Wipro Launches Desktop as a Service Platform Based on Citrix, Microsoft, HP Technology

Wipro Technologies, an information technology, consulting and outsourcing business of Wipro Ltd., in partnership with Citrix and Microsoft launched Wipro Desktop as a Service, a desktop virtualization solution designed to deliver desktops, applications and data as an on-demand service.

The announcement was made at Citrix Synergy 2011 in San Francisco, though WDaaS was announced earlier in October 2010 and is available in the market now.

WDaaS is an integrated service offering that uses the desktop virtualization technologies of Citrix and Microsoft and provides plug-and-play desktop and application virtualization capabilities. The solution is built on HP Converged Infrastructure. For enterprises that want to deploy desktop virtualization on-premises, WDaaS will offer a preconfigured appliance (hardware, software and services) that can be managed remotely by Wipro.

“The development of the Wipro Desktop as a Service offering is a good example of the growing take-up of cloud desktops in the market,” said Dominique Raviart, research director of IT outsourcing for NelsonHall, an analyst and advisory firm. “Interest is growing across the world and especially in the U.S. and U.K., typically initially triggered by server cloud computing and virtualization overall.”

The solution is designed to lower deployment cost and reduce the implementation time by half as compared with traditional system integration approaches. For enterprises seeking a hosted or cloud offering, Wipro delivers desktops and applications as a service from a dedicated private cloud environment in its own data centers or by leveraging cloud infrastructure providers.

The WDaaS solution is based on Citrix XenDesktop, the Microsoft VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) Premium Suite and Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) software components. It leverages Citrix FlexCast delivery technology, which enables IT to optimize the performance, security and cost of virtual desktops, hosted or local, for any type of user, including task workers, mobile workers, power users and contractors.

It uses Citrix HDX technology that assures each user gets a high-definition experience over any network on any device, including PCs, Macs, thin clients, tablets and smartphones. The solution relies on Hyper-V for running the Windows desktop in the guest virtual machines and incorporates Microsoft’s VDI infrastructure and management software, including Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Services, App-V as well as System Center management solutions so customers can virtualize, manage and deliver applications and desktops. WDaaS will be offered on the HP Converged Infrastructure solution. The hosted and cloud delivery models leverage Rackspace infrastructure.

“Desktop virtualization is a key priority for today’s CIOs as they look to transform their desktops to become more agile, flexible and secure. Citrix XenDesktop supports this desktop change with market leading technologies that turn desktops, applications and data into an on-demand service that can be accessed from any user on any device,” said Dave Jones, vice president of system integrator development at Citrix. “WDaaS is a perfect example of how customers can transform their workplace and quickly realize the benefits of desktop virtualization through an integrated hardware, software and services offering of a major global system integrator.”