If you’re a regular on sites like Network World or ChannelInsider, you read about yesterday’s announcement of our new Desktop Virtualization (#DDVS) offering built on Citrix XenDesktop. Below is a guest blog post outlining more about #DDVS and our collaboration with Citrix from Natalie Lambert, Director of Product Marketing at Citrix Systems is responsible for the go-to-market strategy of XenDesktop. In her role, she is driving web based programs and key alliances to ensure broad understanding of desktop virtualization. Lambert joined Citrix in 2009 after 7 years at Forrester Research, where she was the leading expert on desktop virtualization, desktop management, and desktop security.
Desktop Virtualization is a top priority for CIOs today. Why? Because desktop virtualization, in all of its various forms, can address some of the biggest business initiatives on the CIO's plate, such as compliance, global expansion, flexible working, consumerization, business continuity…the list goes on. However, there are still many companies that perceive desktop virtualization as too complex – they have questions around infrastructure investments (servers, storage, networking, etc.) as well as understanding the different software components and endpoints. So fine, it may not appear that it will be the easiest initiative you will tackle in 2011.
Yesterday, Dell announced the availability of Dell Desktop Virtualization Solution (DDVS) built on Citrix XenDesktop. DDVS is a comprehensive solution portfolio that leverages pre-packaged, configured and tested hardware, software and services to help companies adopt and implement desktop virtualization and address the perceived complexity. If you pull down the covers, the capabilities that excite me about this announcement really fit into three categories:
- Dell and Citrix know that desktop virtualization is about providing customers with choice. Not all customers are the same, so their desktop virtualization implementation shouldn't be either. DDVS powered by Citrix XenDesktop delivers every type of virtual desktop (including VDI, shared hosted and streamed), all apps (such as Windows, web, and Saas), and data in a single, pre-configured solution. This enables companies to allow their employees to use any device to access all of the desktops, applications, and data they need to get their job done – securely and with the best user experience.
- Dell won't let customers fail with desktop virtualization. With a comprehensive methodology, Dell will work with customers to define the right desktop virtualization solution to meet their needs. How? By working directly with the customer to understand their challenges and needs, informing them of the options, and then designing, planning and proposing a solution. And since, DDVS along with XenDesktop includes every type of virtual desktop and app, solutions can be customized to meet user specific needs of every organization.
- Dell provides implementation and management options specific to customer needs. Upon solution agreement, Dell will implement and/or operate the solution based on customer preference. This means that customers who want their solution implemented on-premise have that option; for customers that want the solution hosted by Dell, well, that's fine too. Same goes for solution management – Dell gives customers the option for the entire solution (on premise or hosted by Dell) to be managed as a service by Dell. At the end of the day, this ensures desktop transformation success every time.
As companies use 2011 to transform their desktop environments, they need to be assured that their vendors are there to support them every step of the way. I am excited to announce that Dell will do just this – from the initial assessment, to the design and user segmentation, to the actual implementation and support. Talk about desktop virtualization made simple!
Welcome any questions or comments below or on Twitter (@Citrix and @nflambert) .