By Fredrik Brattstig @virtualbrat
Feb – 2019 The IGEL Disrupt End User Computing event just finished off, here are my summary…IGEL is disrupting the market with a complete remake of licensing, simplifying the options for the users, and makes it even more universal. You can now tranfer you licenses between IGEL hardware and custom hardware. Modernise your existing endpoints with the IGEL OS 11, when you want to replace the old devices, buy your choice of IGEL hardware, or any other device, and do a easy license transition.
Stay up to date with Software subscription, you can choose from 1, 3 or by request 5 years maintenance. You’ll also be enabled to consolidate all your licenses you bought at separate occasions, which eases the license renewal process.
IGEL OS 11 – Workspace Edition! This is the base operating system license. Initially it will be based on ubuntu 16.04, but that might change. The IGEL OS is now separated from the hardware, which easies it up for customers to choose the hardware they want. Purchase the hardware that suites your needs, and get the benefits of the IGEL OS integrated, or, choose the premium IGEL Hardware devices.
One more thing, the workspace edition now includes Multimedia Codec Pack (MMCP) and IGEL Management Interface (IMI). Having the MMCP included in the base license is a direct benefit for all customers as this is the foundation for media content of all types in the world of remoting. The IMI will give you capabilities to integrate the wonderful Universal Management Suite (UMS) to other management systems, like Microsoft SCCM or equivalent. Did I tell you that IGEL OS 11 workspace edition also includes High Availability feature. Deploy thousands and thousands of devices without paying extra. That’s the way to grow!
IGEL OS 11 – Enterprise pack!
Want full fledged? Go for the enterprise pack. Here you will get the Igel Cloud Gateway (ICG) license, it includes the Asset Inventory Tracker (AIT), Shared Workplace feature will allow the UMS to hand out user specific settings, Universal Management Agent (UMA) in unlimited use, Mobile Device Management (MDM) for iOS and last but Definitely not least, Custom Partition (CP) feature. That’s a pack that is hard to resist!!
The Firmware!
As IGEL OS is now separated software and Hardware, there will only be ONE firmware for all devices, no matter if you are using IGEL Hardware, IGEL OS on other hardware, why not reuse your existing fleet? or the UD Pocket (worlds smallest Access Device)
The Hardware!
The hardware design are going through a big facelift, modernised and sleek design. And the hardware will get smaller!
IGEL UD2 will shortly be adopting the new design and the hardware housing will be almost 50% smaller, but the power quadruples. Quad core CPU to be found in the new version. And 5 USB ports.
IGEL UD3 will follow, also adopting the new design, here IGEL also squeeze the size of the machine to about 2/3 of the current size. If hardware specifications will change, I can’t tell now. Good possibilities that there will be a internal Wi-Fi option in this beauty.
Support
The new IGEL Support Program was introduced, starting at free support there are different levels offered up to 24/7 support contracts.
RemoteVR
During the DisruptEUC Munich, IGEL debuted with the wolds first production ready operating system for RemoteVR, The IGEL OS. This was initially a experiment in collaboration between me, @Thomas Poppelgaard (independent EUC expert), @Muhammad Dawood (Principal Software Engineer, Citrix) and @Jared Cowart (Technical PM Grid, Nvidia). Thomas has in the past pioneered with RemoteVR at Citrix Synergy in 2014. A low res 30 FPS experience though Citrix session. Now we raised the bar a bit and is doing 90 FPS in 2160×1200 resolution.
We are using the IGEL OS 10.5.500, which have the Citrix Workspace app 1810 integrated. We use h264 hardware decoding and a special decoder named VDPAU, originating from Nvidia, as custom partition.
IGEL UD Pocket is running on a Intel NUC and this beautiful setup delivers stable 90FPS on the endpoint, actually having the backend to push 120 FPS. I’ll write a separate instruction document on how to get RemoteVR in Citrix (RemoteVR – How to get there), stay tuned.
IGEL and Nvidia anounced a cooperation where IGEL is about to release a new ARM Jeston based Hardware Access Device. This will be very interesting to test and benchmark and see how that can perform in RemoteVR.
I had a private session with the Nvidia VR team, discussing Virtual Reality in general, and remoting of it specifically. The weak point seems to be @SteamVR, as its a consumer software which auto updates and there are no possibilities to roll back, if there are issues with the current rolled out version.
The conclusions that both me and the Nvidia VR team would appreciate to see a Enterprise version of SteamVR where you can roll back and forth between versions. I mean why not?! More about this in my RemoteVR – How to get there – Guide.
One of the featured applications in the RemoteVR demo booth was Nvidia Holodeck. Big thanx to @John Fanelli (VP Grid, Nvidia) and @Joanne Clark (Senior Technology Alliances Manager, Nvidia) for giving me access to this software. This is a amazing colaboration tool, where you can export objects from 3DStudio MAX, Maya or Solidworks, and import them to the Holodeck VR world and colaborate on the objects. Holodeck is still i Beta Phase, hoping it will emerge soon to a commercial product.
VIDEO LINK OF HOLODECK IN ACTION IN REMOTEVR – Coming soon
Training
Initiating the DisruptEUC conferance in both Munich and Silicon Valley, IGEL PreSale Engineer team delivered IGEL Certified Engineer (ICE) training for about 150 people, and they also premiered the new extentions called ICE Packs. ICE Packs will be a series of deep dive certifications, where IGEL UMS Expert and IGEL Cloud Architect was the first to be delivered. There was also a professional sales training delivered by @Integratis for the not so technical interested persons.
More!?
Of course there was loads of more content shared, and the so important sponsors was on site talking about their IGEL OS integrations. Customer Success stories was carried out, and of course dinners, and party for the once looking for that kind of activities. @Doug Keeley (The Mark of a Leader) did a great job in moderating the complete event, Thanx Doug!
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