Today Dell EMC introduced several new desktop virtualization solutions aimed at making it easier for customers to deploy, configure, and manage their VDI environments. The solutions announced today include a new VDI appliance, Dell EMC XC Xpress for VDI, a new mobile thin client based on Windows 10 IOTE, the Latitude 3480, as well as new software. The new software includes the latest version of ThinOS, version 8.4 with support for VMware Blast Extreme Protocol, and the new Wyse Management Suite software, a flexible solution that lets organizations centrally configure, monitor, manage and optimize their Wyse thin clients.
Today Dell EMC introduced several new desktop virtualization solutions aimed at making it easier for customers to deploy, configure, and manage their VDI environments. The solutions announced today include a new VDI appliance, Dell EMC XC Xpress for VDI, a new mobile thin client based on Windows 10 IOTE, the Latitude 3480, as well as new software. The new software includes the latest version of ThinOS, version 8.4 with support for VMware Blast Extreme Protocol, and the new Wyse Management Suite software, a flexible solution that lets organizations centrally configure, monitor, manage and optimize their Wyse thin clients.
First announced in May, the Dell EMC XC Xpress hyper-converged appliance is aimed at the SMB market looking to deploy and manage a Nutanix-based environment. Now optimized for VDI, the XC Xpress combines server and storage infrastructure, virtualization software and cloud back-up in a single “out-of-the-box” solution, that also offers hypervisor and desktop broker choice.
Additional benefits of Dell EMC XC Xpress for VDI include:
- Easy to Deploy, Easy to Manage: The appliance offers an end-to-end approach to VDI, and it can be self-deployed in just a few hours without the need for deep virtualization expertise or professional services. On-going management is efficient with web-based interfaces, such as the Nutanix PRISM management console.
- Flexibility and Choice: Organizations can start with a three-node configuration and scale up to four nodes based on changing business needs by adding additional appliances. The appliance supports leading hypervisor and brokering technology from Citrix, Microsoft and VMware.
- Feature-Rich and Reliable: The appliance has robust functionality with application and desktop delivery in as little as 3U of rack space. Additional enterprise-class features include cloud-backup and self-healing clusters for resiliency.
Some organizations need their thin clients to come in a mobile form factor. The Dell Latitude 3480 fits that bill while also offering security, control, and manageability. Leveraging Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, the new Latitude 3480 mobile thin client is designed for task and knowledge workers, and is made to be a cost-effective and powerful solution with broad connectivity options. The 3480 also comes with the option of Dell Threat Defense. This solution uses AI and machine learning to proactively prevent malware including ransomware and zero day threats from executing on all Windows thin clients.
Features of the Dell Latitude 3480 mobile thin client include:
- Strong Performance with Portability: Leveraging the thoughtful design and user experience of the Latitude portfolio, the 3480 mobile thin client has a 14-inch Full HD display and is built with a robust feature set including an Intel dual core processor with integrated graphics, 8GB DDR4 RAM , and extended battery life.
- Robust Connectivity: The Latitude 3480 mobile thin client supports a broad mix of peripheral attachments and network connections, including USB 3.1 (2) and 2.0 (1), RJ45, HDMI and VGA ports, and WLAN and Bluetooth connections. Customers can also use the Dell D1000 USB Dock Station for further peripheral expansion.
- Software Choice: Customers can connect to a variety of virtual desktop brokers including Citrix XenDesktop, Microsoft RDS, and VMware Horizon.
Dell has upgraded what it is referring to as the “most virus-resistant, thin client operating system” in ThinOS 8.4. The latest version adds new capabilities and expanded protocol support for Citrix and VMware customers. For VMware, the OS now supports Blast Extreme remote connection protocol, which, according to Dell, will offer an even richer graphical experience, and greater flexibility and management options in virtual workspace environments.
For Citrix the OS now supports the latest Citrix HDX RealTime optimization pack 2.2. Support for this pack will result in increased unified communications capability, and greater video and multimedia capabilities including support for HTML5 video redirection to control and optimize the way XenApp and XenDesktop servers deliver HTML5 multimedia web content. ThinOS 8.4 also supports Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), and HTTP Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) multimedia redirection, which is needed for modern video content distribution services such as QUMU Multicasting.
Along with new support for VMware and Citrix, Dell has further enhanced the security of ThinOS. The latest security enhancements include firmware signature verification by default on firmware upgrades and downgrades, and support for a simplified certificate enrollment protocol to support secure issuance of certificates to trusted network devices.
Along with its ThinOS operating system, Dell has recently released Wyse Management Suite. This solution suite allows organizations to configure, monitor, manage, and optimize Wyse thin client deployments up to tens of thousands of seats. The suite is stated as being easy to deploy (installation in less than five minutes) and manage a fleet a thin clients. The Suite comes in two flavors: a standard version that is free and allows management for up to 10,000 endpoints. The Pro version is $20/seat/year and slows for either an on-premises, cloud, or management of both.
Availability
Dell EMC XC Xpress for VDI is expected to be available starting July 20, 2017. Dell Latitude 3480 mobile thin client is expected to be available starting July 19, 2017, with a starting price of $799 USD. Wyse ThinOS 8.4 and Wyse Management Suite are available now. The migration capability from Wyse Device Manager to Wyse Management Suite will be available in the next release.
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