HP’s Jeff Groudan, director, thin clients and client virtualization; Joseph George, business lead, client virtualization, infrastructure software and blades; Dan Nordhues, marketing manager, client virtualization solutions, infrastructure software and blades; and I had a lovely chat about announcements the company was making at Citrix Synergy a short while ago. HP is extending its already comprehensive desktop virtualization offerings.
Here’s what HP announced
The new offerings, announced at Citrix Synergy 2010, include:
- The HP 4320t Mobile Thin Client is designed to meet the security and reliability needs of remote and mobile workers.
- HP’s desk-based thin client line now features expanded multimedia capabilities.
- HP has worked with Citrix to develop new virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) reference architectures for XenDesktop and XenServer that help reduce the threat of potential data loss or theft, lower the complexity and cost of desktop management, and provide end-users with the functionality of a stand-alone desktop.
- The HP Compaq Elite 8000 Business Desktop and HP EliteBook 8440p Notebook PC are the first Citrix Ready platforms expected to support the recently announced Citrix XenClient hypervisor technology. Citrix XenClient support provides the power to deliver the most demanding business applications, while offering the protection of a secure, centrally managed virtual machine for business customer.
Snapshot Analysis
HP has been involved in all phases of virtualization since the late 1970s (if Digital Equipment’s, Tandem Computer’s, as well as HP’s own contributions are considered.) It clearly understands the benefits of placing functions into a logical or illusionary environment and is, with the help of its partners, trying to tame the complexity of that approach. This announcement doesn’t really start new treads in virtualization technology. It really is an enhancement or an extension of things the company has already been doing.
The HP 4320t Mobile Thin Client offers increased performance and better security than earlier devices.
HP has worked with Citrix to offer improved media performance for workloads built on top of access virtualization
HP has also worked with Citrix to create templates, or reference architectures, that are designed to give organizations and channel partners guidance; simplify virtual environment design and deployment; and give organizations and partners that this approach can be used for many, if not most, workloads.
HP is now offering a desktop and notebook that are tested and ready to support Citrix’s XenClient (see my colleage Paula Rooney’s post Citrix XenClient Express kit debuts, client hypervisor solution won’t ship until late 2010 for more information.)
All in all, these moves make a good story even better.
