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Check back for our new software video announcement!

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.

King of Prussia, PA- June 14, 2011 – Devon IT, Inc., a leading provider of thin client hardware, software, and virtual desktop solutions, today released the latest version of its Devon IT Echo™ Thin Client Management software platform that centrally manages thin client virtual desktops.
Devon IT Echo™ Thin Client Management Software Version 3.2 combines thin client management capabilities with connection management features. Whether overseeing complex, large scale hosted-desktop deployments or managing a small group of thin client terminals, IT personnel use Devon IT Echo™ to manage multiple desktops from one central location.

“Devon IT Echo is the premier tool for managing heterogeneous desktop environments,” says Joe Makoid, president, Devon IT. “We continually collaborate with the most progressive users of virtual desktops, along with leading industry VDI companies, to enhance a management platform that is easy to use, powerful, and flexible. During a time in which the major desktop and server manufacturers are expanding their virtual desktop offerings, improving upon our intuitive management platform is of the utmost importance, and we are committed to supporting the advancement of our industry and responding to our customers’ needs.”

Devon IT Echo™ Thin Client Management Software Version 3.2 can now be utilized to manage:
• Next-generation thin clients running Windows Embedded Standard (WES) or Devon Terminal Operating System (DeTOS 7), including the Devon IT TC5D and TC5Dc thin client models and Dell’s recently released OptiPlex FX130 and OptiPlex170 thin clients.
• PCs running Devon IT’s VDI Blaster™ software that converts old computers into virtual clients via USB, dual-boot, or full hard drive installation.
• Microsoft® Windows® Embedded thin clients, including connections, settings, and images for Devon IT thin clients running WES.
• Hosted desktop environments using the PC-over-IP™ architecture that combines remote workstations with high-performance desktop access devices including the Dell FX100.

“Devon IT Echo software is designed to provide IT administrators with a simplified, consistent way to cost-effectively manage hosted or virtualized desktops. We look forward to continuing the development of our products as more and more companies begin to look away from PC hardware and towards virtual infrastructures.”

Echo Availability
Echo is supplied with all versions of Devon IT VDI solutions and is also available from www.dell.com. For more information about Devon IT’s products that orderable from Dell, or to arrange for a proof-of-concept, email info@devonit.com, or call 610-757-4220 or toll-free 888-524-9382. Information is also available at www.devonit.com.

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

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

It is a compelling read and articulates that (many) factors need to be considered when deciding on a VDI strategy.  I highly recommend reading this blog and whitepaper but what it all comes down to at the end (spoiler alert) is: What is the goal of the organization and what is the desktop strategy that supports that goal.

In fact the very first comment post on the blog says as much:  ”does anyone ever have their senior management team/teams tell them their vision/strategies for the desktop or does it always boil down to the admins?”

How many companies sit down with their IT teams and actively discuss and review.  Right now, there are too many options for many companies to effectively consider.

Think about it, some of the considerations include:

• Server size and capacity, scalability and room to grow, how many cores etc.,
• Operating system, (still relatively straightforward with Windows the de-facto desktop standard.),
• Thin Client, how big, how fast, what thin client OS, windows or Linux based,
• Storage, including SAN, direct, NAS, etc.,
• Management software,
• Citrix, Microsoft , or VMware, for virtualization software.

Many of these are not easily alleviated today by VDI vendors. There are the normal software discussions, but also there are hardware issues as hardware vendors are structured to sell servers, storage and desktops.  In addition within a medium or large enterprise there are different operating units, with different balance sheets and different IT budgets.  Finally, many vendors structure their offerings around sales compensation, margins and overall corporate P&L.  It does not make the answers, or even the questions easy to come by.

My prediction is that a hardware or software company is going to figure this out and they will produce a system that is relatively easy to size and configure and they will be able to deliver a “turn key” virtual desktop solution to help alleviate much of the difficulty in planning for VDI. This will happen soon and when it does we are off to the races!

Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT

jmakoid@devonit.com

Some of VDI’s major benefits include: Centralized desktop management, Rapid client deployment, Improved security, Lower support costs, The ability to purchase lower-cost desktops or “dumb” terminals, Extended useful lifespan for desktop hardware.

As the IT community begins to realize all of these benefits, VDI vendors continue to battle for market dominance. And alliances are being formed to help certain companies get an edge over others.

Microsoft recognized the need to enhance its ubiquitous Remote Deskstop Protocol (RDP) and in 2010 announced RemoteFX.  This quantum leap in Microsoft remoting protocols leverages the power of virtualized graphics resources and advanced codecs to recreate the fidelity of hardware-assisted graphics acceleration, including support for 3D content and Windows Aero, on a remote user’s device. This allows for a local-like, remote experience from Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Services.  In addition to those experiences, they also announced RemoteFX will have generic USB redirection.  This will allow you to redirect virtually any USB device transparently over RDP, this provides several benefits:

• Support for more devices than previously
• Support for USB devices with thin clients
• No client drivers necessary
• Applications are transparent to redirected devices

Keeping in mind the availability of advanced VDI and remote display approaches from companies such as Citrix, VMware and others, Microsoft RemoteFX raises the bar but also adds to the need for a thorough and clear desktop strategy, especially for organizations looking to move to Server 2008 SP1.

Read more about Devon IT’s RemoteFX solutions at http://www.devonit.com/software/microsoft-remotefx/overview

You can also read the Dell Blog about Dell Desktop Solutions with RemoteFX

“We are pleased that the Devon IT TC5D thin client qualifies for the VMware Ready™ logo, signifying to customers that it has passed specific VMware testing and interoperability criteria and is ready to run in production environments”

The TC5D was the first thin client generally available with the powerful Intel® Atom™ processor, and is now the second PCoIP-enabled Devon IT model to receive VMware View 4 certification. PCoIP enables customers operating remotely to deploy full PC-like experiences, including multimedia capabilities, on a thin client. VMware launched VMware View 4, the industry’s only purpose-built desktop virtualization solution, with PCoIP functionality to significantly increase virtual desktop flexibility, quality, and scalability and help users cost-effectively deploy centrally manageable virtual solutions.

“We are pleased that the Devon IT TC5D thin client qualifies for the VMware Ready™ logo, signifying to customers that it has passed specific VMware testing and interoperability criteria and is ready to run in production environments,” said Bernie Mills, senior director, alliance programs, VMware.

“According to Gartner Inc. and other industry gurus, the thin client and hosted virtual desktop market is poised to explode, especially in corporate environments,” says Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT. “The practicality and cost benefits of these alternative desktop platforms are leading reasons why IT administrators are taking data off of the desktop and putting it back in the datacenter. We are proud that the TC5D has collaborated so well with View 4, and we expect this solution to help many customers save IT dollars without sacrificing performance.”

The VMware Ready program is a VMware co-branding program for qualified partner products and is a benefit of the VMware TAP program. With more than 1,300 members worldwide, the VMware TAP program works with best-of-breed technology partners to provide them a comprehensive set of VMware technical and marketing services, support, tools and expertise to deliver enhanced value to joint customers.

Devon IT engineers are available for technical demonstrations and webinars for the media, and are available to comment on all topics relating to thin clients, alternative desktop solutions, desktop and server virtualization, and cloud computing. More information about the company’s hardware and software solutions are available at www.devonit.com.

“The development of VDI Blaster™ was a natural extension of Devon IT’s commitment to providing cost-effective, secure, and more manageable alternative desktop solutions to traditional PC environments”

Users download VDI Blaster™ to old PCs via a USB key or a network install for only $19.99. VDI Blaster™ deploys Devon IT’s thin client operating system, Devon Terminal Operating System (DeTOS™), and Devon IT’s proprietary thin client management software to help IT administrators manage enterprise-wide deployments from a central location. Now users can select to boot into their normal Windows operating system, DeTOS™, or VMware View 4, the industry’s only purpose-built desktop virtualization solution.

“We are pleased that VDI Blaster qualifies for the VMware Ready™ logo, signifying to customers that it has passed specific VMware testing and interoperability criteria and is ready to run in production environments,” said Bernie Mills, senior director, alliance programs, VMware.

“The development of VDI Blaster™ was a natural extension of Devon IT’s commitment to providing cost-effective, secure, and more manageable alternative desktop solutions to traditional PC environments,” says Stephane Verdy, CTO for Devon IT. “VMware shows a similar commitment to desktop virtualization by advancing VMware 4 and other streaming technologies. We are proud to provide both of these innovations together to help continue to momentum from bulky PCs to thin client infrastructures.”

Devon IT’s CTO, Stephane Verdy, routinely offers technical demonstrations and webinars for the media, and is available to comment on all topics relating to thin clients, alternative desktop solutions, desktop and server virtualization, and cloud computing. More information about the company’s hardware and software solutions are available at www.devonit.com.

The VDI Blaster software suite was launched in August 2009 to help users repurpose PCs into thin clients, extending the useful life of PCs while testing virtual desktop environments. Version 1.1 now supports VMware View™ 4 and PC-over-IP® (PCoIP®) which gives users true PC experience, including with multimedia. The upgraded version 1.1 also includes the ability to boot VDI Blaster from a USB key or CD-ROM, in addition to network installation.

“VDI Blaster gives organizations the ability to transform portions of their IT infrastructures from PC environments to virtual desktops overnight. We’ve found that the ability to repurpose and reuse existing PC asseys has not only extended organizations’ capital investments, but also helped them realize the cost, security, and manageability benefits of switching to hosted clients,” says Joe Makoid, President, Devon IT. “This new release of VDI Blaster expands this effort and gives IT teams and users the chance to experience the power of PCoIP with VMware View 4 and other applications, and the flexibility to boot in various forms. The software’s price point is also very appealing to customers.”

Once VDI Blaster is deployed, users can select to boot into Devon IT’s newest thin client operating system, Devon Terminal Operating System 7 (DeTOS™). Devon IT’s thin client management software is also downloadable for free to help IT administrators manage enterprise-wide deployments of thin clients and/or repurposed PCs from one central location.

Devon IT engineers are available for technical demonstrations of VDI Blasters and informational webinars for the media, and are available to comment on all topics relating to thin clients, alternative desktop solutions, desktop and server virtualization, and cloud computing. More information about the company’s hardware and software solutions are available at www.devonit.com.

According to Gartner Inc., the worldwide hosted virtual desktop (HVD) market is expected to reach 49 million units by 2013, up from over 500,000 units in 2009. Worldwide HVD revenue is expected to grow from about $1.5 billion in 2009, which is less than one percent of the worldwide professional PC market, to $65.7 billion in 2013, equal to over 40% of the worldwide professional PC market. U.S.-based Devon IT works with over 100 European distributors and resellers, including TDIST, a leading provider of IT products to the value added reseller channel.

“The European thin client market has always been larger than that of the United States, and our precipitous sales growth in the region sparked the need for expansion,” says Adrian Hedges, general manager of European operations for Devon IT. “We’ve seen an uptake in virtual desktop deployment worldwide, fueled by VMware’s View software, and tremendous interest in centrally managing desktops. Our Intel Atom processor-based TC5 thin client and thin client management software fit perfectly with virtualization software, and we are poised to increase our global presence in the booming virtual desktop market.”

“It is no secret that users are increasingly deploying virtualization and wireless technologies across Europe, and that this trend will continue indefinitely,” says Steve Hawes, Marketing Director for TDIST. “Companies like Devon IT have introduced advanced thin client hardware and software technologies to the marketplace and have destroyed performance and cost barriers formally prohibiting widespread adoption of hosted virtual desktops. We expect Devon IT to continue its exceptional growth into the European market, and are proud to expand revenue opportunities for resellers with Devon IT.”

Devon IT engineers are available for technical demonstrations and webinars for the media, and are available to comment on all topics relating to thin clients, alternative desktop solutions, desktop and server virtualization, and cloud computing. For demonstrations in Europe, please call +44 (0)121 222 5500. More information about the company’s hardware and software solutions are available at www.devonit.com.