NComputing introduce vSpace Pro 10, latest desktop virtualization platform

Schools and SMBs can remotely manage hundreds of virtual desktops with new NComputing cloud features, saving costs of up to 80% per year

San Mateo, California - September 29, 2016 - Today NComputing launches vSpace Pro 10, a new desktop virtualization platform solution, with a redesigned UI and UX and brand new cloud features. vSpace Pro 10 gives schools and small to medium sized businesses the ability to run and manage up to 100 virtual desktops from a single host machine. Compared to an all PC-based solution this reduces acquisition costs by 65%, IT maintenance costs by 80% per year, and energy savings of up to 90% when combined with NComputing’s thin client hardware.

vSpace Pro 10 supports the latest Windows Operating Systems to deliver a true PC desktop experience for the end user. Whether in the classroom or workplace, IT administrators can set up and monitor their desktop virtualization deployment, as well as remotely manage hundreds of connected user sessions running on thin client devices - without having to be at that specific computer. This centralized management cuts down costs and improves security by lowering the risk that individual users could unknowingly breach security measures.

The new vCAST technology works with vSpace Pro 10 to increase the number of supported vSpace users by up to six times compared to previous versions of vSpace, yet it doesn’t affect users’ enjoyment of smooth running, HD quality videos. Upcoming premium features include integrated classroom management with monitoring, live chat and student session controls to increase productivity in schools. Other upcoming features include Server Health Monitoring and Usage Tracking to help IT administrators to minimize potential downtime and monitor server workloads.

Rakesh Chauhan, Managing Director at Techminds Solutions, explains: “Our customers manage all the routers and servers, and their role requires them to take out time to manually fix any user’s desktop device breakdowns and do regular updates. They were asking us for something that allows them to do this at the convenience of their desk. With vSpace Pro10, we can provide a cost effective solution for IT budgets that saves IT managers hundreds of hours per year."

Key features of vSpace Pro 10 include:

Windows support - vSpace Pro 10 supports all the 9 popular Windows Operating Systems, including the latest Windows 10 desktop along with Windows Server 2016 (technical preview version) to deliver a true PC desktop experience for end users

vSpace Cloud Management Portal - A cloud-based web dashboard that allows admins to remotely manage and allocate their NComputing software licenses, premium features and their deployed vSpace Servers from any browser. Provides visibility of users in the classroom or workplace
NComputing vSpace Manager - Allows the admin to centralize the management of software licenses and allocate premium features among the connected vSpace Servers, providing flexibility to different deployment scenarios

NComputing vSpace Console - Previously known as NC-Console, vSpace Console centrally manages vSpace Server deployment and device management features, regardless of which vSpace Server they are connected to. This allows admins to organize deployment on single or multiple sites, making it easier to perform management tasks remotely such as firmware updates, device resets and vSpace Server configuration

NComputing vCAST Technology (premium feature) - The new vCAST web streaming technology works with vSpace Pro 10 to increase user density support (the number of supported vSpace users) compared to previous vSpace versions by up to six times, while still delivering high quality HD videos.

Young Song, NComputing CEO, explains: “Cloud software is expected to surpass $112.8 billion by 2019, and the way that needs to happen is through SaaS delivery - which is overtaking and growing nearly five times faster than the traditional software market*. This creates a huge opportunity both for us and our customers, and challenges us to provide solutions that define the market and what businesses want. The launch of the vSpace Pro 10 platform marks an important milestone for NComputing and for our customers, providing an enhanced desktop virtualization experience.”

vSpace Pro 10 is available from today and is free to download from the NComputing website, www.ncomputing.com/vSpacePro10

About vSpace Pro 10
vSpace Pro 10 works with the existing Thin Client hardware device families (NComputing L/M/MX/CX Series), vSpace Pro Client for Chromebooks and Windows, and soon the Raspberry Pi 3 client. It supports Windows Server 2016 (technical preview version) and Windows 10 - and past OS versions are still supported including Windows 7 and 8, Windows Server 2012, 2008 - Windows Multipoint Server (64-bit versions).

NOTE: Microsoft Windows Server and appropriate client access licenses are required for multiuser environments using NComputing products. Desktop operating systems such as Microsoft Windows 10 are appropriate for single user applications such as 1:1 VDI, display systems, and remote access.

Go Green with NComputing

Desktop Virtualization and Eco-Friendly Computing

We can't live without PCs, so let’s learn how to live with them in a way that makes them friendlier to the environment. Currently, PC’s consume far too much electricity and generate too much e-waste to to be considered an Eco-friendly solution by today’s standards. With a typical PC taking approximately 110 watts to run, and with well over 1 billion of them on the planet, it’s easy to understand what the Silicon Valley Toxics Commission is saying about e-waste is being the fastest growing part of the waste stream.

The Global Impact of Billions of PCs
How many computers are actually in use? According to a report by Forrester Research, by the end of 2008, there were over one billion PCs in use worldwide. As PC adoption grows globally, it is estimated that there will be more than two billion PCs in use by 2015. It took 27 years to reach one billion but will only take 7 more years to double that number. With this trend, something needs to change.

If NComputing systems were used at a ratio of 6 NComputing devices to each PC:

• Energy use would decline by over 143 billion kilowatt hours per year
• CO2 emissions would decrease by 114 million metric tons. That’s like planting 550 million trees!
• E-waste would be reduced by 7.9 million metric tons

The Solution is Simple and Efficient

Today's PCs are so powerful that we no longer need one PC per person. We can tap into the excess power in one PC and share it with many users. NComputing thin client devices use just 1 to 5 watts, last for a decade, and generate just a few ounces of e-waste. Not only is this a simple solution to a complex problem, the efficiencies achieved using this technology are amazing. NComputing solutions save 75% on hardware, and since they draw less than 5 watts of power, you can reduce your energy footprint by as much as 90% per user. NComputing thin client devices produce practically no heat, reducing the need for energy-consuming air conditioning. Electricity savings alone can pay for the NComputing virtual desktops in as little as one year.

NComputing Solutions

NComputing solutions take the guesswork out of desktop virtualization by positioning the right solution for your needs quickly, within budget and with your green computing desires in mind. Spanning education to the enterprise, NComputing provides proven, reliable and robust solutions for organizations worldwide.

IT Priorities

Mobility
Allow your users to access their work using multiple computers and over WiFi connections from their home, remote locations or wherever they might be.

BYOD
The increased use of personal iOS and Windows devices in your workplace isn't a threat - it's an opportunity. When your employees use their own PCs, laptops and tablets for work activities, they're likely to be happier and more productive, and your company can save money in the long run. Save the cost and hassle of buying and configuring new devices by letting your users bring their own device into the workplace.

Virtualize Desktops & Applications
Centralizing access to desktops and applications residing on a server and not on devices can greatly streamline your IT management and support efforts. Changes and additions to desktops and applications can be applied in one central, secure and scalable location on a managed server but still be accessed by all users who need them, increasing business agility and continuity in addition to saving costs associated with end user devices.

Windows Upgrades
Limit the effort and overall costs of upgrading to Windows 7 by only needing to update your central server. Provide a modern, rich experience with PC's you already have by using them as virtual desktop & application access devices.

Industry Solutions

Healthcare
The integration between the N-series and Imprivata® OneSign® ensures that doctors, nurses, clinical, and support staff have secure “No Click Access™” to appropriate data and applications by the authorized individual at the point of care (POC)—hospitals, satellite clinics, labs, and doctors’ private practice and home offices.

Education
NComputing's end-to-end desktop virtualization solutions, powered by vSpace software and Numo System on Chip technology and delivered with our thin client devices, are relied upon by millions of students and administration staff all over the world for reliable, high performance and extremely affordable access to modern computing in learning environments.

Small/Mid-sized Business
Workgroups and branch offices alike in small to mid-size businesses are a perfect fit for NComputing's unique blend of simple, powerful and affordable desktop virtualization solutions. Best of all, with NComputing, businesses avoid the high cost and high complexity normally associated with VDI deployments.

Enterprise
NComputing has highly specialized thin client solutions that cut the cost and complexity normally associated with providing end point devices to users in an enterprise desktop virtualization environment.

NComputing for Education

Make one-to-one computing a reality

The traditional model:
1:1 computing with PCs at every desk


Funding obstacles
More and more educators advocate a 1:1 PC ratio at the classroom level to better teach and engage students. While this is a laudable goal, they find themselves faced with the challenge of funding such initiatives, which involve significant investment in the purchase of PCs. 
Support for laptops, tablets and notebooks is often considered as an alternative. But while this method adds mobility for the user, it requires significant investment in a WiFi or mobile data network that can support every user and the ongoing repair or replacement of broken and stolen devices.

IT staffing obstacles
Let’s say a school district is able to increase funding and install 500 PCs to serve 500 students at a typical K-8 school. The increased maintenance and support would require at least one or two additional full-time technicians on site at each school.

With limited IT support budgets, many districts rely on teachers to troubleshoot computer problems in the classroom. Most teachers lack the technical skills necessary to quickly diagnose and repair those problems. Soon malfunctioning PCs lay dormant while students again have to work two or more per PC.

Infrastructure obstacles
School buildings, especially older ones, just don’t have the infrastructure to support 1:1 computing with PCs.

Space: A typical mini PC sitting on a desk with keyboard, LCD monitor and a mouse is 24” wide by 16” deep. This uses 75 square feet of desk space to support 28 students. PCs that are moved underneath to allow room for reading and writing at the desk are often kicked, which reduces their lifespan greatly.

Electrical: A typical PC uses about 110W of power. The electrical requirements for a total installation add up quickly. Older buildings are not necessarily wired to support such electrical usage. Even if a building can support the usage, the cost of electricity alone is often prohibitive.

HVAC: A typical 110W PC will put out over 680 BTU (British Thermal Units) per hour. In a school where there are 28 PCs per classroom replicated across nine classrooms, the school would require an additional 4.2 tons worth of air conditioning load to handle the increased thermal output, roughly equivalent to the air conditioning load for an additional 2.5 classrooms.

Abstract
Providing every student with access to computing technology and digital resources is a strategy known as one to one (1:1) computing, by which schools can:

• Enable personalized and collaborative learning 
• Meet regulatory standards for digital learning, assessments or tracking
• Prepare their students for 21st century careers 

Traditionally the 1:1 computing model has been achieved by providing access to PCs, but adding PCs costs more than just their price alone. In an effort to establish a future-proof IT platform, schools are turning to desktop virtualization to achieve 1:1 computing without straining existing resources or budgets.

The sustainable model:
1:1 computing with desktop virtualization
Desktop virtualization moves the operating system (OS), applications and data from the PCs of many students, teachers and staff to one centralized location, usually a server. Everyone then connects simultaneously to the server to access their software and files from simple terminals, removing the need for resource-intensive PCs.

The two flavors of desktop virtualization
There are two main approaches to desktop virtualization. Both work by virtualizing software and presenting it to the user.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI):
With VDI, the entire operating system, applications and settings that would have been
deployed on a PC are instead virtualized as a package for each user on the server called a virtual machine or VM. This allows IT to manage resources centrally, but they must still manage an entire set of OS and applications for each user.

Session Virtualization (Remote Desktop Services):
With session virtualization, a single version of both the operating system (OS) and applications used by the group are installed on a server. Specialized software creates virtual desktop sessions, which are personal desktop environments that allow each user to access the shared OS and applications separately. This allows IT to both manage resources centrally and to manage fewer instances of software.

Lower acquisition cost
In both desktop virtualization models, a classroom of 28 PCs is replaced by a server that can support 28 users and simple, low cost and durable thin clients at each desk. The cost of the server and 28 clients is less than that of 28 PCs. And because servers and thin clients last longer than PCs, refresh cycles and the investment they require are greatly reduced.

Session virtualization has more significant cost savings beyond this. By running fewer instances of the OS and software, fewer resources are taken up and more users can fit onto each server.

Lower technical support cost
The cost of supporting a PC (maintenance, patching, repairs, and general management) is 85% of the total cost of ownership. Simply by reducing the number of physical computers, and therefore the number of computers you have to repair or visit each day, overall support costs are reduced significantly.

Desktop virtualization allows technical support staff to use server management software to provide support for multiple campuses without ever leaving the district office. If a virtual desktop needs attention, the teacher simply alerts the district support technician who accesses the station on the server and applies a fix in a matter of minutes, with minimal classroom disruption.

Session virtualization further reduces demand for technical services by reducing the number of servers, OS and software that need to be managed. Each technician can service more users than with VDI, allowing schools to increase computing access more significantly before needing to add additional IT staff.

The infrastructure-friendly solution

Desktop virtualization puts less strain on existing school infrastructure.
nn Space: Thin clients are no larger than a deck of playing cards and can be mounted to the back of a monitor with a few screws. This reduces the footprint to just that of the keyboard and mouse and prevents the thin clients from being kicked or spilled on. It also gives teachers much more flexibility in the physical configuration of their classrooms.

nn Electrical: Compared to a 110 watt PC, thin clients require a fraction of the electricity. Using as little as 1 watt per device, 28 thin clients in a classroom would require just 28 watts of power whereas 28 computers would use 3080 watts on average.

nn HVAC: Because thin clients require minimal electricity, there is virtually no increase in heat generated in the classroom. Large numbers of clients can be deployed without the need to expand HVAC systems.

Conclusion
Thousands of school systems around the world are making their one to one computing goals reality thanks to desktop virtualization. Its benefits, in reducing acquisition costs, lowering the IT administrative burden and eliminating infrastructure challenges, offer a computing model that is not only attainable, but sustainable into the future.

NComputing Introducing N600 Thin Clients

Introducing N600 Thin Clients for Citrix HDX with native dual monitor support

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Ncomputing N600 thin client for Citrix HDX. Designed for knowledge workers with high multimedia and productivity needs, this native dual display endpoint supports 1920x1200 resolution, monitor rotation, and full 1080p HD video playback.

The N600 thin client is optimized for HDX and powered by System-on-Chip technology to deliver high-performance. With full manageability, support, and low cost, the enterprise organization can now cost-effectively extend their Citrix deployment to more users, allowing broader access to the benefits of desktop virtualization.

Key features for N600 thin client include:

• Native dual display (up to 1920x1200 resolution)
• Independent monitor rotation
• Full 1080p HD video playback
• Windows Media redirection with hardware accelerated client-side rendering
• 4 USB 2.0 ports
• USB peripheral device redirection (storage devices, printers, scanners, smart card readers, serial ports, webcams, audio devices, generic USB devices)
• Gigabit Ethernet
• Power-on Management and Wake on LAN (WoL) support
• vSpace Management Center compatibility

Citrix compatibility:

• XenDesktop 5.6
• XenApp 6.5
• XenDesktop 7.1 (Server and Desktop OS VDAs)
• XenApp 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8 and 7.9 (Server OS VDAs)
• XenDesktop 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8 and 7.9 (Desktop OS VDAs)
• StoreFront 2.6, 3.0 and 3.6 (including connections through NetScaler Gateway)
• Web Interface 5.4

About NComputing N-series thin client solution:

For organizations looking to broaden their commitment to Citrix XenDesktop, XenApp or StoreFront, the NComputing N-series thin clients for Citrix HDX deliver 100% of the HDX experience at a fraction of the cost of PCs or other thin clients. NComputing next-generation thin clients are optimized for HDX and powered by the Numo™ 3 System-on-Chip, which delivers a high-performance client supporting HD video sessions with a small energy footprint. With full manageability, support, and at low cost, enterprise organizations can now cost-effectively extend their Citrix deployments to more users, allowing them to gain fuller access to the many benefits of desktop virtualization.