Dell, Citrix, VMware Launch New Virtual Desktop Packages

Dell and longtime virtualization partners Citrix and VMware unveiled on March 10 some new enterprise desktop virtualization packages.

Dell’s Desktop Virtualization Solutions can be cloud- or locally-based and are comprised of prepackaged services with pretested hardware and software, Dell Director of Solutions Program Management Terry Vaughn told eWEEK.

Citrix and/or VMware supply the virtual desktop software secret sauce for these new packages. Dell naturally supplies its PowerEdge servers, EqualLogic storage and PowerConnect networking as needed.

The new Customer-Premise and Dell Cloud platforms use the same reference architecture and base components, commonalities that lead to better efficiencies in service delivery and support operations, Vaughn said.

“As for the market we’re looking at, we definitely want to start at about the 400-500 seat range, and then drive ourselves up to larger enterprises,” Vaughn said. “Our overall solution strategy is targeted at the midmarket from a design standpoint, so that we can scale down and then scale up.”

Vaughn said Dell plans to expand the new virtual desktop products to include mobile packages specifically designed for vertical markets, including education and health care.

For example, health care providers who move around a hospital or other location can use the same virtual desktop in multiple locations and on multiple devices, including desktops, laptops and tablets.

Vaughn said Dell is offering four delivery models:

• Virtual Desktop as a Service: Fully-managed virtual desktops hosted from the Dell Cloud.
• Managed Service Solution: Dell implements and manages a customer-purchased Integrated Solution Stack; customers deploy this either on-premise or in a Dell Data Center.
• Customer Managed Solution: Dell implements a customer-purchased Integrated Solution Stack within the customer’s location. Dell turns over management of operations, monitoring and incident resolution to the customer after the deployment is completed.
• Custom Solution: Dell provides design, build and/or implementation consulting services to deliver a custom-built solutions utilizing Dell’s best of breed ingredients and modified reference architectures.

The new virtual desktops are available now in the United States with expected availability in other countries later this year, Vaughn said. Pricing for the cloud service is on a per-seat, per-month basis; details are available upon consultation.