Dell Technologies is starting to deliver on the desktop some of the promised dividends of combining Dell and EMC into a single entity by combining elements of the VMware and Dell EMC portfolios into a single offering.
At the Dell EMC World 2017 conference today, Dell EMC and VMware announced they are integrating VMware AirWatch with Dell Client Command Suite to make it simpler to unify the management of both applications and PCs. In addition, the two arms of Dell Technologies announced an instance of VMware virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) software, known as VMware Horizon, that will come bundled on Dell EMC servers. IT organizations will have the option of bundling Dell EMC thin client devices as part of that of offering as well.
Finally, VMware announced it is enhancing the support for Google Chromebooks running Chrome OS provided by adding support for authentication and management of applications running in the cloud via the VMware Workspace ONE cloud service.
Jeffrey McGrath, senior director for product marketing, VMware end-user computing, says the collaboration between VMware and Dell EMC will significantly reduce the total cost of managing PCs, while at the same time reducing the cost of implementing VDI software.
“It’s all part of the better together strategy,” says McGrath.
McGrath says the days when client software and hardware were managed in isolation are coming to an end. At the same time, as IT organizations ponder the shift to Windows 10, McGrath says the number one thing holding them back is application compatibility issues between Windows 10 and applications that ran on previous generations of Windows. VDI creates an opportunity to cost-effectively run multiple instances of Windows at price points approaching $8 per client per month.
The degree to which IT organizations are ready to finally embrace desktop virtualization will naturally vary. But as the number of client devices that need to be supported continues to increase, the case for VDI continues to get more compelling.
