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.

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.

Keep a look out for our next sneak peak video!

Questions or comments? Let us know!

Per our customer requests, we have created a “Software Education Series” with our software engineer, Phil Glover.  If you have questions about VDI Blaster or our Echo Management software, Phil will answer your questions.  The first video shows the three easy installation options VDI Blaster offers.

Keep a lookout for our upcoming videos.  And let us know what topics you’d like us to cover.

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.

http://content.dell.com/us/en/enterprise/virtual-client-value.aspx

The piece that has been missing from VDI is ease of deployment for SMB and the public sector. Large enterprises have figured out how to do it. In my opinion, this will create a massive market uptake for mid market companies as well as for the education and healthcare market.

Read the Dell announcement on the Dell site here: http://content.dell.com/us/en/corp/d/press-releases/2011-03-10-press-release-dell-desktop-virtualization-solutions-final.aspx

and a well thought-out blog from David Marshall at InfoWorld here: http://www.infoworld.com/d/virtualization/dells-new-services-ease-move-virtual-desktop-383

Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT
jmakoid@devonit.com

King of Prussia, PA – February 22, 2011 – Devon IT, Inc., a leading thin client hardware and software provider, today announced that its new Microsoft RemoteFX-optimized TC5Xc thin client running Windows Embedded Standard 7 will be released in the second quarter of this year. The TC5Xc will also be available through Dell at Dell.com.

“With Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1), Microsoft now offers new capabilities for Remote Desktop Services and RemoteFX,” explained Manlio Vecchiet, Director of Windows Server Product Management, at Microsoft Corp.   “These capabilities are   designed to improve the user experience  of Windows 7 virtual machines hosted on Server 2008 R2 SP1 systems.  Devon’s newly released products supporting RemoteFX will enable customers to realize great remote multimedia performance while gaining the benefits of a hosted desktop.”

RemoteFX takes advantage of GPU virtualization and advanced codecs  and delivers the full modern Windows 7 desktop experience, including multimedia and multiple displays, to thin clients,. The TC5Xc thin client will feature Windows Embedded Standard 7 delivering a highly secure environment to protect important data with the latest features for safe, seamless connectivity between the thin client and the network.

RemoteFX will be part of Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1.

“Devon IT is ecstatic to work with IT giants like Microsoft and Dell to deliver powerful solutions to remote users’ desktops,” says Joe Makoid, president of Devon IT. “The face of computing is changing in the midst of major IT organizations developing additional methods of delivering the desktop to users. We expect RemoteFX to continue the advancement of high-quality, PC-like desktop experiences to users of all intensity levels.”

Devon IT works closely with Dell’s Flexible Computing teams to deliver validated solutions that augment Dell’s traditional desktop offerings and enable IT departments to navigate their increasingly complex environment.

“IT administrators continue to strengthen their managed desktop arsenals by going beyond thin client deployments. They are leveraging hosted and virtualized desktops, PCs that access those desktops, flexible PCs that can act as thin clients, and thin client appliances that complement PC strategies,” says Makoid. “Devon IT has been on the forefront of developing and aiding these technologies for years. Working with Microsoft and Dell to once again provide thin client technologies for the future is a product of our continued commitment to make computing easier, less expensive, and more environmentally friendly.”

More information about DevonIT’s RemoteRX solutions are available at http://www.devonit.com/software/microsoft-remotefx/overview

For more information about Devon IT’s products orderable from Dell.com, or to arrange for a proof-of-concept, contact info@devonit.com, 610-757-4220, or toll-free 888-524-9382. Information is also available at www.devonit.com.  Read Devon IT’s “Thin Tank” Blog at http://www.devonit.com/category/blog

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Devon IT, Inc., a leading thin client hardware and software provider, announced today at Citrix Synergy 2010, www.citrixsynergy.com, the availability of two Citrix HDX Ready thin client solutions, the Intel Atom based TC5D and the SafeBook E5400X based on the Dell platform. More information can be found here: http://www.citrix.com/ready/list/products?partnerKey=devon-it-inc

HDX™ technology, Citrix XenDesktop® delivers a superior user experience for virtual desktops. The HDX Ready designation is reserved for thin client solutions like the TC5D and E5400X that have been verified to work with all of the HDX technology in XenDesktop and Citrix XenApp™.

“Devon IT continues to advance the capabilities of virtual desktop computing with their thin client hardware and software,” said John Fanelli, vice president , community and solutions marketing at Citrix. “Coupled with HDX technology these Devon IT thin client solutions provides an excellent experience for demanding users who require multi-monitor support, high-definition video and use high throughput devices such as VOIP headsets. Devon IT’s technologies complement and extend HDX capabilities to deliver a high-definition user experience and expand the ability of companies and organizations to offer virtual desktops to a wide variety of users.”

“Citrix HDX technology delivers an outstanding user experience playing a vital role in the adoption of alternatives to PC computing models,” says Stephane Verdy, Devon IT’s CTO. “HDX capabilities allow seamless multimedia, plug-and-play access to USB and other peripherals, high performance graphics, VOIP, and other key media imperative for business functionality. We are proud that our technology has grown with Citrix and that Devon IT thin client solutions such as the TC5 can advance side-by-side with XenDesktop to enhance the experience for thin client users.”

The TC5 was the first thin client generally available with the powerful Intel® Atom™ n270 1.6GHz dual threaded processor capable of dual DVI displays with a minimum desktop footprint. The SafeBook® E5400X – based on the Dell E5400 platform, is Devon IT’s third generation of SafeBook mobile thin client model and is orderable through Dell. All Devon IT thin client solutions can be managed by Devon IT Echo management software.

Devon IT engineers are available for technical demonstrations of all Citrix and HDX ready thin client solutions at the Citrix Synergy 2010 conference in San Francisco, May 12-14, 2010 in booth number 430. More information about the company’s hardware and software solutions are available at www.devonit.com.

“Employees crave options in where and how they work. And yet, IT still needs to enforce security and compliance of devices. The business is being pulled in two directions,” said Brad Anderson, corporate vice president of the Management and Services Division at Microsoft. “Microsoft’s desktop virtualization strategy is unique in addressing this balance. It builds on existing investments and comprehensive management to mitigate risks and control costs, while still equipping end users to be more productive from anywhere.”

Customers are also looking at desktop virtualization as a means to reduce costs and accelerate delivery of new applications. A new Microsoft total cost of ownership study on the use of application virtualization technology showed that customers using a Microsoft virtualization technology called Microsoft App-V achieved a 27 percent labor savings, and equivalent cost savings of $82 per PC per year, in application life-cycle management compared with those not using application virtualization. The study also demonstrated how Microsoft App-V helps IT professionals deliver applications more quickly and efficiently.

“We have a strong philosophy that IT is an enabler for the business, and we are always looking for the best IT solutions to meet the needs of our employees and customers,” said Chaz Spahn, senior systems engineer for Expedia Inc. “We’re working with Microsoft on our desktop virtualization projects. We’re using App-V in production and looking to virtualize about 90 percent of our applications. In addition, we have two use cases where we are exploring hosted desktops and foresee about 30 percent of our users could move to this platform. Microsoft was our choice since they have the right solutions to increase our speed of application and desktop provisioning, improve security and compliance, and provide integrated management across our physical and virtual environments.”

Microsoft outlined improvements that make it easier to access desktop virtualization. More information on today’s announcement and Microsoft’s virtualization strategy is available here.

New VDI promotions available for qualified customers to choose from today. Microsoft and Citrix Systems are offering the “Rescue for VMware VDI” promotion, which allows VMware View customers to trade in up to 500 licenses at no additional cost, and the “VDI Kick Start” promotion, which offers new customers a more than 50 percent discount off the estimated retail price. Eligibility and other details on the two promotions can be found at http://www.citrixandmicrosoft.com.

Improved licensing model for virtual Windows desktop. Beginning July 1, 2010, Windows Client Software Assurance customers will no longer have to buy a separate license to access their Windows operating system in a VDI environment, as virtual desktop access rights now will be a Software Assurance benefit.

New roaming use rights improve flexibility. Beginning July 1, 2010, Windows Client Software Assurance and new Virtual Desktop Access license customers will have the right to access their virtual Windows desktop and their Microsoft Office applications hosted on VDI technology on secondary, non-corporate network devices, such as home PCs and kiosks.

Windows XP Mode no longer requires hardware virtualization technology. This change simplifies the experience by making virtualization more accessible to many more PCs for small and midsize businesses wanting to migrate to Windows 7 Professional or higher editions, while still running Windows XP-based productivity applications.

Two new features coming in Windows Server 2008 R2 service pack 1. Microsoft Dynamic Memory will allow customers to adjust memory of a guest virtual machine on demand to maximize server hardware use. Microsoft RemoteFX will enable users of virtual desktops and applications to receive a rich 3-D, multimedia experience while accessing information remotely.

New technology agreement with Citrix Systems. The companies will work together to enable the high-definition HDX technology in Citrix XenDesktop to enhance and extend the capabilities of the Microsoft RemoteFX platform.

“By joining forces in desktop virtualization, Citrix and Microsoft can provide customers of all sizes with groundbreaking solutions that are profoundly simpler, richer and more cost-effective,” said Gordon Payne, senior vice president and general manager, Desktop Division, at Citrix Systems. “Today’s announcements mark a historic milestone in our 20-year relationship that will dramatically simplify desktop computing for years to come.”

In today’s webcast, Microsoft and Citrix executives, analysts, and customers will discuss today’s news and Microsoft’s desktop-to-datacenter virtualization strategy. Today’s webcast also marks the beginning of a 100-city, worldwide series of events to educate customers on the comprehensive portfolio of desktop and datacenter virtualization solutions provided by Microsoft and its partners, including Citrix. To join the dialogue, Twitter users can tweet their comments and questions to #MSVirt.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp. http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2010/mar10/03-18DesktopVirtPR.mspx