HP Drives Desktop Virtualization with Expanded Portfolio, Key Industry Alliances

By VSM News Staff
published: Tuesday, May 20 2008

Extended support for Citrix and VMware strengthens industry's most comprehensive client virtualization lineup.

The new HP 2533t Mobile Thin Client combines the best of HP's industry-leading thin client and business notebook technologies to enhance data security and improve both ease of use and reliability. These professional innovations provide customers peace of mind to focus on business, while the company's plans to expand its Remote Graphics Software technology will provide one of the richest media experiences available among client virtualization solutions.

In addition, HP announced its full portfolio of Citrix-Ready thin clients and blade client products is now available with Citrix XenDesktopTM, as well as being certified by VMware Inc. for compatibility with its VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure.

"Today's news is the latest example of HP's building momentum in the client virtualization market," said Roberto Moctezuma, vice president and general manager, Desktop Solutions Organization, HP. "We're offering businesses a one-stop shop to meet their virtualization needs with the most comprehensive portfolio of virtual client solutions, ease of management and the highest levels of IT security."

HP's broad remote client solutions portfolio of desktop virtualization offerings includes its industry-leading Thin Client lineup, Blade PCs and workstations, HP Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), HP streaming clients with HP Image Manager, remote deployment, management software, and services. HP Remote Client Solutions help business customers dramatically reduce security risks and management and support costs by centralizing computing hardware and sensitive data within the data center.

"IDC is witnessing an early ramp of desktop virtualization adoption, which we expect will accelerate over the next 12-18 months," said Michael Rose, industry analyst, IDC. "As companies consider adopting the technology, they will need to ensure a reliable and optimal user experience over the entire network. HP addresses these needs through a combination of its own IP and strategic partnerships, which combine hardware and software with industry credibility that will attract businesses looking for assurance before investing in this technology."

No-compromise mobility, from virtually anywhere

As the world's No. 1 thin client and notebook manufacturer, HP has designed the HP 2533t Mobile Thin Client with an array of hardware and software that provide the mobility of a notebook and the enhanced security, improved ease of use and reliability delivered by thin clients.

As security is a continuous customer challenge, the HP 2533t provides enhanced access to virtual computing solutions, such as blade PCs or a virtual desktop infrastructure, and increased protection of corporate data and software applications by storing files on a secure, centralized server. No data resides on the actual mobile thin client, so companies are assured that data is not compromised in the event the client is lost or stolen.

To remedy the reliability risk of that comes with true mobility, the HP 2533t is similar to traditional desk-based thin clients in that it is a solid-state system with flash memory and no moving parts. This provides faster data access and cooler operation for overall improved reliability and product lifespan.

Inspired by the durability, precision and lightness of aircraft construction, the new mobile thin client also features the HP DuraCase design for higher reliability, lower ownership costs and extended product life. The HP DuraCase is an incredibly strong outer casing that protects the top and bottom of the product for use in rigorous mobile user environments.

A magnesium/aluminum display enclosure uses an inner magnesium shell bonded for a more solid construction and enhanced display impact-protection. In addition, HP DuraKeys and HP DuraFinish both help keep the thin client looking new, longer.

The HP 2533t weighs only three pounds and features a 12.1-inch diagonal widescreen LED display, adding a smaller and lighter option to the portfolio's previously introduced 15.4-inch HP 6720t Mobile Thin Client. Integrated Wi-Fi certified WLAN provides access to the Internet, email and instant messaging while at work, home or any favorite hotspot,(1) along with support for 3G broadband wireless(2) via PC memory card slot for the ultimate secure, mobile computing(3) experience. The HP 2533t also offers three flexible battery configurations for lightest weight or all-day computing and a convenient docking system.

The new mobile thin client simplifies IT operations by allowing administrators to manage multiple client types simultaneously from a remote location with features such as HP ThinState Tools to configure software and Altiris Deployment Solution to easily distribute applications over the network with little or no interruption to users.

Additional features help the HP 2533t lessen an organization's environmental impact. It includes power management features for more efficient performance and lower energy costs, as well as an HP Smart AC Adapter with built-in sensor to alert the notebook user of the power rating. It also includes the HP Illumi-Lite display, a highly efficient, mercury-free LED backlit display that reduces hazardous materials use and can extend battery life by up to 90 minutes.(4)

The HP 2533t Mobile Thin Client is available today in the United States, Latin America, Asia and Japan. Pricing and additional availability vary by region. Additional information is available at www.hp.com/go/thinclient.

Delivering full, rich multimedia experiences to large virtual desktop implementations

HP also is announcing plans to further invest in the advanced multimedia technology on which the HP Remote Graphics Software (RGS) was created. HP is working with virtualization software vendors to expand the technology to significantly enhance the rich multimedia experience available through thin clients or other remote devices.

Originally developed in HP Labs, RGS is already in broad use by customers spanning financial services, healthcare, education and research, engineering, and digital content creation. HP will be working with its key software virtualization vendors to develop additional solutions for improved video performance, interoperability and scalability of large virtual desktop implementations serving business PC users.

HP RGS supports a remote, yet collaborative work model that helps overcome the distance barriers that can impede global organizations and delivers to remote client environments rich, local desktop-like user experiences. With HP RGS, professionals can work together, from any physical location with Internet access, and make decisions in real-time with more secure access to multimedia content including flash animations, video, hardware accelerated 2D and 3D applications.

Rather than sending user data or graphics commands that grow with image complexity, the RGS software captures the desktop image of the remote or "virtual" system and transmits it over a standard network to a window on a local thin client using advanced image compression technology, specifically designed for text, digital imagery and high frame-rate video applications.

"We believe the combination of HP thin clients and RGS is the ideal choice for a rich virtual desktop experience, regardless of the chosen virtualization infrastructure, and we want to ensure customers can take advantage of this solution with whichever infrastructure best fits their business needs," said Moctezuma.

More information about HP Remote Graphics Software is available at www.hp.com/go/rgs.

Industry-leading alliances extend offerings from the data center to the desktop

While HP's thin clients have long been deployed in Citrix environments, the company's full thin client, blade PC and workstation portfolio has been designated "Citrix Ready" to ensure a simple and reliable Citrix experience.

In addition, HP thin clients are certified for the new Citrix XenDesktop appliance program across the line, with the HP Compaq t5730 Thin Client delivering the "Desktop Appliance Plus" experience and verified Citrix-Ready for Citrix Password ManagerTM, Citrix XenAppTM (Citrix Presentation ServerTM 4.0 & 4.5), Citrix XenDesktop and an embedded Desktop Receiver.

Citrix XenDesktop enables organizations to virtualize Windows® desktops in the data center and deliver them on-demand to office workers in any location. This provides a flexible and streamlined software architecture for users working from remote locations, ensuring high-speed application across virtual infrastructures.

HP's industry-leading thin clients and blade PCs make deploying XenDesktop environments easier, more secure and affordable, allowing companies to deploy Citrix XenDesktop and Citrix XenApp solutions with confidence.

"With the availability of XenDesktop, Citrix uniquely delivers virtual desktops that dramatically reduce the cost of ownership for IT, while providing a superior user experience for knowledge workers," said Raj Dhingra, vice president and general manager, Desktop Delivery Group, Citrix Systems. "We are excited to be demonstrating the results of our collaboration at Synergy 2008. The Citrix and HP relationship enables enterprises to quickly implement and manage a best-of-breed client virtualization solution from the data center to the desktop."

HP also now provides support for Citrix XenServer as well as the HP Select and Enterprise Edition of Citrix XenServer on select HP ProLiant and HP BladeSystem platforms. Using HP StorageWorks arrays and HP ProLiant servers, Citrix customers can easily and reliably deploy new virtual machines and optimize their technology infrastructure.

Additionally, HP's full portfolio of thin clients will be thoroughly tested and certified for the VMware Thin Client Certification Program, announced by the company today. With this certification, customers can be assured that HP thin clients will be easy to deploy, manage and reliably deliver the flexible, open platform and security of the VMware virtual desktop platform.

Today's expansion of the HP virtualization portfolio also extends the recently introduced ProLiant iVirtualization joint venture with Citrix, VMware and Microsoft, which uses customers' existing server management tools to integrate virtualization technology directly into a broad range of HP ProLiant and BladeSystem platforms. As such, when a server is powered on, it is automatically and immediately configured into a fully capable server virtualization environment. This enables companies to adopt server virtualization with greater speed and simplicity.

More information about HP's client virtualization solutions is available at www.hp.com/go/rcs. More information about HP's server virtualization solutions is available at www.hp.com/go/proliantvirtualization.

About HP

HP focuses on simplifying technology experiences for all of its customers - from individual consumers to the largest businesses. With a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure, HP is among the world's largest IT companies, with revenue totaling $107.7 billion for the four fiscal quarters ended Jan. 31, 2008. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.