Well, I’m back after an agenda-packed few days at IGEL DISRUPT 2024 in Munich!
Firstly, I wanted to congratulate the IGEL team for putting on a fantastic event as usual for the EUC fraternity. For those of you who couldn’t make it this time, I’m sorry, I missed you. Here’s a quick summary of my sessions plus my general thoughts and take aways from the two days.

Day 1 – The Now
I had the privilege of being part of an EUC panel with an all-star line-up of EUC stalwarts (I might include myself in the last part of that sentence).
Although the session was titled Omnissa: Transforming End-User Computing with Microsoft, Rimo3 and ITQ. We focused a lot on the Application side and how we collectively work together. From providing the leading DaaS platforms, ongoing app lifecycle management, and common project and customer challenges from a partner delivery perspective. Thank you to my fellow panelists and our host Steve, and of course, the people who attended the session.

Day 2 – The Next
I was eagerly looking forward to my slot in the ‘NEXT’ section of the Keynote, where I had the opportunity to speak on stage with Matthias Haas (pretty sure HaaS isn’t host as a service in this case, but he did a great job as always). Here’s what I managed to cram into the 12 mins I ended up using up there!
I started off re-emphasizing our purpose. With the recent divestiture of EUC from Broadcom, this hasn’t changed. Thank you to all our partners and customers for sticking with us through out that period. Omnissa continues to empower employees to do their best work from anywhere through smart, seamless, and secure experiences. Then, I covered the different aspects of the Omnissa Platform. What we are and will be doing around our Virtual Apps and Desktop solutions including how we are evolving the user experience and the protocol (no VDI topic would be complete without a nod to that) but also around our Apps Everywhere strategy and where we want to manage, deliver apps and desktops to (like our Cloud DaaS partners).

Next, I covered the recent re-architecting and rolling out of our modern SaaS platform for UEM, enabling key capabilities like Declarative management for IOS, most importantly OS updates in particular. Also, how this new architecture will drive quicker innovation, better quality, and better performance for our loyal customer base.
I doubled down on what security and compliance mean in an EUC platform for EUC teams. Making sure devices are compliant and users are trusted to access their apps on those devices and providing that re-assurance to their Security departments. Key roles in an overall Zero Trust approach. I mentioned our expansion of the Trust Network partnerships and how we’ll work with 3rd party solutions for security signals, such as tools like UMS in IGEL.
DEX was not left out, of course, and I covered how Horizon is expanding its experience managements insights for ServiceDesk teams and VDI operations alike. We’ve recently released granular GPO analysis at logons to help teams understand what might be impacting performance.

Powering all of the key capability areas is the common services platform, and I covered our longer-term direction towards the ‘Autonomous Workspace’. Given the industry’s current focus on AI, I presented a practical example of our beta feature that assists UEM admins in quickly writing and executing sensors, using generative AI to curate those scripts.
But, of course, being that it is the Disrupt event, we used the remaining time to focus on the beta integration of UEM (Linux agent) for IGEL OS. I covered a cool demo where an unenrolled UEM IGEL OS device can block user access to Workspace ONE access. Once the device is enrolled and managed, certificates can be deployed, granting access and enabling the launch of a published App on Demand through Horizon. A really exciting example of our true UEM vision, and integration with key vendors such as IGEL. Interested in the beta and trying it out? Please reach out to the Omnissa team.

Next, Next time round?
With that, I’d like to thank again all those I had the chance to meet and speak to, as well as our Disrupt hosts. For those who weren’t there, hoping I’ll see you all NEXT time.
Spencer Pitts
Chief Technologist, EUC Division, Omnissa

To access the Omnissa sessions register for Disrupt on Demand  

Learn more about Omnissa and IGEL here

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Overall, the concept of adding AI at the endpoint is gaining a lot of traction. In 2023, Adobe reported that 77% of all devices use some form of AI. Lenovo sees the future of AI moving to a background-running service, first appearing locally in high-end and then consumer devices and eventually becoming ubiquitous across all environments, allowing incredibly high-power models to function at low-power demand.

Lenovo, in partnership with IGEL, has already taken steps to implement these innovative features.

The Future of AI with IGEL Lenovo Devices

IGEL and Lenovo recently announced new developments resulting from a deepening partnership.

At Disrupt Munich, Lenovo showcased new AI-ready endpoint devices pre-loaded with IGEL OS 12 with the ThinkCenter M75q Gen5 (AMD) and the ThinkPad L14 Gen5 (Intel).

In Disrupt Miami in April 2024, the two companies announced the availability of IGEL-powered solutions for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) on Lenovo ThinkAgile MX650 V3 devices. Optimized for both scale and performance, the Lenovo ThinkAgile MX systems, powered by IGEL OS, reduces the time-to-value for environments that want to bring all the cloud benefits of AVD on-premises to meet data sovereignty and regulatory requirements.

By leveraging the strengths of IGEL’s Preventative Security Model, Lenovo’s comprehensive hardware architecture, and the latest Microsoft security technologies, the ThinkAgile MX solutions set a new industry benchmark for virtual desktop environment security.

Expanded Collaboration between IGEL, Microsoft, and Lenovo

The collaboration between IGEL and Lenovo builds on the recent news of IGEL’s deepened collaboration with Microsoft and represents a significant advancement in how enterprises can securely and efficiently manage their IT infrastructures in a cloud-centric world.

Organizations looking to enhance their security posture while improving operational efficiency will find a comprehensive solution in the combined offerings of IGEL, Lenovo, and Microsoft includes:

• Endpoint Security Enhancements—The read-only format automatically reduces threat exposure at the endpoint, regardless of the network used.
• Consistent Employee Experience — Even if employees stick with their current hardware, IGEL OS can be installed on virtually any endpoint, overcoming the inconsistent internal UX that can result from M&A activity and maintaining legacy system investments.
• Ease of IT Management — The OS allows for streamlined patching and updates across without expensive VPNs.
• Adaptability — IGEL OS is designed to meet the needs of today and adapt to whatever the future holds, future-proofing your endpoint.

With IGEL running at the edge and Lenovo crafting the device, developments like these will always be exciting. For more information on Lenovo solutions powered by IGEL OS, visit https://www.igel.com/lenovo/ and https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/software/igel. To view the sessions from Disrupt Munich, register for access to Disrupt on Demand.

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As an ever-increasing number of organisations enable their users to work remotely, the burden, demand and pressure on IT is on the rise. 

How can companies ensure their users are accessing data securely? That the devices and deployed services they are using are built with both physical, OS and below OS security in mind, and ensure an optimum user experience?  That all purchases are as future-proof as possible, not only supporting today’s workflows but ones that are yet to be conceived. This would be a difficult task in a stable economic market, yet alone in today’s treacherous market. We are currently witnessing shrinking/dwindling budgets, a severe knowledge/skill gap in the security sector, and an ever-increasing number of ransomware and malware attacks. In the race to see which security vendor can shout the loudest and take market share, it can be difficult to sort the wheat from the chaff. 

Throughout my career working with customers of all shapes and sizes, I have always led with one key message: “choose the right device for the user persona and invest in workflow optimisation”, words that I believe can be directly attributed to the IGEL and Lenovo partnership. 

IGEL are renowned for their ability to simplify end point OS management and their ability to reduce 3rd party security costs with their highly secure read-only Linux OS designed for VDI, SaaS and DaaS. Additionally, their ability to help future-proof customers’ Cloud/VDI strategies by building strong relationships with all the key players in this space (Citrix, Omnissa, Microsoft, to name a few).  

IGEL is doing all of this whilst also helping to reduce Operational Management costs and extending the lifecycle of both existing and new EUC devices.  

Now add Lenovo, the number one PC brand globally, into this equation and customers and partners alike can start to build out a low cost, highly secure end point strategy for Now and Next. 

Lenovo is committed to their partnership with IGEL as the leading IGEL Ready Partner with the largest range of IGEL OS Certified products. Lenovo’s investment involves becoming the only IGEL OEM Partner in the market, enabling us to supply devices preloaded AND pre-licensed with IGEL OS from factory. However, we are gearing up to take this partnership to the next level.  

Lenovo and IGEL are working on some exciting developments which will enable customers to enhance their EUC device security posture by simplifying BIOS management, including BIOS password management, BIOS updates and firmware updates via IGEL OS 12 Apps. This approach will enable IT to deploy new BIOS and firmware updates as soon as they are made public, helping to close potential security “back doors” faster.  Lenovo and IGEL are also working on incorporating a number of solutions within Lenovo’s industry leading “ThinkShield” security portfolio, starting with ThinkShield Hardware Defence, an AI enabled EUC Device peripheral detection/management solution which significantly increases physical device security at the edge. 

Outside of these exciting security enhancements, Lenovo are also enabling IGEL’s OS to take full advantage of the latest and greatest hardware features in our devices, including, but not limited to NPU’s (Neural Processing Units). 

NPU’s are designed to help drive the adoption of AI-PC use cases, from productivity and security enhancements, to advanced Cloud-AI workflow offloading, redirecting the processing of the AI workflows from the VDI/DaaS/Cloud infrastructure to the local device, all the way through to running LLM’s (Large Language Models) locally on an IGEL enabled end point…AI-PC’s are no longer limited to Windows OS based devices. 

In summary, partnering with IGEL and Lenovo will not only enable IT to “do more with less”, but the partnership of these two EUC giants will help strengthen IT security posture at the edge with minimal to zero investment in additional 3rd party end point device security tools. This partnership will enable IT to gain greater visibility and control over of their end point estate, and in addition, helps businesses ensure that all investment in new EUC hardware devices is not only suitable for their current workflows, but also for their future ones! 

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In a major initiative to facilitate hybrid work in businesses and organizations, HP and IGEL are converting traditional desktop PCs to optimized thin client devices in workspaces. Over the years, both companies have consistently prioritized security and sustainability in all their production and innovation efforts.

Secure from End to End

HP and IGEL understand that their technology is used in high-stakes environments, ranging from healthcare settings to financial service providers. With this awareness, both are designing their products with security at the forefront. Together, HP and IGEL offer secure, fast boot times for any employee while providing powerhouse performance.

To reach the next level in endpoint security, HP thin clients powered by IGEL OS are leveraging the strengths IGEL’s Preventative Security Model, to provide organizations across the healthcare, financial services, education, government, retail, and manufacturing sectors, to name a few, with a secure, reliable, high-performance access to business-critical applications, desktops, and workspaces. Users can even access wireless networking and LTE on HP devices, all supported by IGEL.

Some of the key advantages of the combined IGEL and HP solution include:

• Multi-Layered Security Capabilities. HP and IGEL help safeguard against malware attacks on endpoint devices through a multi-layered approach. IGEL OS presents a much smaller attack surface as a modular, read-only operating system. In the event of loss or theft, no data is stored locally on the device. IGEL’s “chain of trust” verifies all boot-up processes from the bootloader to the destination VDI host or cloud.
• A Trusted Application Platform. Each stage of the IGEL OS boot process is checked through a cryptographic signature, starting with a UEFI secure boot tied to the hardware. This chain ensures the integrity of the endpoint OS and enables a fast recovery from attempted cyberattacks. IGEL partners with leading authentication vendors to integrate with broader standards, providing native applications for secure provisioning to every endpoint.
• Built-In Resiliency. HP endpoints with IGEL OS can help companies quickly recover whenever an IT outage brings work to a stop. IGEL OS can be booted in minutes to restore the device to a clean state, enabling secure access to company apps and data to get systems back up and running to restore productivity. In the wake of the recent CrowdStrike outage, several IGEL customers using IGEL OS-powered HP endpoint devices reported no impact and that the devices continued to operate without interruption.

Enabling a Sustainable Enterprise

Outside of groundbreaking security features, IGEL and HP are committed to sustainable technology innovation.

Of all the power used worldwide, 3% can be directly attributed to End User Computing and 83% of a device’s total carbon footprint is generated during manufacturing. During the recent IGEL DISRUPT event in Miami, HP highlighted how the company is actively working to reduce its product’s footprint. While they have always prioritized energy efficiency, the new models feature recycled plastics and aluminum, as well as a circular design to create a sustainable product portfolio.

As a dedicated partner, IGEL OS is helping organizations conserve energy and support sustainable cloud technologies that enable users to work on smaller, low-energy devices without compromising their speed and power. By replacing power-hungry desktop PCs with energy-efficient HP devices featuring IGEL OS, organizations can surpass their sustainability goals without compromising performance.

Together, HP and IGEL’s partnership is revolutionizing the industry with its intense focus on security and sustainability. Through innovative solutions that protect critical data and applications and contribute to reducing technology’s environmental impact, IGEL and HP are positioning themselves as leaders in the delivery of next-generation digital workspace solutions.

For more information on HP’s IGEL Ready devices, click here.

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We are incredibly excited to welcome our partners and customers to Munich next week for IGEL DISRUPT 24. This event promises to deliver an unparalleled experience. Its comprehensive two-day agenda will feature insightful presentations from key analysts, valuable technical certifications, and thought-provoking discussions led by End User Computing (EUC) industry experts.

The IGEL DISRUPT 24 Munich sponsor interview series continues with Renne Bots, Area Sales Manager at eG Innovations. Read on for insights into eG Innovation’s partnership with IGEL and why they are looking forward to IGEL DISRUPT in Munich.

1) Why did your organization choose to sponsor IGEL DISRUPT Munich? 

Our decision to sponsor IGEL DISRUPT Munich stems from the strong and collaborative partnership we’ve developed with IGEL over the years. The event provides an exceptional platform for us to connect with industry leaders, showcase our cutting-edge observability solutions for IGEL, AVD, Citrix, and share insights into end-user computing and observability.

Our past experiences at IGEL DISRUPT, both in Germany and the US, have been incredibly rewarding, offering us the opportunity to engage in meaningful exchanges with attendees and gain valuable perspectives. This positive experience is what keeps us coming back, making it a worthwhile investment for our organization. Sponsoring this event not only strengthens our partnership with IGEL but also allows us to demonstrate the value of our technology in optimizing digital workspaces.

2) What are 2-3 things you would like attendees at IGEL DISRUPT Munich to know about your partnership with IGEL?

At IGEL DISRUPT Munich, we want attendees to understand the unique value our partnership with IGEL brings on delivering a simplified and streamlined Digital User Experience:

• Unified Visibility Across the Stack: Our collaboration with IGEL enables eG Enterprise to seamlessly integrate endpoint metrics from IGEL OS-based devices with comprehensive data center and application infrastructure metrics. This integration provides IT administrators with true end-to-end visibility, empowering them to diagnose and resolve issues faster than ever.
• Optimized User Experience: Together, we deliver a simplified and streamlined approach to digital user experience management. Our lightweight agent for IGEL OS-based endpoints not only tracks critical metrics like status, uptime, resource usage, and connectivity but also ensures minimal impact on performance, offering a smooth and uninterrupted user experience.
• Proactive Performance Management: The combination of eG Enterprise’s powerful monitoring capabilities with IGEL’s robust OS environment allows organizations to proactively manage and enhance performance. This partnership ensures that IT teams can maintain optimal system health and user satisfaction, even in the most complex environments.

These are just a few examples of how our partnership with IGEL is transforming end-user computing and helping businesses stay ahead in today’s digital landscape.

3) What will your organization be presenting/showcasing at IGEL DISRUPT Munich? What do you want attendees to take away from your session/booth presentation?

At IGEL DISRUPT Munich, we will be showcasing how eG Enterprise, in partnership with IGEL, delivers comprehensive end-to-end monitoring that unifies endpoint and infrastructure visibility. Attendees will learn:

• End-to-End Monitoring Excellence: We’ll demonstrate how to achieve full visibility across your IT environment, from IGEL OS-based endpoints to data center applications, ensuring that every aspect of the digital user experience is optimized.
• Breaking Down Monitoring Silos: Our session will highlight the advantages of a centralized monitoring solution over siloed approaches. By integrating monitoring across all layers, you can eliminate blind spots, reduce complexity, and respond to issues more efficiently.
• Enhancing Overall Monitoring Capabilities: We will showcase how eG Enterprise enhances monitoring capabilities by offering deep insights, proactive issue detection, and seamless integration with IGEL technology, empowering IT teams to maintain peak performance and user satisfaction.

We want attendees to walk away with a clear understanding of how our solutions, combined with IGEL, can transform their approach to digital user experience management, providing them with the tools needed to stay ahead in a dynamic IT landscape.

4) In your view, what are the key challenges/opportunities for the EUC space in the next 3-6 months? Are there any changes/key trends that IT organizations should know about as we head into the second half of 2024? What should IT organizations be doing as they prepare for 2025?

In the next 3-6 months, the key challenges and opportunities in the EUC space will be shaped by evolving regulatory requirements, which continuously introduce new needs across various business sectors. Organizations will need to adapt to these changes while ensuring compliance and maintaining operational efficiency.

I want to emphasize that with eG Innovations, you are always in good hands. While the market is constantly changing, we remain an independent solution that supports Citrix, VMWare, and Microsoft out-of-the-box. Whatever change an organization makes, eG Innovations will be able to support that seamlessly.

1. Centralized Monitoring for Flexibility: The ability to manage a diverse IT infrastructure through a centralized monitoring solution will be crucial. With the growing complexity of IT environments, having a monitoring platform that supports a wide range of technologies and infrastructure components allows organizations to adapt seamlessly to changes without the need to switch or overhaul their solutions.
2. Regulatory Compliance and Adaptation: As regulatory requirements continue to evolve across various business sectors, IT organizations must stay agile to meet these demands. This presents an opportunity for businesses to invest in solutions that offer comprehensive compliance monitoring and reporting capabilities, ensuring they remain ahead of regulatory changes.

As we move into the second half of 2024, IT organizations should focus on strengthening their monitoring capabilities to handle the increasing complexity and regulatory demands. Preparing for 2025 means embracing solutions that offer end-to-end visibility and flexibility, enabling IT teams to maintain compliance, optimize performance, and stay resilient in a rapidly changing landscape.

5) And, just for fun, what is your favorite thing to do during your summer holidays?

Hiking in the Alps; sailing; mountain biking.

Don’t miss the IGEL DISRUPT 2024 in Munich! Register today!

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We are thrilled to welcome our partners and customers to Munich next week for IGEL DISRUPT 24, where they can expect an experience like no other, with a two-day agenda filled with key analysts, technical certifications, and industry experts at the biggest end-user conference in the industry.

Our IGEL DISRUPT 24 Munich sponsor interview series continues with James O’Regan, Product Marketing Manager at Liquidware. Read on for insights on Liquidware’s partnership with IGEL and why they look forward to joining us this year in Munich for IGEL DISRUPT.

1) Why did your organization choose to sponsor IGEL DISRUPT Munich? 

Sponsoring IGEL DISRUPT aligns perfectly with our vision of transforming the digital workspace. What excites us most about the event is the opportunity to engage with thought leaders and innovators who are reshaping the future of work. We are particularly enthusiastic about showcasing how our combined solutions with IGEL can drive productivity and flexibility in the workplace.

2) What are 2-3 things you would like attendees at IGEL DISRUPT Munich to know about your partnership with IGEL?

We have been partnering with IGEL since 2009, delivering comprehensive end-user computing solutions. Our collaboration integrates Liquidware’s DEX monitoring and optimization solution, Stratusphere UX, with IGEL OS, giving full visibility of a user’s first mile of connectivity, in addition to their cloud workspace. Together, we enhance the user experience and simplify management for mutual customers across various industries.

3) What will your organization be presenting/showcasing at IGEL DISRUPT Munich? What do you want attendees to take away from your session/booth presentation?

At our booth, we will be demonstrating how effortlessly you can monitor IGEL devices using our Stratusphere UX App. We will also be showing how we can deliver Windows apps to IGEL Devices, along with showcasing our other innovative solutions. The key takeaway for attendees is that Liquidware goes beyond traditional DEX, addressing key challenges like Windows 11 migration, App-V end of life, and supporting hybrid environments.

4) In your view, what are the key challenges/opportunities for the EUC space in the next 3-6 months? 

EUC faces several challenges in the next 3-6 months, particularly with supporting hybrid and remote work, maintaining security and compliance, and optimizing user experiences. The complexity of managing a diverse range of devices and applications amid rising cyber threats requires organizations to adopt advanced solutions like cloud-based Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS), and Zero Trust security models. Enhancing user experiences through User Environment Management (UEM) tools and AI-driven optimizations is essential to sustaining productivity and satisfaction.

Liquidware’s solutions are uniquely positioned to help organizations navigate these challenges. ProfileUnity delivers seamless user profile management across diverse environments, FlexApp dynamically delivers applications without modifying base images, and Stratusphere UX provides comprehensive monitoring and analytics to optimize user experiences. Additionally, CommandCTRL offers real-time remediation, ensuring secure and efficient operations across hybrid environments. Together, these tools support secure, scalable, and flexible EUC strategies that adapt to changing needs.

While challenges persist, significant opportunities exist to strengthen EUC strategies by integrating technologies like AI, automation, 5G, edge computing, and augmented reality (AR) to enhance connectivity, performance, and sustainability. Organizations that leverage Liquidware’s suite of solutions to navigate these shifts—investing in innovative, user-centric, and environmentally conscious practices—will be well-positioned to thrive in the rapidly evolving digital workspace environment.

5) What should IT organizations be doing as they prepare for 2025?

With Windows 10 going end-of-life in 2025, organizations must prepare for the transition to Windows 11, considering software, hardware, and user education. Liquidware offers a suite of solutions to ease this process, ensuring compatibility, continuity, and performance.

By leveraging Liquidware’s comprehensive suite, organizations can minimize downtime, ensure compatibility, and maintain a positive user experience throughout their Windows 11 migration. This approach not only facilitates a seamless transition but also optimizes the overall digital workspace strategy for future growth and agility.

6) And, just for fun, what is your favorite thing to do during your summer holidays?

I enjoy traveling and have managed to get to France, Switzerland, and Portugal this summer.

Don’t miss the IGEL DISRUPT 2024 in Munich! Register today!

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In just a couple of weeks, IGEL will bring the End User Computing (EUC) community together for  IGEL DISRUPT 24 Munich.

We are excited to have this opportunity to showcase What’s Now & Next in EUC, and we are looking forward to a packed two-day agenda where attendees will have the opportunity to engage with leading analysts, pursue technical certifications and gain insights from the industry’s top experts.

We are continuing the IGEL DISRUPT 24 sponsor interview series with Andy Nieto, Senior Solutions Manager, and Joe Cleary, Senior Sales Engineer for Cloud Connected Devices at Lenovo. Read on for insights into Lenovo’s partnership with IGEL and why they are eagerly anticipating IGEL DISRUPT 24 in Munich.

1) Why does Lenovo sponsor IGEL DISRUPT and what keeps bringing you back?

Andy Nieto: Lenovo is the leading provider of Smarter Technology for ALL. As the global leader in personal computer devices, Lenovo is committed to solutions that empower and inspire. IGEL’s approach to cloud-connected solutions aligns directly with Lenovo’s empowering approach. The power of this robust collaboration drives our continued support and participation in Disrupt!

2) What are 2-3 things you would like attendees at IGEL DISRUPT Munich to know about your partnership with IGEL?

Andy Nieto: Lenovo’s industry-leading AI PC range will help increase end users’ UX and Productivity by enabling them to gain access to Personalized data, workflow, and device optimizations. Additionally, AI PCs will ultimately increase endpoint security and IT peace of mind, knowing your devices are protected and can support features such as predictive, proactive security and fraud detection. And the good news is, AI PCs aren’t just for Microsoft Windows…

Joe Cleary: Lenovo and IGEL’s partnership goes way beyond the hardware, or should we say our partnership goes below and beyond the OS.

IGEL is known for its industry-leading Preventative Security Model (PSM), which ensures the OS, Kernal, User authentication, and access to data are highly secure. Working with Lenovo, IGEL can now enhance this security posture by looking below the OS layer as well as increasing physical Hardware protection at the edge. Lenovo powered by IGEL is a truly secure solution above and below the OS.

3) What will your organization be presenting/showcasing at IGEL DISRUPT Munich? What do you want attendees to take away from your session/booth presentation? Andy Nieto/Joe Cleary

Andy Nieto: Lenovo will be showcasing our broad range of IGEL Ready devices and our supported peripheral ecosystem. We will highlight our desktop and mobile form factors, performance visual systems, and our award-winning “Docking Monitor” solutions.

Joe Cleary: Lenovo powered by IGEL is a partnership that goes beyond our supported hardware offerings and includes a solution stack of Hardware, Software, and Services.  Attendees will leave our stand/sessions with a deeper insight into the Lenovo and IGEL collaboration and vision for a safe and robust cloud-connected future.

4) In your view, what are the key challenges/opportunities for the EUC space in the next 3-6 months? What should IT organizations be doing as they prepare for 2025?

Joe Cleary: The three mega trends in our industry are AI, Security, and Cloud Native/First EUC strategies – especially with Win10 to Win11 migrations. With IT budgets continuing to decline while business operations continue to expand, every dollar spent on IT needs to be scrutinized, and every investment made must be as resilient and as future-proofed as possible – no pressure!

Microsoft Copilot and AI PCs are very hot topics…are the EUC devices you are looking at today capable of supporting local AI workflow offloading and acceleration to help reduce the number of calls/pings into Azure/your cloud AI provider which has the potential to save significant cost when implementing these solutions?

Although many customers have yet to explore these solutions, the chances are they will be in the near future. Forward planning any new EUC device purchases will help ensure your investments are not only future-proof but will help drive down the TCO of these types of AI solutions in the future.

Security, the market is already saturated with many security vendors, with a rapidly increasing number of new vendors or solution enhancements and add-ons coming to market. With all this noise, it is very easy for IT to become overwhelmed, lost and ultimately, overspend on security. When evaluating new security solutions, I would suggest not only looking “within IT” but also strongly evaluating how IT is consumed across multiple business and operational functions. You may find that by taking a Preventative Security approach or simply by changing one or two business/operational processes, you can close many perceived security threats in your organization without having to invest heavily in new hardware or security solutions.

With the increase in cloud-first/native and SaaS strategies, organizations must ensure that they have a robust business continuity plan in place combined with a rigorous application/firmware patching strategy. As we have seen in recent times, simply enabling cloud or SaaS service providers to autonomously release applications and DaaS updates into the world can have a significant impact on business operations and revenue generation.

A cloud-native approach can help accelerate the adoption of new technologies or operating systems within an organization. However, this can impact operational efficiency, resilience, and business continuity in the event of a disaster, and of course, ongoing OPEX costs must always be considered.

When evaluating cloud-native solutions, make sure that you do not overlook the benefits that a hybrid cloud or multi-cloud strategy can offer your business. Lenovo Think Agile Hybrid Cloud Solutions and IGEL-powered Lenovo devices can help keep businesses secure and can make a significant contribution to an organization’s Business Continuity plans

5) And, just for fun, what is your favorite thing to do during your summer holidays?

Joe Cleary: Spending time with family either abroad or taking the kids to theme parks, hosting family BBQs whenever possible, going fishing with my two boys, and the occasional afternoon tea with my two daughters.

Don’t miss the IGEL DISRUPT 2024 in Munich! Register today!

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The much-anticipated IGEL DISRUPT 2024 conference in Munich is just a few short weeks away, and we are excited to bring the End User Computing (EUC) community together to learn about the latest developments and trends impacting our industry. This two-day event will provide attendees with the opportunity to learn about what’s “Now & Next” in EUC by engaging with thought leaders, pursuing technical certifications, and gaining insights from industry experts.

We are continuing the IGEL DISRUPT 24 sponsor interview series with Michael Mauch, Sales Engineer, DACH Region at Island. Read on for insights on how Island partners with IGEL and why they are looking forward to joining IGEL in Munich for IGEL DISRUPT 24.

1) Why did your organization choose to sponsor IGEL DISRUPT Munich? 

As a relatively new IGEL partner, the DISRUPT event provides an excellent opportunity to inform the market about our collaboration and connect with others in the IGEL network. We look forward to building those relationships and demonstrating how we are partnering with IGEL to continue advancing the modern technology stack across various industries, including healthcare, financial services, and retail.

2) What are 2-3 things you would like attendees at IGEL DISRUPT Munich to know about your partnership with IGEL?

Island and IGEL have teamed up to create a new digital workspace. It offers users a single, unified desktop that mirrors the browser interface they are familiar with, yet seamlessly integrates web apps, office applications, and legacy software into one space for a more streamlined and cohesive experience. Although our partnership with IGEL is less than a year old, we’ve already seen a remarkable response in the market.

3) What will your organization be presenting/showcasing at IGEL DISRUPT Munich? What do you want attendees to take away from your session/booth presentation?

We’ll be showcasing Island’s integration with IGEL’s secure thin client operating system. Booth visitors will get a firsthand look at how this integration dramatically lowers IT costs and complexity, offering a robust alternative to VDI or desktop-as-a-service solutions while creating a new, enterprise-grade digital workspace that delivers enhanced endpoint security.

4) In your view, what are the key challenges/opportunities for the EUC space in the next 3-6 months? 

Having a disaster recovery or business continuity plan in place that includes non-managed devices. Organizations need to be prepared for an outage or breach that forces people to shift into a different mode of operations — either different hardware, a different environment in which to continue working, or both. For example, if users are unable to access the workstations because of a ransomware attack or some kind of disruption, they can securely do their work from their personal devices. This infrastructure “insurance policy” has become imperative to ensuring uptime for modern enterprises.

5) And, just for fun, what is your favorite thing to do during your summer holidays?

Personally, I enjoy the beach and doing nothing. I just returned from a trip to the Baltic Sea, where I did just that. It was very nice.

Don’t miss the IGEL DISRUPT 2024 in Munich! Register today!

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IGEL DISRUPT 24 Munich is just around the corner, and we are excited to bring the End User Computing (EUC) community together to learn about the latest developments and trends impacting our industry. With a packed two-day agenda, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with leading analysts, pursue technical certifications, and gain insights from the industry’s top experts.

We are continuing the IGEL DISRUPT 24 sponsor interview series with Uwe Harasko, Head of Product Management for Digital Health & Solutions at CHERRY. Read on for insights on how CHERRY partners with IGEL and why they are looking forward to joining us this year at IGEL DISRUPT 24 in Munich.

1) Why did your organization choose to sponsor IGEL DISRUPT Munich? 

At DISRUPT, CHERRY can take advantage of the enthusiastic audience to highlight the integration of our products with IGEL’s infrastructure. This event provides an ideal platform not only to showcase our offerings but also to gather valuable insights. By gaining a deeper understanding of the audience’s needs and future challenges, CHERRY can collect critical feedback that will guide the development of next-generation products, enhancing endpoint security for administrators. In addition to the above, we are happy and proud to activate the IGEL Ready Partnership globally.

2) What are 2-3 things you would like attendees at IGEL DISRUPT Munich to know about your partnership with IGEL?

CHERRY has been an IGEL Ready certified partner for over four years. During this time, we have collaborated closely with IGEL’s engineering and sales teams to deliver a unique, secure endpoint solution featuring encrypted communications and our solutions for the German Healthcare project “Telematik Infrastructure.” IGEL enabled the plug-and-play use of the CHERRY eHealth Keyboard with integrated LAN Smartcard Terminal. We are now expanding our product lineup to include additional reader capabilities such as Seos, BLE, and FIDO2. Be sure to check out our demo keyboard at Disrupt. We are also looking into software/hardware full solution bundling, which plays a predominant role with system integrators/resellers, as well as on the customer level. It needs to be easy to do business with us.

3) What will your organization be presenting/showcasing at IGEL DISRUPT Munich? What do you want attendees to take away from your session/booth presentation?

Secure endpoint solutions: The CHERRY SECURE BOARD 1.0 keyboard offers maximum security at the workplace, and the integrated smart card terminal with built-in contact and contactless card (dual interface) readers meets the requirements of numerous card-based IT applications. Sensitive data, passwords, or access codes are tapped by manipulating the input device. This form of sabotage can be prevented very effectively with the SECURE BOARD 1.0. With the integrated secure mode, proof of authenticity of the device is certificate-based, and key transmission is encrypted. This makes it impossible for hardware keyloggers to intercept sensitive access data and passwords. By blocking the standard keyboard channel, “BadUSB” attacks are also a thing of the past as USB sticks that log on to the system as a keyboard cannot inject uncontrolled input and malicious code.

The keyboard is also a long-lasting companion, with its abrasion-resistant laser-marking keycaps that can withstand years of office use without any signs of wear.

CHERRY is regarded as the standard of quality, innovation, and sustainability.  We invite you to try typing on one of our keyboards to experience the difference and watch our demo application for key encryption.

4) In your view, what are the key challenges/opportunities for the EUC space in the next 3-6 months? What should IT organizations be doing as they prepare for 2025?

A fundamental element of any security strategy is controlling who has access to the respective IT infrastructure. Cybersecurity is still often seen as a software problem and assumes that endpoints for trusted applications are secure. However, input devices can also be gateways through which sensitive data input can be tapped before further security measures, such as firewalls or virus scanners, even take effect. Security keyboards such as the SECURE BOARD 1.0 from CHERRY provide a remedy here.

Developments such as digitalization and big data and the exponentially growing mountains of data that come with them are sparking desire, not only from cyber criminals attacking from outside the company but also from malicious employees, external visitors, or insiders who are after information from their employers, customers, partners, and government agencies.

Recognizing this growing need, particularly in healthcare and government sectors, IT organizations should expand their focus beyond current solutions. We’re developing secure, sealed, multi-device-connected input devices specifically tailored for these security-conscious environments.

5) And, just for fun, what is your favorite thing to do during your summer holidays?

This is very easy: Stay outside as often as possible for swimming, bicycling, and running. And don’t forget the barbeque.

The post IGEL DISRUPT 24 Munich Sponsor Q&A Interview: CHERRY appeared first on IGEL.

In just a few weeks, we will be headed to Germany for IGEL DISRUPT 24 Munich,  where we will dive into What’s Now & Next in End User Computing (EUC) with a packed two-day agenda full of key analysts, technical certifications, and industry experts at the largest end user conference in the industry.

We are continuing the IGEL DISRUPT 24 sponsor interview series with Dan O’Farrell, Vice President of Product Marketing at Workspot. Read on for insights on how Workspot partners with IGEL and why they are looking forward to joining us this year at IGEL DISRUPT 24 in Munich.

1) Why did your organization choose to sponsor IGEL DISRUPT Munich? 

We at Workspot view IGEL as the leading secure endpoint operating system for accessing digital workspaces of any type. The Workspot Unified Digital Workplace platform is ideal for secure, high-performance access to virtual apps, desktops, and web apps. The two companies, therefore, offer extremely complementary technologies for secure end-user access within almost any virtual/cloud/web scenario. We also appreciate that IGEL DISRUPT is a great venue for meeting and greeting all the key technology and product players within EUC.

2) What are 2-3 things you would like attendees at IGEL DISRUPT Munich to know about your partnership with IGEL?

Workspot is supported on IGEL OS 12 to form an outstanding, secure, high-performance, and easily managed end-to-end solution for accessing any form of on-prem, cloud, or web digital workspace. Workspot and IGEL combined form a very powerful zero trust security solution from the host VM or application in the cloud to the end user’s endpoint device. Additionally, both Workspot and IGEL combine to make IT teams much more effective and efficient with powerful yet easy-to-use management and observability tools.

3) What will your organization be presenting/showcasing at IGEL DISRUPT Munich? What do you want attendees to take away from your session/booth presentation?

Workspot intends to demonstrate our powerful Unified Digital Workplace platform by showing the extensive capabilities of Workspot Control single-pane management console and deep built-in observability tools Workspot Watch and Workspot Trends. We also plan to highlight our built-in secure enterprise browser. Those who stop by our booth should leave with an understanding that Workspot’s modern Unified Digital Workplace platform is an extremely attractive and viable alternative to the traditional expensive and top-heavy legacy VDI offers that are still based on decades-old technology.

4) In your view, what are the key challenges/opportunities for the EUC space in the next 3-6 months? 

Protecting the organization with strong, end-to-end zero trust security and avoiding/managing the constant ransomware threat remain top-of-mind.

5) Are there any changes/key trends that IT organizations should be aware of as we head into the second half of 2024? 

It’s not a change, but ransomware continues to loom as a persistent threat that must be planned for and effectively dealt with when it happens. The other trend is how to best leverage AI in end-to-end solutions to pragmatically enhance predictability and automation, outside of just paying lip service to it.

6) What should IT organizations be doing as they prepare for 2025?

IT teams need to look at ways to make themselves more effective and efficient as budgets continue to get cut, some IT veterans continue to retire and be succeeded by more junior professionals, and end-users look to be more “IT independent” as more and more workers are remote or at least hybrid.

7) And, just for fun, what is your favorite thing to do during your summer holidays?

I personally enjoy spending time in the upstate New York city of Saratoga Springs and getting a taste of the local food, culture, and hospitality that this famous resort town offers.

The post IGEL DISRUPT 24 Munich Sponsor Q&A Interview: Workspot appeared first on IGEL.