Devon IT, an alternative desktop solution company and the fastest growing provider of thin client solutions, today announced the release of VDI Blaster™, a software program that extends the life of old desktop computers by converting them into thin clients.

Users download VDI Blaster to PCs via a USB key or a network install. VDI Blaster deploys Devon IT’s thin client operating system, DeTOS™, and upon restart users can choose to run DeTOS and connect to a network. In future releases, VDI Blaster will support other brands of thin client devices and allow administrators to manage them all from a single management interface.

VDI Blaster:

• Extends the useful life of aging PCs
• Use virtual desktops, simply and cost effectively with no hardware replacement necessary
• Maintains Windows desktop experience
• Centrally manage converted PCs
• Plug and play replacement of PC to a thin client when ready
• Convert back to Windows operating system as needed

“Using VDI Blaster to convert aging enterprise PCs into secure, managed desktop appliances enables organizations of all sizes to extend their capital investment in PCs while testing thin client computing models,” explained Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT. “Traditional desktops typically need to be refreshed or replaced every three or four years, but companies and organizations can now extend the life of these PCs by converting them into thin clients. Users can simultaneously test hosted client computing methods, and we hope VDI Blaster will continue the momentum of IT administrators moving from desktop PCs to hosted client environments.”

“The ability to re-purpose existing PCs into thin clients allows organizations to leverage their investments in existing desktop hardware while fully realizing the benefits of centrally controlled and managed desktop environments,” said Jerry Chen, senior director of desktop virtualization, VMware. ”The combination of Devon IT’s VDI Blaster and VMware View™ helps equip enterprises with a cost-effective desktop solution that eases the migration from a distributed desktop model to a more secure and flexible virtualized environment.”

“Despite the well-known benefits of virtual desktops, there are cost and operational barriers to overcome in the early stages of deployment,” explained Adan Martinez, IT Manager, BlueArc Corporation. “Many IT administrators struggle to justify additional hardware investments into thin clients when current PCs are functional, and rollback strategies must be created during the virtual desktop infrastructure. VDI Blaster installs a dedicated thin client on any PC without disrupting the existing operating system installation, making it the perfect strategic solution to eliminate these virtual desktop deployment obstacles.”

Devon IT’s VDI Blaster is currently available directly from Devon IT for $19.95USD. For more information about VDI Blaster and Devon IT’s server-based computing, or thin client technologies, or to arrange for a demonstration, email info@devonit.com, or call 610-757-4220 or toll-free 888-524-9382. Information is also available at http://www.devonit.com/software/vdi-blaster/overview .