Dell Enhances Desktop Virtualization Enterprise Offerings with Unidesk

Dell is enhancing its Desktop Virtualization Solutions (DVS) portfolio with the introduction of DVS Enterprise with Unidesk, helping to make it easier and more affordable for IT organizations with complex environments or diverse user needs to implement virtual desktop infrastructures (VDI).

DVS Enterprise, designed for organizations with demanding IT environments and diverse end-user requirements, will now be available with Unidesk’s innovative VDI management software. Unidesk integrates with technology from both Citrix and VMware to provide the vital management capabilities needed to simplify VDI implementations and help reduce overall total cost of ownership while enhancing the end-user experience.

With DVS Enterprise and Unidesk, IT organizations in industries such as education, healthcare, state and local government, and financial services can achieve streamlined IT management and an uncompromised user experience made possible by Unidesk’s unique desktop layering technology, even if users require different applications or personalization.

“Our goal with DVS Enterprise is to bring a robust and flexible end to end solution with enhanced levels of management and cost optimization,” said Dell’s Steve Lalla, vice president and general manager of the company’s mobility solutions group. “With Unidesk layering technology added to DVS Enterprise, we make it easier and more affordable for IT to deploy and manage virtual desktops leveraging the DVS Integrated Solutions Stack infrastructure. We are now able to give each end user a personal and uncompromised persistent desktop experience every time they log in.”

DVS Enterprise with Unidesk
DVS Enterprise, which combines the latest Dell PowerEdge 12th generation servers, Dell storage, Dell network components, broker and hypervisor software, services and end points including thin clients, now offers Unidesk as the desktop provisioning and management software component for Citrix® XenDesktop® or VMware View™.

The innovative Unidesk “layers” approach enables fully persistent and personalized desktops, supports worry-free user installed applications, and provides enterprise-class scalability and advanced management options. The ability to share common layers across many desktops can reduce VDI storage capacity requirements by up to 70 percent*.

“Our customers have validated how Unidesk layering technology simplifies VDI, expands use cases, and brings greater ROI to desktop virtualization implementations,” said Don Bulens, Unidesk CEO. “We’re thrilled that Dell has recognized these same value propositions, and has made Unidesk a part of DVS Enterprise. With Dell’s market presence and Unidesk’s software innovation, the many benefits of virtual desktops are finally available to all.”

“Desktop virtualization has become a disruptive force as many enterprises transition away from costly device-centric to more people-centric desktop and application delivery models,” said Chris Wolf, research vice president at Gartner. “Gartner has consistently heard from early adopters that virtual desktop deployments struggle to scale when traditional PC and application lifecycle methodologies are applied. To that end, IT decision makers should leverage modern application layering and delivery solutions in order to achieve the operating expense savings they expect, and the scalability they require.”

Customers Benefit from DVS Enterprise with Unidesk
The University of Connecticut recently deployed Dell’s DVS Enterprise solution with Unidesk in order to easily provision and manage virtual desktops for Master’s students and faculty at the School of Business.

“Dell DVS and Unidesk are a great fit for any organization looking to simplify virtual desktop deployments, deliver different types of applications, and implement VDI for a wide range of users and use cases,” said Jeremy Pollack, director of IT for the University of Connecticut School Of Business. “The combination of Dell and Unidesk has been instrumental to the success of our vPC desktop virtualization initiative from both IT operations and user acceptance perspectives.”

Availability
Unidesk is available today through Dell direct. Additional integration enhancements and service offerings are expected to be available later this year.

* Results based from Overcoming the Storage Challenges of Persistent Virtual Desktops with Dell EqualLogic Hybrid Arrays and Unidesk a Dell-authored whitepaper, April 2012