With Just a Click of a Mouse, an IGEL Universal Desktop Transforms into a Citrix XenDesktop Appliance to Deliver the Most PC-like Experience on the Market

Reading, UK – January 13, 2009 – IGEL Technology, one of the world’s leading thin client vendors, today introduced a built-in Citrix® XenDesktop™ Appliance Mode for all of its Universal Desktops based on Windows XP Embedded. This new solution allows Windows XP Embedded users who are deploying virtual PCs with XenDesktop to get the ultimate PC-like experience using IGEL thin clients.
With just a click of a mouse, this innovative desktop appliance allows end-users to switch between a traditional IGEL Universal Desktop and a locked down appliance for accessing a virtual PC delivered by XenDesktop. To deploy a virtual PC, Citrix customers can simply plug a network cable into an IGEL device and log on to Windows. Once users log in, their experience is identical to that of a traditional PC, with the desktop always maximised on the user’s screen and the inability to end local applications and services on the thin client using Ctrl-Alt-Del.
For users that want to take their PC-like experience even further, organisations can use the Citrix XenDesktop Appliance Mode for Windows XPe in conjunction with IGEL’s Digital Service Virtualisation (DSV) approach. This unique technology delivers a user experience that is indistinguishable from that of a desktop PC, even when using server-based applications that aren’t traditionally optimised in virtual PCs, such as moving graphics, multi-media and video conferencing. This is achieved by “reverse-publishing” local digital services, including web, multimedia, VoIP, Java and more. With DSV, when certain digital services are activated on the virtual desktop, the application call is “trapped” and a request is sent to the IGEL Universal Desktop. The digital service then opens locally, seamlessly integrated with the virtual PC desktop with no need for the user to “toggle” between digital service sessions and the virtual PC.
"From customers that are deploying desktop virtualisation to cloud computing, the goal of IGEL’s Universal Desktop Strategy is to provide our customers with more flexibility and choice,” said Stephen Yeo, worldwide strategic marketing director for IGEL Technology. “Our unique thin client architecture and design gives Citrix customers a fantastic user experience, including fast roll outs, easy remote management, bullet proof security and the ability to deliver applications to any location.”
The switch to the Citrix XenDesktop Appliance Mode can be easily implemented using the IGEL Remote Management Suite (RMS) software, which comes free with every IGEL thin client. This powerful yet easy-to-use tool allows customers to manage their IGEL clients remotely, saving them both time and money.
IGEL’s Citrix XenDesktop Appliance Mode for Windows XP Embedded is available immediately and existing IGEL customers can upgrade their firmware with the new functionality by visiting www.myigel.com.