DMS Electronics leads with client virtualisation solutions from Citrix, MS and HP

“Client Virtualisation has the answers to many of the end user computing challenges of today’s CIO,” said Citrix Online Australia Technical Evangelist Allan Pettigrew, speaking at a panel discussion organised by DMS Electronics (Pvt) Ltd (DMSE) together with Citrix, Microsoft and HP on the topic “Client Virtualisation: Can it work for you and your organisation” in Colombo  recently.

Addressing the large gathering of ICT professionals and decision makers, Pettigrew explained how client virtualisation enables anytime, anywhere, any device access to today’s corporate IT infrastructure.  He emphasised that under client virtualisation, applications actually run on the company’s central server infrastructure and as the data does not leave the data centre, security is greatly improved. It is therefore a solution that is even used to enable offshore BPO services in territories, which legally prevent certain types of data to be taken outside the country.  

“You may start working on an application as you wake up using your home computer, continue the work at office using the office computer and keep on using the application while off work and at the Gym in the evening using a mobile device,” said Pettigrew demonstrating the power of this technology.

Imran Vilcassim, Director – Enterprise Business at Microsoft Sri Lanka, a panellist at the discussion said, “The focus is on the application and not on the device. With virtualisation becoming mature technology and out of the academic realm it is changing the way IT is implemented in organisations. This together with the emergence of public and private cloud concepts is speeding the journey towards Client Virtualisation. While Microsoft has its own technology for client virtualisation, for large deployments we partner well with Citrix,” he said.

 “HP has a full range of thin clients to enrich a customer’s virtual client experience,” said Personal Systems Group at HP Pakistan Business Development Manager Jawad Khattak, joining in the discussion.  He highlighted that HP’s thin clients are engineered with advanced features and very high levels of reliability, which makes it a good investment. HP also has management tools, which help manage this infrastructure. He emphasised that a majority of client virtualisation deployments use HP Blades and Storage at the centre. HP also has a well-developed practice to help customers deploy client virtualisation.

Both Vilcassim and Pettigrew agreed that the take up for client virtualisation worldwide has been very encouraging with most customers adopting a phased approach.

“With Citrix’s Flexcast Technology it is not a “one size fits all” approach to client virtualisation,” said Pettigrew.  “Depending on the type of workload, users may use one of a number of different methods.

This optimises resources and performance. Further Citrix’s unique HDX protocol is optimised to deliver even video to a client at a remote location with minimum bandwidth.”  

Delmege Group Head of IT, Vimukthi Nugawela highlighted some of today’s end-user computing challenges: The speed at which new business units have to be setup and equipped with access to corporate applications, enabling access to such applications even by those outside the organisation, the recurrent PC life cycle, accommodating regular system software upgrades and the increasing demands for access to company applications through personal devices like iPads and other mobile devices were highlighted as some of these trends.

DMSE is ready with Client Virtualisation Solutions from Citrix, Microsoft and HP says DMSE Group Manager for Enterprise Software Solutions Peter Peiris. “Our engineers are very knowledgeable and experienced and we will work with you to establish the most optimal way to deploy Client Virtualisation in your organisation.”

The panel was moderated by DMSE, General Manager – Division Two, Chandana Weerasinghe.