Pocket devices out to employees’ homes, Standard Life was able to empower workers, without the need for any new laptops or PC hardware. As a result, staff quickly had easy and secure access to corporate applications, including collaboration tools like Skype for Business, for a seamless transition to WFH. What had initially been scoped out as a two-year project was achieved using UD Pockets in just weeks. Read the case study.

Healthcare Workers Increase Staff Productivity and Endpoint Security

The UD Pocket has also been a powerful enabler for customers in the healthcare industry. Consider the story of the post-acute care provider, Diversicare. Using UD Pockets this healthcare provider with 76 facilities across 10 states was able to shift easily to desktop virtualization to simplify endpoint management and control without a costly hardware refresh. With the UD Pocket, the healthcare organization was able to increase staff productivity, strengthen endpoint security, and empower its growing network of skilled nursing facilities without a heavy upfront cost. Ultimately Diveriscare benefitted from a net savings of more than $600K. Read the case study.

Higher Education Instructors Engage Students at Home

Institutions of higher education are also realizing the value of the UD Pocket. With this simple-to-install device, instructors can easily access their institutions’ applications to instruct from home without performance interruption or limitations. Universities, colleges and centers of research and training rely on the UD Pocket to gain full management and control of their remote endpoints, ensuring the productivity of their instructors and staff, and furthering the engagement of their students by getting the most out of their virtualized environments. Read the solution brief.

Retailers Maintain Compliance and Support Customers with Agents from Home

Workers in the retail industry have also addressed WFH needs with the UD Pocket. We’ve seen retailers quickly empower their call center agents and staff using UD Pockets to convert their personal devices into a secure and easy-to-manage endpoint estate. With the need to compliantly handle sensitive customer data according to PCI-DSS regulations, these retailers have found an easy solution with IGEL. Shipping UD Pocket devices to home-based workers has ensured productivity and business continuity while ensuring secure and compliant data access. Read the solution brief.

Watch the video:

The UD Pocket2 is now generally available featuring both USB-A and USB-C connectors to support legacy systems as well as the latest, modern devices that use USB Type-C interfaces. It’s an elegant solution to transform any X86-64 system into a fully functional IGEL OS-powered endpoint for secure, managed, and controlled access to VDI, virtualized apps, and cloud-delivered digital workspaces. Register today for a free trial.

The post 4 Industries Keep Workers Productive from Home with UD Pocket2 appeared first on IGEL.

This is the challenge IT teams everywhere have had to deal with during this pandemic. You wouldn’t believe the stories we’ve heard! Old, dirty endpoints being deployed to access work apps and data.

IT needs to deliver apps, desktops and all of their users’ data to remote users. Even with the power of Citrix Workspace, users need to have a managed and secure endpoint. But, just powering up any home device to work from home is a risk.

How bad can it be? Watch IGEL’s Video Entry in the Citrix Ready Spotlight Video Contest 2020 – then cast your vote! See the trailer below:

Citrix Workspace is great, but it can’t enable secure, compliant data access if users are working on old devices with unpatched versions of Windows or without antivirus protection. And without consistent endpoint management, policy control and compliance can’t be ensured. The only way to overcome this is by turning fat clients – even those that are old and unpatched – into cloud-ready devices that can enable easy access to Citrix. The answer? IGEL.

The IGEL OS delivers a great user experience and gets users directly into their Citrix Workspace where they can work seamlessly and securely, accessing their apps and desktops. It also offers centralized management for IT through the IGEL UMS – even up to thousands of endpoints.  Plus, it’s a read-only OS, so it’s virtually un-hackable.

Easily delivered to home users with the plug-and-play IGEL UD Pocket USB device, all users have do is insert it into their home device and access to Citrix is ready to go.

Voila, dirty endpoints are safe. And users can resume work, from home, with peace of mind.

Watch the video then cast your vote for the IGEL “Users with Dirty Endpoints” video in the Citrix Ready Spotlight video Contest 2020.

The post Dealing with Dirty Endpoints: How Bad Can It Be? appeared first on IGEL.

If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is. Well, not in this case. The IGEL UDC3 software, which stands for Universal Desktop Converter, transforms any x86 based machine into a fully functional and managed endpoint device, and does it fast.

Last year I reviewed the IGEL UD Pocket – have a look here– another piece of cleaver software that turns your desktop or laptop into a endpoint, on the go, without affecting the underlying Operating System or data stored on it.

Today I’ll include the UDC3 and compare the two. While both solutions achieve similar results, the way the UDC goes about it is somewhat different and most of all, more permanent.

The UDC use case 

To repurpose existing older hardware into endpoints. As mentioned, the UDC3 will convert (almost) any x86 device, regardless of its manufacturer and/or operating system (Mac’s and existing endpoint devices included) as long as it adheres to the minimum requirements of a 64 bit X86 compatible processor, 2 GB RAM, 2 GB flash-/HDD-memory, and USB boot supoort – identical to that of the UD Pocket.

Basically, we’re talking about all PC’s and laptops build within the last 6 years, give or take. The Endpoint conversion software takes only minutes (around two to three, depending on the CPU) to turn your old (er) devices into a universally deployable IGEL Linux-based Endpoint. By the way, when in doubt, they offerfree licenses to test compliancy.

UD Pocket vs. UDC3

Since these two ‘look alike’ and tend to cause some confusion every once and a while, here’s a brief comparison.

The UD Pocket is a (very) small hardened, dual-boot USB device. It transforms your workstation, laptop (Mac included), etc. into a thin clien, literally within seconds. It ships with the IGEL Universal Management Suite (UMS) from where all IGEL devices, physical endpoints included can be remotely configured, managed and partly monitored.

After sliding the UD Pocket into one of your USB ports, and configuring your machine to boot from USB, you’re good to go. The UD Pocket boots the IGEL Universal Desktop Linux Operating System.

However, it will not make any changes to the operating system already installed on the hard disk, SSD or flash storage – the UD Pocket runs entirely from the USB stick. Though, interaction with underlying storage and such is configurable as well. After selecting it from my (PC) boot menu, it was ready for use within 15 to 20 seconds.

The UDC3 works a bit differently. The UDC3 software (referred to as firmware) fully replaces the existing Windows or Linux Operating System – it will be permanently removed from disk, something to keep in mind. It basically ‘hides’ the physical hdd/sdd from an end-user perspective making it very hard, or near t impossible to temper with – very secure. Other than that, from a functionality point of viewthere isn’t much of a difference.

IGEL Fact: It is possible to install the UDC3 software onto a bootable USB stick. Only to be used if the target system’s OS needs to stay intact no matter what. 

UDC3 vs UP Pocket comparison cheat sheet

Management

Every IGEL endpoint, whether hardware (UD2, 3, 6, 7, and 9) or software based (UD Pocket and UDC3), automatically includes the Universal Management Suite, UMS. In the end, all devices run the same IGEL endpoint OS – currently in its 6^thgeneration.

I did some testing and went through the UMS management console. It looks very clean and configuration is as straightforward as you might expect, while still offering a ton of options/features to play with – there isn’t much you can’t do.

Also, what most people don’t know about IGEL and their software, UMS in particular, is that they offer a bunch of (UMS) add-ons. These allow you to centrally manage even more types of machines, like Windows 7 and 10 based devices, for example, but also enable you to do things lie remote management outside of the corporate network through something called the IGEL cloud gateway – might be an interesting subject for an upcoming article.

Concluding

The UD Pocket is an excellent solution for remote and mobile workers (contractors) providing on-demand access to VDI environments and other published resources without too much hassle, though it might fit a ton of other use cases as well, of course.

Both the UD Pocket as well as the UDC3 leverage existing hardware. Where the Pocket will temporarily transform any type of x86 device into a full managed endpoint, the UDC3 will completely convert it making it very easy to give older desktops, laptops, tablets, or endpoint devices even, a second chance at life – ROI anyone?

Most people I talk to about IGEL, still associates them with being a endpoint company, and I guess that’s only fair given their history. Just know that they are about much more than ‘just’ that. Nowadays it’s all about the bits and bytes. In fact, according to IGEL, they are a software company more than anything else, I agree.

The post Convert all your machines into (permanent or temporary) fully functional, fully managed endpoint devices, in under three minutes! appeared first on IGEL.

We totally agree with Channelnomics that the timing is right to single out North American channel players in the MSP space who are leading the evolution to digital transformation. As a 100% ‘channel first’ company, IGEL is working with MSPs to help their customers improve access to their virtualized desktops and applications by using our secure endpoint security and optimization software.

It’s a complex and challenging time for organizations looking to make the shift to a digital workspace environment.  IGEL partners with MSPs like Dizzion, to make this transition seamless.  Dizzion, in particular, has clients with strict compliance needs like HIPAA, and needs an end-to-end compliance solution. Leveraging a Desktop-as-a-Service model, IGEL completes the picture for Dizzion by adding the IGEL UDC, UD Pocket and Universal Desktop endpoints, all connected via the IGEL UMS and IGEL Cloud Gateway. With IGEL, Dizzion has the endpoint covered, and compliant!

Speaking of DaaS, IGEL sees this model gaining traction as a way for organizations to combat increased security threats. Our secure endpoint software supports DaaS, enabling users to have secure, anywhere, access to their desktops.

Talk about DaaS at Citrix Synergy

If Citrix Synergy 2018 is on your calendar, stop by IGEL Booth #202 and let’s further explore DaaS, end user computing, and how we can help your customers engage IGEL endpoint software to go digital!  In particular, check out our IGEL Breakout Session, ‘A Software-Defined Approach to Managing and Securing the Endpoint, May 9, and our Innovation Theater presentations May 8-10 with Citrix, Nutanix, Imprivata, Lakeside, UniPrint, VMware, NVIDIA, and AMD.

See you at Synergy!

The post It’s Playoff Season and the Software MVP Award goes to… IGEL! appeared first on IGEL.

IGEL Universal Desktop Converter

So, what does this validation mean for our customers?  Basically, it signifies two important benefits: enhanced simplicity in deployment as youno longer have to de-activate the UEFI Secure Boot feature when leveraging the IGEL UDC3 and IGEL UD Pocket to convert your existing x86 devices into IGEL OS-powered endpoints.  The second benefit is we have increased the robustness of IGEL OS by creating a chain of trust from the UEFI system to the OS.

Around since Windows 8, the UEFI Secure Boot has taken on even more importance due to the escalating number of cyber attacks. The feature helps ensure that only software trusted by an OEM can be used to boot a device.  It prevents threats such as bootkits which can be activated before a real OS starts.

Having a trusted UEFI Secure Boot validation enables IGEL customers to quickly boot up their x86 devices and reap the benefits of IGEL’s already security-tough OS.  We provide two-factor authentication, smart card readers and trusted execution with our OS.

Try It!

IGEL OS 10.04.100 is now available.  Experience Secure Boot for yourself:  download the latest version or request free evaluation hardware.  You’ll see a lock icon on the system’s boot splash.  It indicates your IGEL powered endpoint has been activated with Secure Boot.

Simple, smart and secure. We never stop raising the security bar!

The post IGEL Raises the Security Bar Again with UEFI Secure Boot appeared first on IGEL.

The secret is in the software. When an IT professional thinks about a endpoint what might just come to mind is a device that is cheap for a reason as it does not provide the user-experience and management of a traditional personal computer. Yes, this is true for the traditional endpoint, but we don’t live in a traditional world. We have choices, and there are many companies out there today who are reimagining and thus disrupting entire industries. For example, Tesla for cars and IGEL for what is traditionally known as a endpoint.

The secret is in the software. Over the past 20 years, IGEL has been heads down not looking at a endpoint as a hardware solution but as a software one. Now in 2018, we find ourselves with the most powerful, real-time, platform for deploying and managing endpoints in the world today. The platform consists of two components, the IGEL OS and the IGEL Universal Management Suite (UMS). Together, they allow IT to centrally deploy, manage and update a modern, secure, operating system that was designed for Citrix, VMware, Microsoft environments on any x86 64bit device at any time. All centrally updated and managed.

The secret is in the software. The IGEL OS itself was 100% designed and built by our team of software developers in Augsburg Germany. The goal was to create a secure OS who’s every configuration can be turned on or off, or changed to blue or red. The result was the ability for IT to deliver an experience to the end-user that fits each user’s requirements and taste, oh and it’s secure too.

Did you know, a user can switch from one device to the next and always have the same user experience. Citrix gave us anywhere, anytime, any device access to the app and now IGEL gives us any, any, any (x86 64bit) access for the operating system and end-user environment. I’ve never understood how we centrally manage and deploy apps to gain the benefits of virtualization and centralization, but we don’t do it for the end-points. With IGEL you can…

IGEL developed the OS for this use-case. They did not retrofit a 1990s OS that has been updated every few years and patched every Tuesday.

The secret is in the software. The IGEL Universal Management Suite (UMS) is the brains of the platform. The UMS allow IT to securely manage the end-point device no matter where a user might find themselves in the world that day. IT does this through the ability to create detailed profiles consisting of applications to be deployed and managed to the look-and-feel of the user’s IGEL OS. Profiles are assigned to end-users based how IT defines them to be. It’s that simple. With over 7,000 different possible configurations the UMS allow IT to truly create a secure, productive, environment for the user while allowing IT to save money and manage users the way they should. Oh, all this is done in real time.

As an example of how scalable and straightforward it is to manage your end-points with IGEL, I like to talk about a customer named Luxottica. They are the owners of Sunglass Hut and Lens Crafters, to name a couple. I’ve personally shopped in both of those stores. Luxottica has over 30,000 devices in over 5,000 global locations. All managed by 1 person, and she does not even log in, but once or twice a month. Don’t believe me? Watch Chantell Comberger, IT Solution Architect at Luxottica discuss Luxottica’s IGEL environment at DISRUPT 2018, Austin. Need I say more? This is the power of the software!

The secret is in the software!

Above I mentioned Tesla! They are redefining what a car is, how it is sold, what it can do, and so much more. IGEL does the same thing. Like the Tesla, the secret is in the software. The Tesla today is faster and more efficient than it was two years ago. Why? Software updates and all Tesla owners receive these benefits, over the air and in real time. This is exactly how IGEL does it. If there is a new version of the IGEL OS, new configuration or application it is deployed in real time to the endpoint. It is that simple, that powerful and it just works. As Steven Burke, Sr. Editor at CRN, so correctly put it in his article titled, “The ‘Tesla’ Of End Point Management: IGEL Is Going Into ‘Disrupt Conference’ With Record Software/Channel Sales Growth.”

I can go on and on, but you get the picture. This is my short answer to why all the success. While everyone else saw endpoints as hardware, IGEL thought different and saw the secret in the software. The success comes from years of looking at the problem from the right viewpoint, the software viewpoint, and then IGEL built a solution that is flexible and power all while taking advantage of the modern requirements of computing, in real-time, in any location!

I will leave you with a quote from Steve Greenberg, Citrix CTP Fellow, CEO and Founder of Endpoint Computing, after spending just two days at the IGEL DISRUPT End-User Computing Conference in Austin, Texas.

“It is truly a ‘No Brainer.’ The premise of a secure cost-saving endpoint with excellent management capabilities will become the new standard for the end-point and business computing.”

The post The Secret to the IGEL Success? We Thought Differently appeared first on IGEL.

IGEL has acted quickly in response to the recently disclosed Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities with fixes released today.

As background, Meltdown and Spectre affect computer processors, with Meltdown (CVE-2017-5754, critical) affecting Intel CPUs only, and Spectre (CVE-2017-5753 and CVE-2017-5715, high) affecting processors from Intel, AMD and ARM. These vulnerabilities may allow software to read information from other programs and the operating system that they shouldn’t be able to access, for example passwords.

Today IGEL releases fixed firmware images and updates. IGEL strongly recommends updating your devices to these. Note: Any information provided does not release the customer from their obligation to test system modifications in advance. New firmware must always be tested in advance.

The following fixed versions are available for download at https://www.igel.com/software-downloads/

• Partial Update for WES7 and WES7+ with fixes for Meltdown and Spectre (CVE-2017-5754, CVE-2017-5715, CVE-2017-5753) and mitigations for Internet Explorer
• Windows 10 IoT Enterprise Private Build 4.01.140 with fixes for Meltdown and Spectre (CVE-2017-5754, CVE-2017-5715, CVE-2017-5753) and mitigations for Internet Explorer
• IGEL OS 10 Private Build 10.03.550 with fixes for Meltdown (CVE-2017-5754) and Spectre version 2 (CVE-2017-5715), Firefox ESR 52.5 is not affected
  • LX (for UD-LX devices)
  • OS (for UDC3-converted devices and UD Pocket)

The IGEL OS 10 Private Build 10.03.550 has been successfully tested on all IGEL UD-LX devices:

• IZ2-RFX, IZ2-HDX, IZ2-HORIZON
• IZ3-RFX, IZ3-HDX, IZ3-HORIZON
• UD2-LX 40
• UD3-LX 50, UD3-LX 42, UD3-LX 41, UD3-LX 40
• UD5-LX 50, UD5-LX 40
• UD6-LX 51
• UD9-LX Touch 41, UD9-LX 40
• UD10-LX Touch 10, UD10-LX 10

… and on the following 3rd-party devices:

• Acer Veriton
• Advantech-DLoG DLT-V6210
• Advantech-DLoG DLT-V7210 R
• Dell Wyse D10DP
• Dell Wyse D50D
• Dell Wyse Z90Q7
• Lenovo Tiny M600
• Fujitsu Futro X913
• Fujitsu Futro X923
• Lenovo M600
• Toshiba Portege X20W-D-11N

NEW: As of 2/2/2018 the new release contains the Kernel Page Table Isolation (KPTI) patch for the Linux Kernel which fixes Meltdown (CVE-2017-5754). Intel has withdrawn its processor microcode updates intended to mitigate the Spectre variant 2 vulnerability (CVE-2017-5715) because of undesirable side-effects that have been seen on some systems. IGEL has removed these microcode updates from IGEL OS as recommended by Intel. Apart from that, the IGEL OS kernel has received fixes for a dozen other vulnerabilities, details can be found in the release notes.

Mozilla Firefox has been updated to protect users from a side-channel attack that uses Spectre and from a number of other vulnerabilities. The default SMB version in IGEL OS 10 has been changed from 1.0 to 2.0 for security reasons. However, administrators can still set another version if desired. We recommend updating your devices.

The following fixed versions are available for download:

• IGEL OS 10.03.570 (LX) for updating IGEL UD-LX devices
• IGEL OS 10.03.570 (OS) for updating UD Pocket und 3rd-party devices converted with UDC3

Information about IGEL Linux 5:

Currently, there is no fix for IGEL Linux 5, as the Linux Kernel developers have not integrated measures against Meltdown into the 32-bit version of the kernel. This affects IGEL Linux 5 and all other 32-bit Linux systems on the market. Currently there is no Meltdown fix in the 32-bit mainline Linux Kernel, but it may become available later. In the meantime, protection from the vulnerabilities can be provided via microcode updates from the processor vendors. IGEL will integrate these as soon as they become available.

However, the Mozilla Firefox web browser in IGEL Linux 5 is not vulnerable to the JavaScript attack in the Proof-of-Concept, as it does not have the required high-resolution timers. Apart from that, removing the local browser is always a measure that improves device security, as it is often used for remote attacks. Learn how to do it at http://edocs.igel.com/index.htm#13934.htm. Also, Appliance Mode limits the parts of the system that users can access, further reducing the attack surface: http://edocs.igel.com/index.htm#13944.htm.

Further Windows Information:

Windows devices will also need microcode updates for a complete fix of Spectre.  IGEL will deliver these as soon as they become available.

It is our commitment to deliver the most resilient and secure endpoint security and optimization solutions possible. We will continue to pursue every avenue to deliver on this commitment so that our customers can be assured every protection for their IGEL-enabled end user computing devices. If you have any questions about these vulnerability fixes, please contact IGEL support here: https://www.igel.com/submit-a-ticket/.

The post IGEL Furthers Product Security with Meltdown and Spectre Fix appeared first on IGEL.

IGEL’s Skype-ready OS is in line with our vision to provide end users with the best possible high-definition, audio and video conferencing capabilities, regardless of which virtualization protocols they deploy.

Skype for Business support includes IGEL UD6 and IGEL UD9 Universal Desktop endpoints, the IGEL UD Pocket, and devices converted into IGEL OS-powered endpoints via the Universal Desktop Converter (UDC3), which meet the hardware requirements for optimal use.

Now our channel partners’ customers can communicate at the absolute highest quality level, and not be limited by VDI protocol.   We’ve all suffered through poor quality web conferencing sessions and appreciate how productive good audio and video quality can be!

To learn more about our innovations in this area and the software applications we support, click here, and let your customers know, once again, we’re solving a problem ahead of the game, and rest of the market!

The post We’re getting down to Business with Skype and VMWare appeared first on IGEL.

IGEL and Imprivata have combined to offer you full support for Imprivata’s ProveID Embedded (PIE) for Single Sign On solutions with IGEL OS 10 – the full 64 bit implementation that runs on pretty much any x86 device.  (Check out IGEL’s UD Converter and UD Pocket for a highly secure and manageable solution when you get a chance.)

So, if you’re looking for high performance, your wait is over, check out the press release here.

And to top it all off, one of our valued implementation Platinum Partners, Spadafy, was kind enough to record a short video (9m 30s) on how to configure the IGEL software for this implementation.  If you’re interested in supercharging your SSO solution, then check out this video.

P.S.  If you want more, don’t forget to check out our event series called DISRUPT EUC that we’ll be hosting in Bremen, Germany; Austin, TX; and Melbourne, Australia in the first quarter of 2018: www.disrupteuc.com

The post IGEL and Imprivata Deliver “Tap ‘n’ Go” Connectivity for Healthcare appeared first on IGEL.

It was great to see UD Pocket getting the recognition it deserves from the technology savvy readers who voted from publications such as Digitalisation World, Datacenter Solutions, Storage Virtualisation and Cloud. It’s further proof that our mission to bring the revolutionary micro endpoint to businesses is working.

The industry’s first Linux-based micro endpoint, UD Pocket has been designed to allow users access to their desktop while on the move from any device. No larger than a paper clip, you simply plug the device into the USB port of any PC, laptop or endpoint and it temporarily makes any Intel x86 64-bit desktop an IGEL endpoint without over writing the local OS. It gives the mobile worker instant access to their cloud services, server-based computing applications or virtual desktop and is automatically integrated into the IGEL Universal Management Suite (UMS) for remote support, deployment and management.

As well as another shiny award for the increasingly crammed IGEL trophy cabinet and a great party, hopefully, this latest recognition will further peak the curiosity of even more IT managers who are looking for a simple, secure and mobile desktop solution.

Now, where did I leave that trophy last night…

The post And the Winner is…UD Pocket from IGEL appeared first on IGEL.