If you are involved in End User Computing in any way, shape or form, you absolutely must check out the details on the upcoming Digital DISRUPT Cloud Workspaces Forum.  For the first time ever, IGEL is hosting this event completely online.

The event will take place on Thursday, June 25th from 10am to 5pm (EDT).  To get the inside scoop ahead of the event, VMblog spoke with Simon Townsend, Chief Marketing Officer for IGEL.

VMblog:  Let's begin by defining exactly what Digital DISRUPT is?

Simon Townsend:  Over the last several years, the largest industry events have shifted their focus away from End User Computing (EUC). This has left IGEL with a tremendous opportunity to lead the charge in filling the void with DISRUPT, a highly targeted technical event focused solely on EUC and cloud workspaces, sponsored and attended by many of leading vendors and community experts.

Since we first launched DISRUPT in 2018, the events - now held in the U.S. and EMEA, have become tremendously successful. They provide an opportunity for vendors, experts, partners and customers to meet face-to-face and learn about everything EUC.

As everyone in our industry moves towards experiencing online digital events, attendees at Digital DISRUPT can expect the same warm welcome from everyone here at IGEL as they would at our legendary in-person DISRUPT forums. There will be plenty of opportunities to catch up with friends, colleagues old and new, as well as the entire IGEL team.

VMblog:  What is the theme for Digital DISRUPT? 

Townsend:  The theme for the Digital DISRUPT Cloud Workspaces Forum is "Re:Connect" and the event is devoted to reconnecting end user computing (EUC) professionals with thought-leaders, community experts and the world's leading vendors and innovators in EUC and cloud workspaces.

VMblog:  What do you feel are some of the biggest challenges that enterprises will face in the coming year?

Townsend:  Never has there been a time before when the value of EUC and cloud workspaces been so unmistakable. Over the last few months, we've seen work-from-home and remote work computing demands go beyond being simply being desirable to becoming vitally essential. Digital DISRUPT will take a deep dive into the trends and best practices that not only enable our new working reality, but that create opportunities for businesses to excel and thrive in the new normal.

VMblog:  Are there any new trends in the industry that people should be aware of or should keep their eyes and ears on the lookout for anytime during the show? 

Townsend:  Computing at the endpoint is changing fast, with new demands being placed on the rapid deployment, enhanced security, and simplified management needed by remote working environments. Bringing new thought leadership, insightful keynotes and valuable expertise, Digital DISRUPT 2020 is the go-to virtual event for all things at the endpoint. Attendees can expect the following from the event:

• Realistic insights from peers and technology vendors on how to keep users safe, secure and productive today and tomorrow - no matter what.
• Details on how organizations' values are shifting with a greater emphasis on the skills and expertise that enables innovative cloud workspaces
• Up-to-the-minute understanding of the leading technologies and solutions redefining how to connect cloud workspaces solutions across your organization

VMblog:  What are you most excited about in preparing for this event?

Townsend:  I'm excited to be able to hear inspirational and motivating keynote addresses from EUC thought leaders including Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL and Kam VedBrat, Group Manager, Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop, plus special comments from Scott Manchester, Partner Group Program Manager, Cloud Managed Desktops at Microsoft; Sridhar Mullapudi, Senior Vice President of Product, Citrix; and, Bharath Rangarajan, Vice President, Product Management, EUC, VMware.

The event will also feature a customer panel discussion with Kyle Edgeworth, Deputy Chief Information Officer, City of Corona; Dax Ewbank, IT Director, Technology Advancement and Optimization, Integris Health; David Faynor, IT Business Manager, Pittsburgh Mercy and Andrew Kisak, Clinical Solutions Architect, Pittsburgh Mercy. Together, they will share how to optimize security and productivity for the work-from-home workforce as we all navigate through this unprecedented global pandemic.

VMblog:  Can you talk about any of the sessions or discussions that are expected to take place at the event?  i.e. What are the hot topics? 

Townsend:  DISRUPT cloud workspaces Forum will feature many dynamic presenters. Notable half-hour long sessions include:

• Turning Your IGEL Endpoints into Remote Performance and Availability Sensors - the Easy Way, presented by Blair Parkhill, Director of Product at LoginVSI
• IGEL Product Update and Preview of What's Next, presented by Christian Werner, Manager of Product Management, IGEL and Michail Maridakis, Product Manager, IGEL
• Shift to the Cloud: how Citrix and IGEL Enable Business Continuity and Distributed Work, presented by Adam Lotz, Principal Product Marketing Manager, Virtual Apps and Desktops, Citrix
• Nerdio Manager for WVD and the Windows Virtual Desktop Opportunity in the Enterprise, presented by Bas van Kaam, EMEA Field CTO, Nerdio
• Hot Ones! with Printerlogic, presented by Brittany Fay, Senior Manager, Corporate Marketing, PrinterLogic
• IGEL OS 10 to OS 11 Migration & Trade-Up Program, presented by Christian Bermudez, Senior Solutions Architect, IGEL
• A Customer-Deployed 38,000 Desktops in Five Days with VMware Horizon Cloud on Microsoft Azure! Find out Why this Platform is so Powerful, presented by Gabe Knuth, EUC Product Team, VMware and Tom Campbell, Horizon Solutions Engineer, VMware
• The Future of App Delivery in Windows Virtual Desktop, presented by Christaan Brinkoff, MVP, Cloud Architect and Technology Evangelist
• Introduction to IGEL Custom Partition, presented by Jason McCallum, Solutions Architect, IGEL and Jeff Feige, Vice President Presales Engineering, IGEL
• Tehama Presents Phase 3: Smarter Connections, presented by Jaymes Davis, Director of Product Strategy, Tehama
• Don't Return to "Normal" - Make IT Exceptional, presented by Ben Murphy, Senior Director of Product Management, Lakeside Software
• Virtualize Everything; Running the Entire IGEL Stack in AWS, presented by Steve Mueller, CTO Hypersive
• Are Desktops Doomed? Not Exactly, presented by Dan O'Farrell, Senior Director Product Marketing, IGEL and Enit Nichani, Vice President of Marketing, IGEL and featuring research highlights from ESG
• Work from Home Anywhere! presented by Jason E. Smith, Vice President of Products & Solutions, Liquidware
• Conquer IT Blind Spots and Open Your Eyes with ControlUp, presented by Trentent Tye, Senior Citrix Technical Expert, ControlUp
• Using Storytelling to Power Your Business in Virtual Times, presented by Doug Keeley, CEO & Chief Story Teller, The Mark of a Leader

For a complete agenda and list of speakers, you can visit here: https://disrupteuc.vfairs.com.

VMblog:  Who are your event sponsors? 

Townsend:  Event sponsors including Microsoft, Citrix, VMware, ControlUp, Liquidware, Tehama, LoginVSI, Nerdio, Lakeside, LG Business Solutions, NetApp and PrinterLogic. During the event expo, attendees will have access to first-hand technical, product and service information from our sponsors. For a complete list of Digital DISRUPT sponsors, visit https://disrupteuc.vfairs.com.

VMblog:  Anything else attendees of this event should be aware of? 

Townsend:  Attendees should be prepared for eye-opening sessions from inspirational speakers on technology disruption in business. We are confident they will walk away with a more comprehensive knowledge of EUC and cloud workspaces, and we know they will have a great time! 

Also, don't forget to join us at the end of the day for the virtual happy hour and trivia session with raffles and prizes! Are you an IT Baller? Can you spell VDI? Do you know how to say "hedgehog" in German? Then put those smarts to use and WIN in the The Knowledge Base: IGEL's Online Trivia Game, hosted by DJ_Gersh and KimmyIQ! Turn your EUC know-haw into big prizes! Join us for a happy hour where the welcome is warm, drinks are cold, and the questions are hot! Everyone's a winner (provided you get a question correct)!

We will also be doing the first of three quarterly drawings for the Workplace CoolSpace Home Office Bundle raffle. A winner will be selected from North America and EMEA.

To enter the Workplace CoolSpace sweepstakes and drawing, complete the short survey at https://www.igel.com/workspacecoolplace using code eDISRUPT. This survey also gives you a chance to win a $20,000 home office makeover.

Oh, and just for fun and in the spirit of the current global climate, IGEL just recorded our very own Tik Tok video. Check it out.

VMblog:  If someone is interested in attending the 2020 DISRUPT event, where can they find more information and register?

Townsend: Register for Digital DISRUPT 2020 at: https://disrupteuc.vfairs.com.  

And don't delay, as to get you in the right "spirit," IGEL is giving away a free beer glass to everyone who registers, for that first libation of the Happy Hour (at least until we run out!).

IGEL Digital DISRUPT 2020 sessions will be available online for 30 days following the event on June 25^th. Register to gain access to the recorded sessions.