IGEL Technology, the world's largest Linux thin client vendor and the third largest thin client vendor (2008 by revenue, IDC), today announced that all of its Universal Desktop thin clients running Linux and Windows® Embedded Standard will be equipped with the new software client for VMware View™ 4, which includes support for the PCoIP® display protocol. The new IGEL solution can increase performance and improves the end-user experience in virtual desktop environments to such a high degree that workstation users, from clerks and managers to specialized designers, may no longer perceive a difference between virtual and physical desktops.
VMware View 4 with PCoIP is purpose-built for delivering desktops as a managed service over any network. The flexible access model enables users to work with a wide range of applications, view rich media content, choose any number of monitor configurations and seamlessly access locally attached peripheral devices such as printers, scanners and mass storage with a PC-like experience regardless of location or task. The protocol dynamically detects and adapts to the end user’s network connection, automatically analyzing and optimizing to compensate for changes in latency and bandwidth to help ensure the best user experience for the scenario. With all of these features, VMware View with PCoIP offers a powerful, attractive approach to desktop virtualization.
Proof-of-Concept: IGEL Uses This New Technology Itself
IGEL has also deployed this new technology at its own R&D center located in Augsburg, Germany, where its software developers can now make use of reliable, high-performance development and test systems employing IGEL Universal Desktops and PCoIP. At IGEL’s R&D center, all servers and desktops are virtualized with VMware vSphere™ 4, with provisioning and management of the virtual desktops being handled by VMware View 4. In addition to a uniform, integrated server solution with server and SAN levels, a management unit and a UPS system, IGEL has deployed additional UD5 thin clients (LX and ES) that are being used in parallel as softphones for VoIP service. This end-to-end solution has cut IT power consumption at this location by more than 40%. Additionally, the investment in server hardware, software licenses and new thin clients will pay off in only 27 months.
“In our latest firmware packages featuring VMware View™ 4, we’re passing along improved performance directly to our customers,” stated Dr. Frank Lampe, marketing director at IGEL Technology. “Even today, the TCO of virtual desktop environments with thin clients is significantly less than that of comparable environments based on conventional physical PCs. We expect the new software generation from VMware to accelerate the ROI even further and increase the demand for compatible thin clients.”
“VMware View™ with PCoIP® helps enable enterprises to become more efficient and agile, eliminating previous cost and quality barriers to desktop virtualization,” said Patrick Harr, vice president, Desktop Business Unit, VMware. “We're pleased that IGEL has added its new software client for VMware View 4 with PCoIP to the firmware for its Universal Desktop series. The combined solution can help customers realize significant increases in performance and end user experience while saving energy – as successfully tested by IGEL.”
Pricing and Availability
The new IGEL firmware packages featuring the software client for VMware View™ 4 with PCoIP will be available at www.MyIGEL.com free of charge starting in the middle of January 2010. All IGEL Universal Desktop devices with Linux or Microsoft® Windows® Embedded Standard 2009 will be able to use VMware View 4 with either the Standard or Advanced Universal Desktop firmware package.