Easy conversion by means of the IGEL Universal Desktop Converter. Users of other brands can
now benefit from numerous features such as direct access to cloud services or virtual desktops
running in VMware View™ and Citrix XenDesktop™. Best of all, IGEL’s own management solution
comes standard with the Converter at no extra charge.
Bremen, Germany, May XX, 2010 – Germany’s leading thin client manufacturer, IGEL
Technology, has expanded the list of other thin client brands now compatible with its IGEL
Universal Desktop firmware. The IGEL Universal Desktop Converter (UDC) migration
software now also supports thin clients from Wyse, Samsung and Fujitsu as well as an
additional model from Hewlett Packard. Software-based thin client migration is an
economical alternative to investing in true thin clients as end-user devices. This approach
allows older, legacy or now-amortized PCs and thin clients, including devices from Dell,
IGEL and Neoware, to continue to be operated with a broad range of new functions and
benefits, including remote administration.
Effective immediately, the following additional thin client models can be supported in this manner:
Wyse R50L, HP 5545 and HP t5745, Fujitsu S450, S500 and S550 as well as the Samsung TC190
(integrated within a monitor). For a complete list of the compatible units, please go to
http://www.igel ?????). With its growing portfolio of supported hardware platforms, IGEL is
capturing more and more of the market for thin client software, a market that is currently
experiencing increasing demand. Only recently, Acer Deutschland announced its entry into the
German, Austrian and Swiss markets with its own thin client that also features IGEL’s marketleading
firmware.
Enhanced VDI Functionalities
With the latest software release, IGEL has also enhanced the range of functions available in its
Universal Desktop firmware based on IGEL Linux. The most significant improvements include
improved support for both major desktop virtualization solutions, VMware View™ and Citrix
XenDesktop™. In addition, the new firmware allows direct access to other server-based computing
solutions (such as Citrix XenApp™ or Microsoft® Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Services) and
mainframe environments. Access to cloud computing services can be obtained by means of
various local software clients as well as through the integrated web browser.
Easy Conversion and Remote Administration
IGEL Universal Desktop firmware is installed by means of a bootable USB stick. During this bootup
process the valid licenses are issued by means of the SIM card integrated in the USB stick. All
converted PCs and thin clients can be managed in a uniform, group-based manner by means of
the IGEL Universal Management administration software, which comes free as a standard feature
of the conversion kit. Compared to a conventional “fat client” PC (a PC with locally installed
applications), a PC updated by means of the UDC results in an almost 70% savings in support
costs (calculation based on the following study: http://cc-asp-fraunhofer.de/docs/PCvsTC-de.pdf,
see pages 57 and 81. Savings in hardware and energy costs are not considered here since both
system solutions use the same hardware).
Price, Availability and Models Supported
The Universal Desktop Converter is now available with the latest IGEL firmware packages, Entry,
Standard and Advanced. Prices per license start at 29 euro plus VAT.
“I’m truly convinced that the future of the thin client business not longer lies in the hardware but,
instead, in the software. This is also where the critical distinction among manufacturers will be
found,” comments Heiko Gloge, Managing Director of IGEL Technology. “With its UDC, IGEL
provides a software solution that has become well established, one that permits fast migration of
the existing PC desktop infrastructure to a managed TC infrastructure. The deployment of our UDC
solution allows our customers who had already been using Citrix, Microsoft or VMware with PCs to
far more quickly enjoy the benefits that thin clients offer such as a lower TCO, faster ROI,
increased security and greater flexibility. The software migration process is uncomplicated and
allows continued use of existing desktop hardware.”