IGEL Makes History at Microsoft Ignite – Delivers Linux-Based Edge OS for Windows Virtual Desktop

IGEL is a Microsoft Recommended Ecosystem Partner for Customers Deploying Windows Virtual Desktop

 This week during Microsoft Ignite marks a new chapter in the history books of IGEL, and Microsoft. It was announced that the Linux-based IGEL OS will support Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop customers, enabling enterprises to centrally manage, control and secure thousands of endpoint devices. Read the announcement.

Microsoft Supports Linux at the Edge

Why is this so historic? It’s an official statement of Microsoft support for having Linux-based operating systems on the edge when connecting to Windows Virtual Desktop-powered cloud workspaces. Read this quote from Brad Anderson, Corporate Vice President for Microsoft 365 in the Microsoft blog:

“IT pros are now able to provide the full Windows Virtual Desktop experience on Linux devices, adding to broad support across platforms that include Windows, iOS, MacOS and HTML5. Support for Linux devices is available now through IGEL, a key hardware partner, and we’ll soon extend this support model through a software development kit (SDK) so that a broader set of partners can innovate at the device layer.”

In fact, IGEL has been named as a supporting vendor for Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop value-added partner program “early adopters.” Here is the quote supporting this move from Scott Manchester, Group Program Manager, Windows Virtual Desktop and Remote Desktop Services at Microsoft:

“IGEL is a member of the Windows Virtual Desktop value-added partner program due to its ability to provide our mutual customers with a cost-effective and secure option to extend the life of desktops and laptops through its robust and secure edge OS for cloud workspaces. Customers will also benefit from the IGEL Universal Management Suite, which helps to simplify complex enterprise environments supporting the rapid adoption and scale of Windows Virtual Desktop deployments.”

What does this mean for the industry? We firmly believe that by having direct alignment with Microsoft, IGEL will help make customer adoption of Windows Virtual Desktop easier, faster and lower in cost. IGEL OS is not only perfectly suited for cloud-powered environments, it also helps enterprises extend the life of aging hardware and can work to rapidly address the challenge of Windows 7 and 10 migrations.

Watch this video of Jed Ayres, President and CEO of IGEL North America and Global CMO from Microsoft Ignite.

And a short video available on YouTube & Slack, with a few more details:

IGEL, Citrix and Ingram Micro Make Windows Virtual Desktop Adoption Even Easier

Furthering the rapid adoption of Windows Virtual Desktops, IGEL – in collaboration with Citrix and Ingram Micro – also announced from Microsoft Ignite a combined solution designed to simplify access to Azure-delivered cloud workspaces. Read the announcement.

Ideal for any organization that needs to migrate their aging Windows 7 endpoints before their end of support, this new bundled offering simplifies the delivery of high-performance end user computing with “anywhere access” in the cloud. Even for those that have already moved to Windows 10, this combined offer can virtually eliminate all the headaches associated with managing and maintaining hundreds or thousands of endpoints running full-blown Windows. Nabeel Youakim, Vice President, Product & Solutions Architecture at Citrix says:

“This new offer from Ingram Micro combines the unique strengths of both Citrix and IGEL to enable organizations to realize the full benefits of Windows 10 without the typical pain of migration. In particular, the new Windows 10 multi-session entitlements of Windows Virtual Desktops offer easy access to Windows 10 along and great economy for those looking to move to the Azure cloud. We used to say ‘the cloud is coming.’ Now it’s here with Microsoft Azure and WVD. With Ingram Micro’s new offer, Citrix and IGEL are playing a key role in making Windows 10 from the cloud the new reality.”

More information about the combined solution from Citrix and IGEL and available from Ingram Micro can be found in this solution brief, “Simplifying Access to Cloud Workspaces with Ingram Micro, Citrix and IGEL.” And to learn more about using IGEL OS with Windows Virtual Desktop, read the solution brief, “Fall in Love with Windows All Over Again.

Detailed sessions and hands-on workshops for using IGEL with Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop and Citrix and more will be featuring during DISRUPT 2020: the industry’s largest Cloud Workspaces Forum, which will be held in Nashville on January 27-29. Register Now.