Devon IT attended Citrix Synergy in San Francisco, CA from May 9-11. We’ve been attending Citrix events since 2005 and this year’s Synergy was certainly not a disappointment.

Synergy boasted its largest attendance this year, with a record-breaking 6500 attendees from 50 countries. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth to play basketball, drink beer, or scanned his or her badge for a chance to win our raffle. If you did enter the raffle for the Acer tablet, stay tuned for the upcoming winner announcement!

If you didn’t get the chance to talk to us, or had more questions about any of our products, schedule a webinar to learn more!

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., May 08, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Devon IT, Inc., a leading provider of thin client and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) software and hardware solutions, today announced the FX1 thin client, a dual digital display thin client featuring an ARM(R)-based system-on-a-chip (SoC). The FX1, built around the DM8148 ARM applications processor from Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI), is designed to provide users with an advanced, high-performance thin client at a low price.

“We’re seeing widespread interest in the ARM SoC processor for the thin client platform segment, signaling high demand from a variety of industries,” says Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT. “It’s a cost-effective solution for the delivery of improved performance and energy efficiency in an enclosed, fanless system. Leveraging the high-definition user experience capabilities of Citrix HDX, the FX1 provides an excellent experience for demanding users who require multi-monitor support and high-definition video at a low cost.”

“The ability to deliver a high-definition user experience for virtual desktops is a key requirement to drive enterprise-wide adoption of desktop virtualization. Citrix innovations around incorporating market-leading HDX capabilities into standards based SoC processors allow partners like Devon IT to offer new products with unmatched performance at dramatically reduced price points,” said Aimee Catalano, vice president, alliance marketing at Citrix.

“We are in the cloud communications era, and TI’s embedded solutions support a new generation of thin clients with critical performance and power value advantages,” said Kim Devlin-Allen, business manager for TI’s thin client business. “With its next-generation thin client solutions, Devon IT is taking full advantage of one such TI solution–the high performing, low-power DM8148 applications processor–to deliver the advanced VDI and accelerated multimedia experiences desktop users demand.”

Available in the third quarter of this year, the FX1 thin client is based on TI’s 1GHz DM8148 SoC with integrated video acceleration, enabling the device to support high-end features such as HD video. The thin client also utilizes dual Digital Video Interface (DVI) output for dual HD monitor connectivity, a feature not seen before in such a low-cost device.

The FX1 is designed to serve as the endpoint for user access to virtual desktops, and will be available with either DeTOS(TM) or the recently announced Windows 8 Run Time (RT). It will include optimized versions of Citrix Receiver(TM) for access desktops, applications and data delivered via Citrix XenDesktop(R).

The Citrix HDX-capable, ARM-based thin client will allow users to take advantage of rich media features such as 3D user interface, full-motion video, animations, and portable graphics stacks like Microsoft Silverlight and Flash, as well as a diverse array of client-side services. This powerful terminal can deliver a truly HD experience while being energy efficient enough to utilize power over Ethernet technology.

“The FX1, operating with TI’s powerful DM8148 ARM applications processor, offers high-performance Internet and application capabilities with dual digital video capability at a very attractive price,” continues Makoid. “Devon IT’s goals have always been anchored in driving innovation to develop high-performance products that use less energy and reduce IT costs across the board. We are excited to work with our customers and our industry partners, including Citrix, to deliver the enterprise-wide benefits of the FX1 to customers needing high-performance, low-cost IT solutions.”

The FX1 thin client is available for product reviews upon request. More information on the new FX1 and all Devon IT thin clients is available at http://www.devonit.com/hardware . For more information about virtual desktop hardware and software solutions or to schedule a private demonstration, email info@devonit.com or call (610) 757-4220 or toll-free at (888) 524-9382.

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., May 08, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Devon IT, Inc., a leading provider of thin client and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) hardware and software solutions, today announced the powerful Devon IT TC6 thin client based on AMD’s Dual Core G-T56N 1.6 GHz Processor with AMD Radeon(TM) HD 6320 Graphics. The TC6 will be fully manageable by Devon IT’s Echo thin client management software.

“The TC6, operating with AMD’s powerful, newly-designed processor, sets the thin client computing industry standard with high-performance application capabilities that rival the user experiences delivered by PCs,” says Joe Makoid, president of Devon IT. “Devon IT’s goals have always been anchored in driving innovation to develop high-performance products that use less energy and reduce IT costs across-the-board. We are excited to work with our industry partners, including Citrix and Microsoft, to deliver the enterprise-wide benefits of the TC6 to customers needing high-performance, low-cost IT solutions.”

The Devon IT TC6 features a dual-core AMD G-series processor with integrated discrete-class AMD Radeon graphics, which at 1.65 GHz provides customers with ample power for the most rigorous remote business graphics needs. The TC6 is fanless to help companies reduce noise in office environments and eliminate moving parts to increase the life-span of their end point devices.

“We’re seeing widespread interest in the AMD Embedded G-Series platform in thin clients, signaling high demand from a variety of industries,” says Buddy Broeker, Director, Embedded Solutions, at AMD. “The Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) combines a low-power CPU and a discrete-level GPU into a single integrated unit, which delivers an exceptional multimedia experience for low-power and small form factor thin clients.”

Product features include:

– Available with Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 7 (WES7) or the industry leading Devon Terminal Operating System (DeTOS)

– Fully manageable by the Echo management software

– Dual Core AMD G-T56N 1.6 GHz Processor with AMD Radeon(TM) HD 6320 Graphics

– Dual DisplayPort

– DisplayPort to DVI and DisplayPort to VGA adapters optional

– Four USB 2.0 ports

– Two USB 3.0 ports

– 2 GB DDR-3 RAM (Configurable up to 8GB)

– 8G SSD HDD

– Internal Wireless Option with hidden Internal Antenna

The Devon TC6 supports thin client operating system software including Microsoft Windows(R) Embedded Standard (WES7) and Devon Terminal Operating System (DeTOS). The latest release of DeTOS includes powerful upgrades including wireless support, RDP 7.1, the latest Citrix Receiver 12, a new first boot wizard, and Devon Zero, a zero client configuration mode.

The new TC6, as with all VDI and thin client devices that run Devon IT’s DeTOS or WES operating systems, can be managed by Devon IT’s Echo thin client management software. Echo thin client management software automates the distribution of settings and connections to the thin client terminals, enabling system and desktop administrators to create or copy new arrangements of settings, connections, and disk images to tailor the IT environment to their needs. Among the many available settings that can be utilized is the ability to apply a password for the DeTOS control panel that prevents the end users from altering or creating connections, giving administrators greater ability to avoid end user error.

The TC6 with the AMD G series dual core processor and its discrete-level GPU is capable of handling a high level of display updates. Coupled with the latest high-quality remote access protocols such as Citrix ICA with HDX or Microsoft RemoteFX, the TC6 provides an ideal powerful and cost effective thin desktop for demanding users who require multi-monitor support, high-definition video, and use high throughput devices such as VOIP headsets.

“Our customers continue to show an increased interest in deploying thin clients for improved security and management,” noted Ian Geiser, Devon IT’s CTO. “However, they don’t want to compromise on user experience. Devon IT’s TC6 is fully capable of supporting the latest remote access protocols today but also is designed to handle future enhancements to virtual desktop technologies.”

“Thin clients continue to advance rapidly, and Devon IT remains committed to advancing the virtual desktop space,” says Makoid. “I look forward to continuing our partnership with industry leaders such as Citrix and Microsoft and expanding the use of thin clients and the server-based computing model across our collective customer bases.”

The cost-effective TC6 thin client will be offered at industry-best low-cost pricing. Email Devon IT at info@devonit.com or call 610-757-4220 or 888-524-9382 for pricing information. Visit Devon IT at the Citrix Synergy conference at booth #519 for demonstrations.

For more information about virtual desktop hardware and software solutions or to schedule a private demonstration, email info@devonit.com or call (610) 757-4220 or toll-free at (888) 524-9382

Partner and Customer Reviews

“The Devon IT TC6 thin client will allow our customers to take full advantage of the Citrix HDX experience with XenDesktop. With the full capabilities of HDX, Citrix provides the only desktop virtualization solution that can deliver a high-definition experience, allowing users to have the same experience with virtual desktops that they have come to expect from a traditional PC when using graphically-intensive or multimedia applications,” said Chris Fleck, vice president of mobility solutions and alliances at Citrix. “Devon IT is a driving force in the thin client market and the TC6 continues the trend.”

“As organizations continue to deploy virtualized, or session-based, desktops using Windows RemoteFX, client devices have to support a premium user experience for connected workers, while offering flexibility with an increasing variety of endpoint devices,” said Dean Paron, Principal Group Program Manager, Windows Server and Virtualization, at Microsoft Corp. “Devices that support Windows RemoteFX enable remote workers to access any type of application or screen content, including rich media and 3D applications, and enjoy a local-like user experience over the LAN. Devon IT’s new TC6 thin client device will help deliver an innovative RemoteFX solution to enterprises looking to maximize their IT investment.”

“For virtual desktops to replace PCs, it is critical that the total CAPEX and OPEX cost per desktop be lower than a physical PC, while at the same time delivering a better than PC user experience. Traditionally, Thin clients and storage are the two largest cost components of virtual desktops,” said Bernard Harguindeguy, CEO of Atlantis Computing. “Devon IT and Atlantis Computing solutions drive down the cost of virtual desktops and provide users with an amazing user experience. With energy efficient thin clients and Atlantis ILIO Diskless VDI that eliminates all storage from VDI, the power savings alone make it compelling to move to virtual desktops.”

After comparisons with other leading thin client brands, ReMarx Medical Services adopted the new TC6 because of its advanced features and cost. “The TC6 is an ideal client to connect to remote virtual desktops hosted on a cloud,” explained ReMarx Medical Services COO Richard Woodfield. “We were looking for a powerful desktop device to provide virtual desktop access for our employees. The TC6 provides very rich graphics in a thin client, making it a very powerful and cost-effective alternative to traditional desktop and current thin clients.”

Going to Citrix Synergy this year? Us too!

Come meet us in booth #519 and enter for a chance to win some big giveaways.

We are so excited to join our partners, Citrix, at this year’s Synergy. Devon IT fits right into this year’s theme: The cloud era is here. We agree! Want to know more about our thin client solutions? Click here.

Check back next week for our Top Trade Show Tips live from the show!

Want to meet up at Citrix? Contact us! We’d love to connect.

Devon IT will offer user demos of its Citrix HDX Ready™ thin clients, and its VDI Blaster™ software that repurposes PCs as thin clients.  Devon IT will also offer live tweets from the tradeshow floor and you can follow Devon IT on Twitter @DevonIT.

The new Devon IT solutions include ARM SOC-based thin clients as well as the very latest advanced processors with features that are designed for knowledge-based workers focused on multimedia and content creation.  The solutions provide the following features:

• Productivity and connectivity designed for quick and easy deployment and management with optional support for dual monitors
• Business Class Control by allowing IT to centrally manage data and images in the data center
• Reliable and flexible fan-less systems with no moving parts that are designed for a long life of service.

Devon IT offers a comprehensive set of software solutions to improve the manageability and control of the latest  thin clients. These solutions, including Devon IT Echo™ Management Console and Devon Terminal Operating System (DeTOS), provide support for Microsoft Windows Embedded and DeTOS thin clients and allow access to Citrix XenApp or XenDesktop, Microsoft Remote Desktop Services, and web-based applications. Additionally, Devon IT VDI Blaster supports a wide array PCs while maximizing life and extending capital investments by allowing quick conversion to a thin client system.

“Citrix continues to evolve its leading remote desktop solutions to meet the growing needs of virtualization and cloud computing users,” says Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT. “For years we have worked with Citrix and aligned our products with their application delivery solutions to provide the best desktop experiences to users. We are proud to let users test our newest Citrix Ready desktop technologies at Synergy.”

HDX technology in Citrix XenDesktop™ delivers a high-definition user experience of virtual desktops and applications. The Citrix HDX Ready designation is reserved for thin client devices like the TC5X, built with the powerful Intel® Atom™ n270 1.6GHz dual threaded processor, that have been verified to work with HDX technology in both XenDesktop and Citrix XenApp™.

For more information about virtual desktop hardware and software solutions or to schedule a private demonstration, email info@devonit.com or call (610) 757-4220 or toll-free at (888) 524-9382. For more information about information about Devon IT’s software customization services,  DeTOS™, Echo™, and VDI Blaster™, please visit www.devonit.com/software.

Devon IT’s package management allows for easier customization for thin client software. Updates, customized codices, and alterations to software applications can be placed into individual packages to be applied to Devon IT software.  The packages allow for edits and updates to occur without a major overhaul of the entire software system.

System administrators can install packages to update only the necessary items without needing a revision of the entire system.  Additionally, these packages can be easily disabled as needed, granting more control over the environment.

“We are constantly advancing our software offerings to our clients in an effort to make the management of virtualized systems easier to maintain,” says Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT. “The package manager makes the implementation of software customization a much simpler process.”

In Echo™ 4.2, Devon IT’s management software, and DeTOS 7.1.1, Devon IT’s operating system, it will no longer be necessary to apply entire images to update or replace a single aspect of DeTOS. With the new package manager in DeTOS, updates and software packages can be incorporated into already existing images through local application. This makes customization a much simpler process, and gives system administrators a lot more freedom when it comes to specializing their environment.

On the management end, Echo™ 4.2 will include the ability to inventory and manage these update packages through the management console. The ability to push individual packages down to multiple terminals from a central location will give system administrators a valuable tool for updating and customizing even the largest environments with ease.

For more information about virtual desktop hardware and software solutions or to schedule a private demonstration, email info@devonit.com or call (610) 757-4220 or toll-free at (888) 524-9382. For more information about information about Devon IT’s software customization services,  DeTOS™, Echo™, and VDI Blaster™, please visit www.devonit.com/software.

Regardless of how large a number is, the minute a zero is introduced into the equation that number plummets to zero. Zero really means nothingness, the absence of value. Zero. What would a zero mean if placed in an equation determining the value of your thin client implementation?

In this case, we’re going to  substitute a large number with a check mark and a zero with an “x.” Let’s do a little math discovery…

1. Server – How many? What type?

The first component of a virtual environment is a server. Depending on the size of your deployment, multiple servers could be required. There are also options for how these servers store data: while a rack server is great for enterprise-sized deployments, it might not be necessary for a smaller deployment to a single classroom, for example. Knowing which servers to get depends largely on the size of the deployment and the scalability of the VDI solution being implemented.

2. Hypervisor – What are the needs of your environment?

The next component of a successful VDI is a hypervisor. There are many kinds of hypervisors that differ depending on what sort of environment you’re setting up, but they all perform the same basic function. The hypervisor allows the servers to run multiple virtual machines. Common hypervisors are Hyper-V for RDP connections, XenServer for Citrix ICA, and ESXi for VMware.

A virtual machine is essentially a self-contained instance of an operating system running on a server and being managed by a hypervisor. These virtual machines are what make VDI possible. One server can host many virtual machines, and these virtual machines provide the end users with complete desktop experiences that are independent of each other.

3. Terminal – Which option is right?

The next stop in VDI is the terminal. A terminal is what connects the server and virtual machine to the user’s desktop and connects to the monitor, mouse, and keyboard. There are many different options when it comes to terminals, and many different terminals can be used within the same VDI. This gives IT departments the freedom to choose the terminal that best suits the needs of their users.

4. Management Platform – Provides the greatest benefits of VDI, which one to choose?

The last stop for successful VDI is a management platform. In large deployments, maintaining a virtualized environment without good management software can be daunting. It can require many IT employees scrambling around trying to keep up with any issues that the users may encounter, and really loses out on one of the greatest benefits of VDI. Good management software will allow the system administrator to trouble shoot, update, and monitor all the terminals in their system from a single location. This method of maintaining a virtualized environment streamlines the maintenance process.

There are many options that can be used in each of the components mentioned above. Determining which setup to go with is a process that must account for what your IT goals are and what the needs are of your end users. However, understanding the basic components to a successful VDI deployment is the first step to saving time, money, energy, and effort.

Thin Client Notebook Solution For Healthcare Offers HIPAA Compliance Solution

KING OF PRUSSIA, PA – March 29, 2012 – Devon IT, a leading provider of thin client and VDI hardware and software solutions, today announced the availability of SafeBook™ for Dell Rx, the thin client notebook that enables secure, mobile computing for healthcare professionals and supports the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

A recent report from the Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST) shows that the biggest cause of HIPAA data breaches is theft and loss of laptops and other portable media. Many reports on laptops in healthcare suggest solutions that rely on users to secure their data or their device. Thin clients alleviate the human aspect of data security by ensuring that all data resides on the servers. Even if a thin client note book is lost or stolen, no sensitive data such as patient information is compromised on the device.

“Healthcare organizations need a comprehensive solution to secure and manage multiple device types and platforms. Devon IT has once again collaborated with Dell to provide advanced virtual and hosted desktop technologies capable of transforming the way IT pros think about computing,” says Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT. “The SafeBook for Dell Rx, based on Dell notebooks, is the latest thin client offering from Devon IT and provides all the advantages of a Dell notebook with the benefits of a thin client approach.”

Devon IT thin clients come bundled with Devon IT’s Echo™ Thin Client Management Software. Echo™ is a unique and powerful software product developed exclusively by Devon IT that combines thin client management capabilities with connection management features. Customers use Echo™ to oversee large-scale hosted-desktop deployments, and also to manage small groups of thin client terminals. Customers who take advantage of any Dell or Devon IT thin clients devices benefit from a fully integrated management approach through Echo.

“As HIPAA requirements become more defined and pronounced, we will continue to develop new solutions to advance thin client technology, and are excited to offer this latest approach with Dell,” concluded Makoid. “All healthcare organizations need flexibility, mobility and the ability to secure their patient data. The SafeBook Rx offers the ideal combination of data access, portability and security for all types of healthcare organizations to help achieve HIPAA compliance.. Every healthcare IT department should evaluate the SafeBook.”

For more information about virtual desktop hardware and software solutions orderable through Dell, or to schedule a private demonstration, email info@devonit.com or call 610-757-4220 or 888-524-9382. For more information about Devon IT DeTOS, Echo™, and VDI Blaster™, please visit www.devonit.com/software. For more information about Devon IT Customization Services, please visit http://www.devonit.com/software/thin-client-software-customization/overview.