With seamless integration of the Lync Optimization Pack on all of its Linux-based thin clients, IGEL has now made high quality audio and video conferencing possible in virtual Citrix infrastructures.

Reading, UK, February 19th, 2013 – By integrating the "HDX RealTime Optimization Pack for Microsoft Lync", IGEL has expanded the range of applications for its Linux thin clients with high-performance multimedia communication capabilities. The Optimization Pack improves the use of the Microsoft Lync Server in Citrix XenDesktop and XenApp environments and provides a highly scalable solution for delivering real-time audio-video conferencing. The implementation of the Optimization Pack in IGEL’s own Linux operating system allows portions of the signaling and media processing that occurs during a conference to be performed directly on the thin client itself, removing loading from the server, minimizing network bandwidth consumption and ensuring optimum audio-video quality. Users will not only have a better conferencing experience but will also be able to enjoy the advantages that IGEL’s lean endpoint devices offer in enabling unified communication within virtualized IT environments.

“By integrating the Lync Optimization Pack, IGEL has met the need from an increasing number of our customers using the Microsoft Lync infrastructure in Citrix environments on our IGEL thin clients. This is another example of how IGEL is continuously improving the deployment flexibility and future-readiness of its solutions.” said Simon Richards, IGEL UK Managing Director.

An increased demand for unified communication
The importance of having efficient communication structures in place within companies is constantly increasing and is quite often a strategic factor in improving their competitiveness. Video conferences are now an indispensible tool for companies that have offices in many locations and team members distributed across them. Microsoft Lync has become well established as a unified communications solution, offering a standardized user interface that combines voice communication, instant messaging as well as audio, video and web conferencing.

Availability
The "HDX RealTime Optimization Pack for Microsoft Lync" is now available for all Linux-based IGEL Universal Desktop thin clients and the Universal Desktop Converter (UDC) as of Version 4.10.100. The integration for the UD2-LX MultiMedia SoC/ARM thin client will be available shortly.

At CeBIT in Germany (March 5-9), IGEL will demonstrate the high performance of its thin clients with Microsoft Lync by holding a live video conference between both IGEL exhibition booths (Hall 2, Booth 40 and Hall 4, Booth A58).