Any Desktop, Any Broker, Anywhere: Future-proofing Your Windows Desktop Deployment with Liquidware

The world of Windows desktop deployment has become increasingly complex with so many options available in the market today. From traditional laptops and desktops, to virtual desktops deployed on-premises, or in the cloud using solutions like Amazon WorkSpaces, Amazon AppStream, Nutanix Frame, Citrix Virtual Apps, Microsoft AVD, or Microsoft CloudPC – there are numerous choices to make.

However, choosing a deployment method also means choosing a broker and deciding whether to deploy on-premises or in the cloud. This can lead to vendor lock-in where your users’ profiles might be tied to a specific deployment method, making it difficult to move to another option. Moreover, you may not be able to move your applications from one deployment method to another, and the user experience might not be consistent across different deployment methods.

To address these issues, Liquidware offers a “Switzerland” approach to Windows desktop deployment with its ProfileUnity™, FlexApp™, and Stratusphere™ UX products. With these solutions, you can abstract your user’s profile and application deployment from the underlying OS and platform, making it easier to switch deployment methods without affecting user experience.

ProfileUnity abstracts the user’s profile from the OS with any deployment method, whether physical, virtual, or cloud based. By using ProfileUnity, you can future-proof your deployment options by putting your users under management with your existing deployment method. ProfileUnity’s portability engine ensures that the user’s profile can be saved to any storage medium, including SMB and cloud storage, and restored to any OS, of any version, on any platform.

FlexApp abstracts application deployment from the OS and platform, allowing you to take advantage of fewer images and pools to manage. By abstracting your applications with FlexApp, you can easily move to any new deployment method while keeping the same application delivery model. This ensures that your users have access to the same applications, regardless of the deployment method.

Stratusphere UX helps you monitor user experience on your existing deployment method and ensures that users get the same, or better, experience when you switch to a new deployment method. It continuously monitors your user’s experience to make sure you don’t unknowingly decrease user satisfaction.

In conclusion, with the current state of acquisitions and the evolving end-user computing market, it is essential to future-proof your Windows desktop deployment options. By using Liquidware’s ProfileUnity, FlexApp, and Stratusphere UX products, you can abstract the user’s profile and application deployment from the OS and platform, making it easy to switch deployment methods without affecting user experience. With Liquidware’s solutions, you can ensure that your users have a consistent and seamless experience regardless of the deployment method you choose.

FlexApp Layering = Enterprise Optimization Revolution

I was presenting to our sales teams at the Liquidware Sales kick off recently and was fascinated by the following response I received.

“Why wouldn’t you leverage FlexApp in your environment? At this point enterprises have virtualized infrastructure, desktops, networks, and storage but still continue to install applications natively.”

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VMware UEM and App Volumes Overview Comparison with Liquidware Labs ProfileUnity and FlexApp

Liquidware Labs is announcing the release of a new WP “VMware UEM and App Volumes Overview Comparison with Liquidware Labs ProfileUnity and FlexApp” White Paper. At its core the focus of this new whitepaper attempts to compare and contrast the two platforms. Additionally, the whitepaper provides real world customer based implementation guidance around when to use a Liquidware solution as opposed to the VMware solution stack. Continue reading

App Layering and the Big Security Risk

Application Layering solutions offer a streamlined approach to application delivery.  In its truest form you can enable users to install applications that are decoupled from the base image and you can distribute an Application(s) as seamless layers to a group of users.

ProfileUnity with FlexApp

Deploying Application Layering without User Environment Management can leave a huge security gap in your desktop environment

The native approach that the latest application layering techniques leverage equate to a high level of compatibility. There is just one big problem with Application Layering, a gaping security hole.

When you grant users the right to install applications you need to elevate those same users to Admin or use a User Rights solution to selectively elevate rights in a secure manner. The need also arises if an Standard User needs local Admin rights to run an application – whether installed by a user or for a department by an administrator. Continue reading

VMware “Discovers” Workspace Environment Management (WEM)

By now, many of you have probably heard that VMware is planning to add User Management features to Horizon with their planned acquisition of Immidio. Many will look to the leaders in the UEM market for their reaction. Not to be too cliché but VMware’s “WEM” (Workspace Environment Management) positioning validates the Liquidware Labs User Environment Management, Application Delivery with Layering, and User Experience solution set that we’ve been delivering for years. Continue reading

Ed Iacobucci Remembered, Multi-Session Life Lessons Learned

Ed Iacobucci, the Father of OS/2 and Citrix, among other visionary business ventures, passed away this morning in his home. He had fought a battle with pancreatic cancer for over a year.

Ed will be remembered by many people for many things. To those in the PC/desktop business, he’ll be most remembered for being the “Father of OS/2” and the Founder of Citrix. Many people knew Ed better than I but through my brief encounters he made a lasting impression as a fair and thankful visionary, businessman, and leader. Continue reading

“I don’t always VDI, but when I do, I VDI with my users under management.”

VDI is not always the answer but when you implement it correctly it CAN lower your OPEX and CAPEX of desktops.dos_equis

When you do choose VDI here are some thoughts to consider before you implement:

1) Properly plan – use a VDI or next desktop planning tool to help you determine who are good candidates for VDI in your organization, what applications are installed, what applications are in use, what is the current performance of legacy desktops and will VDI make for a better desktop?

2) Consider Non-Persistent Desktops – Dramatically lower your storage costs and management costs. Continue reading