ClearCube simplifying VDI adoption
Many organizations have come to see server virtualization and consolidation as a useful tool to reduce overall costs of hardware and hardware maintenance. A much smaller number of companies have looked outside of the datacenter to virtualization and consolidation of desktop systems.
ClearCube believes that can be partially attributed to the complexity of deploying thin client systems, encapsulating desktop workloads into virtual desktops, moving them into local or remove blade servers and then deploying tools to manage those virtual desktops (see ClearCube's Approach to Getting There Virtually and ClearCube Spins off VDIworks for more about ClearCube). ClearCube recently started offering a bundle of products and services designed to reduce the complexity and make it easy to move into the world of virtual desktops.
Here's how ClearCube describes their offering
ClearCube, the market leader in centralized desktop computing solutions, today announced that it is launching the industry's most complete, lowest cost, and most effectively managed virtual desktop bundle. The unique solution will include all the necessary components required for organizations to quickly and simply implement VDI in their environment. Most significantly, ClearCube's new offering provides end users with the ability to overcome significant acquisition cost hurdles. Starting at a per-seat price of $599, inclusive of all hardware and software other than the Windows client OS, the solution delivers the security and manageability of a high-end centralized system at low-end PC prices.
While desktop virtualization has been gaining traction, adoption is still limited to organizations with high-level IT skillsets and available human resources to implement these, often complex, projects. The fact that ClearCube's new VDI bundle provides pre-integrated components, all the way from the back-end server to the client device, makes it simple for an organization's IT managers to get a comprehensively managed, well-tuned VDI system up and running.
The ClearCube VB40 virtualization bundle includes:
- 1 x ClearCube M2010S server with Dual Quad-Core Intel Xeon® processors, 24GB RAM and quad 500GB 3.0Gbps SATA drives
- 40 x ClearCube I8510 Thinclients with 1.6GHz Intel Atom® processor
- ClearCube Sentral 6.0 Connection Brokering and Management Software
- Microsoft Hyper-V® Hypervisor
The 40-user VB40 VDI bundle is available immediately, with list price set at $599 per user. Additional details can be found online at www.clearcube.com/vdibundle.php
Snapshot analysis
ClearCube is hoping that virtual desktops are a bit like olives, that is getting the first one out of the jar is difficult but once a person has tasted it, the rest of the jar is in jeopardy. It's clear that they're doing their best to make that first taste easy and cost effective.I've spoken with a number of ClearCube customers over the years I've been watching the company and have heard good things about the company's products, services and the overall level of customer satisfaction.
ClearCube is facing serious challenges for market attention, however. HP, IBM, Pano Logic, Sun and Wyse all are offering their own approaches to virtual desktops. ClearCube has numerous success stories to tell. They have systems having a long track record of refinement and success. Now, ClearCube has to really be clever to get out in front and get decision makers' attention. Hey ClearCube, how about persuading some big bank, hospital system, media company or some extremely well known company to use your products and then be a "poster child" to attract others to the products?