But none of these vital benefits can be realized without a reliable management system. To make a football analogy, running and passing the football is what you need to score touchdowns, but you can’t do either without an offensive line blocking in front of you!

So what features that make up a good thin client management system? It must be easy to set up. It also must have a well thought out GUI that is intuitive for any operator.

It should also interface with common database structures. In many cases the desktop environment is a hosted Windows desktop, MySQL and MS-SQL should be through the system.

Power is also key. Basic functionality should include, at minimum, the ability to inventory all available terminals on the network, apply connections and profiles, clone full disk images, and remotely shadow devices. End user authentication should be achieved using common authentication methods like active directory.

Especially today, it must also be cost-effective. Many of the powerful management platforms are offered for a nominal or no fee from the manufacturers. This is the case with Devon IT’s Echo™ Thin Client Management Software, Devon IT Echo™ Management Console Dell Edition, and HP Device manager.

I make all these points about device management as we at Devon IT launch our Echo™ Management Platform Version 7.1. Devon IT Echo™ is the result of 7 years of field usage in some of the most demanding data centers in the world. I think you will like what you see!

Please share any thoughts about thin client management software and systems as well.

King of Prussia, PA, November 30, 2011 – Due to the hugely successful offer for free VDI Blaster™ software, Devon IT has decided to extend the offer until December 31, 2011.

Devon IT, a leading provider of thin client and VDI hardware and software solutions, today announced the extended availability of free VDI Blaster™ software for any current Dell small and medium business (SMB) customers. This offer is valid for 20 copies of VDI Blaster™ available through the extended date of December 31, 2011.

Devon IT VDI Blaster™ continues to be the most popular software tool that enables a PC to act as a thin client in the growing VDI market. VDI Blaster™ offers the benefits of a thin client at a smaller cost than a new device. For the full list of all of VDI Blaster’s™ benefits, please visit www.vdiblaster.com.

“We were so thrilled with the success of this offer that we decided to extend it so that more customers can take advantage of risk-free VDI,” said Joe Makoid, president, Devon IT. “This free VDI Blaster™ offer will allow many users to test out the power of Dell’s offering for no up front cost. Dell’s SMB customers will be able to experience the value of virtualization that some of the world’s largest corporations and organizations are already seeing.”

VDI Blaster™ can be managed by Devon IT Echo™ – a universal thin client management software platform. Devon IT Echo™ ties everything together and is compatible with the entire Devon IT software stack. To learn more about Devon IT Echo™ please visit http://www.devonit.com/software/echo/overview.

Dell SMB customers should contact their Dell sales representative to confirm eligibility for this program. 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.

Some of the very best features of Echo™ have come from our specific interactions with our customers and with our partner Dell. With this latest release of Echo™ we have combined the feature, function, and scalability requirements for VDI implementations ranging from 100 desktops to global implementations in the hundreds of thousands.

All VDI and thin client devices that run DeTOS or Devon IT’s WES operating systems can be managed by Devon IT’s Echo™ thin client management software. This includes our TC2 and TC5, the Dell FX130 and FX170 OptiPlex thin clients as well as PCs repurposed with VDI Blaster™.

For more information about Devon IT Echo 4™ please visit our software page at http://www.devonit.com/software/echo/overview and you can view a preview of Echo 4™ on the Devon IT Thin Client TV YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/ThinClientTV#p/u/0/Z0ziFKR43HU

King of Prussia, PA, November 15, 2011 – Devon IT, a leading provider of thin client and VDI hardware and software solutions, today announced its latest release of the industry-leading Echo™ thin client management platform.

Devon IT’s Echo™ thin client management software version 4 is a unique and powerful software product, developed exclusively by Devon IT that combines thin client management capabilities with connection control features. Echo 4™ joins all of the features and function of previous versions, along with user interface and scalability enhancements required by the world’s largest VDI deployments.

“With this latest release of Echo™ we have combined the feature, function, and scalability requirements of Dell as well as our end user customers,” noted Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT. “This new and powerful platform is unique in that it is currently managing customer VDI environments ranging from 100 desktops to global implementations in the hundreds of thousands.”

All VDI and thin client devices that run DeTOS or Devon IT’s WES operating systems can be managed by Devon IT’s Echo™ thin client management software. Echo™ 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 was the ability to apply a password for the DeTOS control panel that prevented the end users from altering or creating connections, giving administrators greater ability to prevent end user error.

Devon IT Echo™ thin client management software version 4 offers the ability to:
• Manage next-generation DeTOS 7.0.4 thin clients, including Dell FX130, Dell FX170, and all Devon IT devices
• Manage VDI Blaster™ PCs: Repurpose your PCs with VDI Blaster™ and begin reaping all the benefits of thin client computing. Use Devon IT Echo™ thin client management software version 4 to centrally manage your newly converted hardware
• Manage Microsoft Windows Embedded thin clients: Manage connections, settings, and images for Devon IT thin clients running WES7 and WES09

Echo Features include:
• Scalability to manage very large VDI deployments in multiple locations
• Centralized Control – Add, delete, or change software and configuration without visiting each user’s desktop device
• Intuitive new UI with Web-based Management Console – Easy for administrators to learn quickly and use, and is accessible from any device on the network
• Backup/Restore – Backup creates a snapshot of the current management state that can be restored later via the Restore feature. This allows for disaster recovery, as well as persistence of management configuration and device inventory following management software upgrades
• Virtualized – Devon IT Echo™ thin client management software is distributed as a virtual machine. All required components are contained in the virtual appliance and there is no need to install a 3rd party web server or database
• Profiling – Ability to create and assign profiles to easily provision the thin clients’ configuration and role
• Event Logging – Communication events are recorded and can be searched for in the Web-based GUI
Echo 4™ also offers a wide range of cloning capabilities such as:
• Connections – Devon IT Echo™ thin client management software allows you to configure how your thin clients connect to your servers. You can create different types of connections, store them within the Devon IT Echo™ thin client management software database, and then apply them to other clients
• Thin Client Settings – These include display, sound, keyboard, mouse, printer, appearance, time, agent password, persistence, and network connections. Thin client management software allows you to clone these settings from one thin client, store them within the Echo ™ thin client management software version 4 database, and then apply them to other clients
• Complete Images – Devon IT Echo™ thin client management software allows you to perform full disk image cloning of your thin clients. Images can be stored on file servers and accessed using FTP or NFS protocols

For a sneak peak of Echo 4™ watch our CTO, Ian Geiser, give a demonstration of all the new features: http://www.youtube.com/user/ThinClientTV#p/u/0/Z0ziFKR43HU

For more information about Devon IT Echo™ and 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.

Leading Thin Client Solutions make Virtual Desktops an Attractive Approach for Companies and Organizations of All Sizes

King of Prussia, PA, October 25, 2011 – Devon IT, a leading provider of thin client and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) hardware and software solutions, announced today it is showcasing its thin client  and VDI solutions at the upcoming Citrix Synergy 2011 in Barcelona, Spain, October 26 – 28.  Devon IT will be in Booth # 509.

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 showcase the Dell OptiPlex FX130 and FX170 thin clients.

The new OptiPlex thin client solutions offer mobile, contract, remote and task workers connectivity within a desktop virtualization infrastructure. The FX170 is designed for knowledge-based workers focused on multimedia and content creation, while the FX130 is ideal for application and task-based environments.  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 and with no moving parts are designed for a long life of service and as the smallest OptiPlex systems at less than 1.5 inches wide and weighing less than 1.5 pounds, are designed to fit in a variety of environments; and,
• Dell ProSupport comes standard for simple, quick hardware replacement.

Dell offers a comprehensive set of software solutions to improve the manageability and control of the new OptiPlex thin clients. These solutions, including Devon IT Echo™ Management Console Dell Edition and Devon IT DeTOS Dell Edition, provide support for Microsoft Windows Embedded and DeTOS thin clients and allow access to Citrix XenApp or XenDesktop, Microsoft Remote Desktop Services, VMware View™ and web-based applications. Additionally, Devon IT VDI Blaster Dell Edition 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 orderable through Dell, or to schedule a private demonstration, email info@devonit.com or call 610-757-4220 or 888-524-9382.

Since they announced their expanded virtual desktop offerings in May, we’ve seen Dell positively impact the VDI marketplace. Their Dell Desktop Virtualization Solution (DDVS) display stood in the center of Dell World. The DDVS, anchored by their FX lineup of thin clients and reinforced by high-powered server storage and Dell edition Devon IT management software, show how well-poised Dell is to take over this expanding market

Dell truly offers everything necessary for today’s top virtualization solutions.

Devon IT is proud to be a partner of Dell, as we both work to unlock innovation across the VDI market and enable companies to fully realize the benefits of VDI.

King of Prussia, PA, October 11, 2011 – Devon IT, Inc., a leading provider of thin client and VDI solutions, today announced the availability of thin client operating system customization services. These services give companies the ability to deploy a customized thin client desktop based on the existing Devon IT DeTOS or Windows Embedded Standard (WES) thin client software and Devon IT Echo™ Management software.

“Our customers are using thin desktop devices and our management platform to help them realize the full benefits of a VDI solution today,” commented Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT. “But as virtual desktop adoption continues to expand, organizations are developing complex environments that require customized images. Our new software services for our desktop operating systems will help streamline these unique virtual desktop deployments.”

“Dell OptiPlex thin client solutions offer seamless connectivity within a desktop virtualization infrastructure,” said Juan Vega, director, Dell Desktop Virtualization Solutions (DVS). “By utilizing Devon IT software services, customers can increase the flexibility of Dell devices, enabling even better productivity and collaboration. Dell DVS is committed to offering an end-to-end client virtualization solution that delivers world-class performance, manageability and ease of use.”

Customization services are offered for all existing and new Devon IT and Dell thin clients. With these customization services, customers can:
• Add private encryption certificates for use with ICA and browsers.
• Change branding and desktop wallpaper as well as the boot splash screen.
• Add hardware support not offered by standard DeTOS or WES.
• Customize zero configuration images for clients.
• Customize default settings.

Additionally, PCs repurposed using VDI Blaster can also take advantage of Devon IT’s image customization services.

VDI Blaster™ and Devon IT operating systems 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. Both software products are available through Dell.

“Unifying the management of disparate thin devices is crucial in VDI deployments,” explained Makoid. “Echo, combined with custom DeTOS or WES operating system images, helps our customers integrate their heterogeneous desktop devices.”

Devon IT will be demonstrating its industry-leading thin client software and hardware solutions as a sponsor of Dell World in Austin, Texas, from October 12-14.

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.

About Dell World
Join us at Dell World 2011 – Unlocking Innovation in a Virtual Era. Bringing together top IT visionaries, leaders and experts, Dell World attendees will learn about and share some of the most innovative strategies and techniques taking place in IT today. Learn more at www.DellWorld.com or follow #DellWorld on Twitter.

About Devon IT
Devon IT, Inc, (www.devonit.com) is an information technology company that offers advanced thin client hardware and software for alternative desktop solutions. The company’s products and services provide enterprise customers with greater security, enhanced manageability, improved reliability, and lower costs. Devon IT develops products that support Dell’s virtual desktop computing solutions, and all of its products are orderable from Dell. Devon IT is also the creator of VDI Blaster™ (www.vdiblaster.com), a software suite that transforms existing Windows® PCs into virtual desktops. Engage with Devon IT online through its technical blog, “Thin Tank” (http://www.devonit.com/blog), on Facebook (www.facebook.com/devonit), on Twitter @DevonIT and @jmakoid, and on YouTube (www.youtube.com/thinclienttv).

© Copyright 2011. All company, brand, or product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders

Devon IT has worked closely with Dell to launch their FX130 and FX170 thin clients and Dell edition Devon IT software. Join us to understand how you can take advantage of Dell’s new desktop virtualization solutions.   Act now – webinar space is limited.

What You Will Learn

• Why You Should Consider Thin Clients & VDI
• How to Re-Purpose PCs into Thin Clients
  
• How Different Users Utilize VDI
• The Costs & Benefits of VDI
• Energy Efficiencies from Thin Clients

Webinar Series Dates

Register for a time below:

• Wednesday, August 24, 10:00AM – 11:00AM (EST)
• Wednesday, August 24, 12:00PM – 1:00PM (EST)
• Wednesday, August 24, 3:00PM – 4:00PM (EST)
• Thursday, August 25, 10:00AM – 11:00AM (EST)
• Thursday, August 25, 12:00PM – 1:00PM (EST)
• Thursday, August 25, 3:00PM – 4:00PM (EST)
• Tuesday, August 30, 10:00AM – 11:00AM (EST)
• Tuesday, August 30, 12:00PM – 1:00PM (EST)
• Tuesday, August 30, 2:00PM – 3:00PM (EST)
• Thursday, September 1, 10:00AM – 11:00AM (EST)
• Thursday, September 1, 12:00PM – 1:00PM (EST)
• Thursday, September 1, 3:00PM-4:00PM (EST)

Private Webinars Available: Devon IT offers private webinars to end users. Email us at webinars@devonit.com to schedule yours.

Check out Dell for industry leading VDI desktops and management    http://content.dell.com/us/en/business/d/sb360/fx170-thin-client.aspx

Read Devon IT’s technical blog “Thin Tank” at http://www.devonit.com/blog and follow Devon IT on Twitter @DevonIT and @jmakoid.

Golf  can seem complex, and so difficult to master.   There are so many moving parts, stance, weight distribution, clubs, the right golf ball, the right golf glove.  However, if you ask a golf professional, the most important piece may be the one that sometimes gets the least attention – the grip.  Yes, how you hold the club.  This is where everything starts and if not done properly can effect the ball flight , the distance and ultimately the score.

A good VDI implementation , much like good golf,  is at times difficult and even seem impossible to attain.

VDI involves many pieces, good server selection , a good fit that matches server horsepower with VDI workload, good network infrastructure that can support desktop cycles being moved to a data center.  The right storage selection whether SAN, NAS or direct attached is important for performance as well as economics.  All these aspects are critical, however, the piece that touches the user, much like a grip to a golf club is the desktop device, the thin client.  If the thin client is not good , the overall user experience will suffer.  Not only does the client device need to be well engineered to handle the  demands of VDI but it must be managed.  If the right management software is not in place, both users and administrators will be frustrated.

But – if the thin client is solid, if the management software allows low touch management at the end point well then the VDI implementation is destined for success.

Check out Dell for industry leading VDI desktops and management    http://content.dell.com/us/en/business/d/sb360/fx170-thin-client.aspx

Read Devon IT’s technical blog “Thin Tank” at http://www.devonit.com/blog and follow Devon IT on Twitter @DevonIT and @jmakoid.

King of Prussia, PA – June 29, 2011 – Devon IT, Inc., a leading provider of thin client hardware, software, and virtual desktop solutions, today announced full support for Microsoft® Office 365, the latest addition to the software giant’s growing cloud application suite.

According to Microsoft’s website, Office 365 is a service that offers customers the chance to pay a monthly fee to use its familiar Word, Excel, and PowerPoint applications online, as well as server software including its Exchange Online email program, SharePoint collaboration software, and Lync Online communications technology. The service will be hosted by Microsoft and telecom partners. Thin client portals accessing Office 365 application can be configured within an organization or home office for easy access to these leading applications hosted in the cloud.

“Microsoft Office 365 is a clear endorsement of an alternative desktop approach, and we’re witnessing very strong interest,” says Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT. “Many of our VDI customers are taking advantage of cloud computing where applications are no longer directly tied to a user’s desktop. Growing adoption will prompt more customers to migrate content from multiple locations to the cloud. Microsoft Office 365 gives organization a way to continue to use the standard applications while taking full advantage of VDI and cloud computing.”

Devon IT’s thin client solutions provide a fully-tested Office 365 plug-and-play solution and Devon IT thin clients running Windows® Embedded Standard 7 (WES7) are fully compliant with all Office 365 applications. Devon IT thin clients running its proprietary Linux-based Devon Terminal Operating System (DeTOS), as well as PCs repurposed with Devon IT’s VDI Blaster™ software, can immediately take advantage of the Office 365 service. Future releases of DeTOS and VDI Blaster will include enhancements that will enable Office 365 support out of the box.

“Our thin clients with WES 7 work perfectly with Office 365,” explained Ian Geiser, CTO for Devon IT. “WES 7 is an ideal Office 365 cloud endpoint for small businesses who do not wish to purchase a desktop PC, server, and support hardware needed for a small office.”

“We supported Office 365 beta customers for months and are excited to offer full support for the commercial release,” noted Makoid. “Devon IT is proud to be a part of the Office 365 community, and is committed to providing robust thin client solutions that will help users realize the cost and process benefits of Office 365.”