IGEL,
provider of the next-gen edge OS for cloud workspaces, announced that
world renowned architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, have implemented
virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) to enhance team collaboration, introduce
hotdesking and enable staff to access systems remotely from home or from
project sites globally.
The
firm was founded as the Richard Rogers Partnership in 1977 but over time
evolved and in 2007 the decision was made to rename the business Rogers Stirk
Harbour + Partners (RSHP). It is well-known for designing a wide range of
building types from offices, education, and retail to civic and healthcare.
Employing a staff of 200, it's famous for the Grade I-listed Lloyd's Building,
The Leadenhall Building - the so-called Cheesegrater where its head office is
based - Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport and The Macallan Distillery and Visitor
Experience in Scotland. The quality of its designs have been recognised by the
architectural industry's highest awards, including two RIBA Stirling Prizes,
one in 2006 for Terminal 4 Madrid Barajas Airport and the other for Maggie's
West London Centre in 2009.
Mark
Read, RSHP's head of IT says, "Rather than using standard PCs or laptops,
architects follow the film industry and rely on powerful graphics-based
software and workstations to do their work. But they were holding us back and
we couldn't get the flexibility we wanted. The idea was to develop a strategy
to introduce mobility into the practice so that staff aren't just stuck to
their desks but can work from anywhere irrespective of whether they are in or
out of the office."
Grid
technology powers VDI
A
key facilitator of this strategy has been the introduction of VDI along with
grid technology from NVIDIA. At its on-premises datacentre, RSHP has installed
VMware Horizon View running on seven high performance Dell EMC PowerEdge R740
rack servers - each with 24GB of system memory to fuel graphics power - with a
further three servers located at its disaster recovery site.
NVIDIA
Tesla P40 graphic processing units (GPUs) have been used to ensure that the
server-based graphics are then segmented and shared so that each member of
staff gets 1GB of performance. This is ample to run key applications like
Autodesk Revit, Bentley MicroStation, Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft Office
365 and a project information management system from New Farmer.
IGEL
OS allows workstations to be repurposed
To
maximise its investment in existing Dell workstation hardware, RSHP has
installed IGEL OS, allowing it to convert and repurpose these Windows machines
into Linux devices, thereby extending their operational capability to around
seven years rather than four as is currently the case - a 75% increase in
lifespan.
The
IGEL Universal Management Suite (UMS) is then used to centrally manage and
control them - a massive benefit to the IT team of four - as it saves time
having to go to individual desktops to update software, install patches and so
on. The new desktop solution was purchased through IGEL gold partner, Creative
Network Consulting based in London.
Read
says, "We looked at competitive products but they were a bit clunky. We wanted
something which offered a good end-user experience, fast login into VDI, was simple
to manage and which runs smoothly on each machine. That's what IGEL delivers."
Another
reason for the selection was IGEL's easy integration with Cisco Jabber for
instant messaging, video and voice calls and conferencing. Read adds, "Frankly
IGEL was the only solution where the telephony worked. With other suppliers,
you could see the softphone on the desktop but not actually hear anyone."
In
terms of roll out, further to a proof of concept with one architectural team,
RSHP will roll out the solution project by project - equating to about 15 teams
- a process expected to take no more than three months.
Work-life
balance realised; solution minimises the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak
While
it is early days on the project, RHSP is positive about its move to VDI and use
of IGEL OS. By avoiding an annual workstation refresh cycle, budget has been
reinvested into VDI - a platform which has delivered the flexibility the
practice was looking for, with even specific applications experiencing a
performance gain.
Read
says, "While there are clearly benefits to the IT team in terms of central
endpoint management, this project has been all about enabling staff to work as
they want to rather than being constrained by technology. VDI has introduced
full mobility and encouraged a better work-life balance so that architects can
now work when and wherever they like using whatever device they have on hand.
And it's simple to do so. It doesn't matter who you are, anyone can use the
system."
Read
adds, "In less than a few months, work-from-home and remote work computing
demands have gone beyond being simply desired to becoming absolutely essential.
VDI and IGEL are certainly helping us address the challenges presented by the
Coronavirus pandemic so we can continue to support and serve clients
effectively."
Andrew
Gee, IGEL's Vice President, Sales Northern Europe, says, "RSHP is a true leader
in its sector, not just in terms of the buildings it designs but the IT it
uses. It's one of the first architectural firms in the world to deploy VDI to
unshackle people from their desks and enhance how they work.