Time is running out for Windows XP and switching to software thin clients is a simple and cost effective solution, says IGEL

Reading, UK, 2 January 2014 – With support for Windows XP set to end in April 2014; IGEL Technology says 2014 is the perfect time to consider software thin clients to ease the XP migration pain.

The IGEL Universal Desktop Converter 2 (UDC2) software allows you to combine existing PC hardware and thin client operating system with centralized remote management. As a particularly low-cost solution to the XP problem, IGEL is recommending that companies check whether they could continue using their existing hardware with the help of a thin client operating system such as IGEL Linux 5.

For existing Windows XP computers this would also mean an improvement in performance as IGEL Linux 5 requires far fewer system resources, in spite of its comprehensive video support. Instead of investing in new client hardware, companies can use their IT budget to set up a centralized or virtual IT infrastructure (private cloud). The standardization of client hardware is simple. With the help of the IGEL Universal Desktop Converter 2 (UDC2), the IGEL OS can be installed on virtually any PC hardware: on existing and new, stationary and mobile PCs, nettops or all-in-one PCs. Notebooks and laptops can even boot the system temporarily from a USB stick in addition to a local Windows system.

Reducing costs in the short term and long term
With the help of software thin clients, old PC-based end devices, including management and support, can be standardized. The desktop administration outlay is drastically reduced, unnecessary hardware disposal is avoided and the life cycle of the client hardware is extended. The part of the IT budget earmarked for hardware investments can be saved or spent elsewhere. The costs incurred by the solution itself are low. The UDC2 license starts from just £49 exc. vat and this includes the sector-leading IGEL Universal Management Suite (UMS) remote management solution. With the help of the UMS, all IGEL software/hardware/zero thin clients and 100 percent of the settings can be remote-administered in a standardized manner.

"Software thin clients are a great opportunity for Windows XP users to overcome the headache of end of support for Windows XP. Organizations can centralize their applications, maintenance and user support at low cost, standardize the various operating systems and GUIs within the company and take an important step towards a future-ready IT infrastructure," said Simon Richards, IGEL’s UK & Ireland Managing Director. "Software clients allow not only standardized access to applications such as Office, CRM or ERP, but also cost-efficient access to virtual desktops or the latest cloud services such as Microsoft Office 365, SalesForce.com or Adobe Creative Cloud."