Defining the abilities of Amulet Hotkey client devices
Scalability, Performability, Securability, and Agnostability!
When it comes to deploying any solution that delivers virtual desktops and applications from the datacentre or cloud, the client device from which the end user connects to their desktop or application often gets overlooked. But it is just as important a component of the overall solution as the hosting infrastructure is itself. If not even more important than the infrastructure as it is the touch point for the end users and as the most visible component will be what the end user blames when things go wrong.
Understanding Client Devices: Thin Clients vs Zero Clients
You will note that I am using the term ‘client device’ to describe the end user’s device rather than the term thin client or zero client. The end-point device really does depend on the use case, but the world has changed with regard to clients, and that is down to the vendor platforms and the way they deliver the end-user experience over the network. It may well be a thin client or a zero client that gets deployed on the desk, but the use case will dictate the most appropriate type of device to deploy. However, it is worth noting that for zero clients, the world has most definitely changed, especially if you are running VMware Horizon as your delivery platform! More about that later.
Thin Clients and Zero Clients: Key Differences
Not wanting to teach your grandmother to suck eggs, but it might be just worth highlighting the differences between thin clients and zero clients to help provide an insight to this post and demonstrate how the world of client devices is changing.
A zero client has no operating system. It is hardware based and everything it needs is contained within the silicon, the firmware on the chip. In this case an HP Teradici chip (HP acquired Teradici in July 2021), and often referred to by the chip version, the ‘T2’. As such zero clients only support the PCoIP display protocol for delivering the end user experience.
In contrast a thin client does have an operating system (Windows-based or some form of customised Linux OS that is purpose built by the thin client vendor) and will support multiple protocols, these being defined by the vendor of the backend delivery infrastructure you are connecting to.
The Impact of VMware Horizon and PCoIP Changes
Back to the earlier point around VMware Horizon and PCoIP. Recently VMware announced that support for PCoIP in Horizon will end at the end of 2025. To be honest this was always something that was on the cards given the development and progress VMware have made developing their own protocol, Blast Extreme. So, what does that mean for the client devices and the way forward.
If you have deployed zero clients within your organisation, and upgrade to a new version of VMware Horizon after the end of 2025, without PCoIP support, then your zero clients will no longer work. You could of course continue to run the older version of VMware Horizon that does have PCoIP, and continue using zero clients, but you are then running an unsupported solution.
Broadcom’s Acquisition of VMware and Its Implications
You could also switch platforms away from VMware Horizon, especially given the recent Broadcom acquisition of VMware and the statement around the EUC business being divested (sold off) and partner programs being cancelled. But that would be a massive upheaval for your business and end users alike, so you could simply swap out the zero clients for thin clients that support the latest VMware Blast protocol which would also future poof your client estate as thin clients will also support protocols from the other leading digital workspace vendors.
But maybe the divesting of VMware EUC by Broadcom is a good thing? Speaking to ex-colleagues, the EUC business unit has not been affected by the partner program announcements or the redundancies.
The Martini Marketing Approach and Remote Computing
So back to the thread of this article and one of the things I hear, when discussing remote solutions, is the “Martini” marketing approach. For those of you who aren’t old enough to remember the Martini ad, their tag line was “anytime, anyplace, anywhere”.
With remote computing adding another “any”, in the form of any device. While all of these statements are technically true, there are some caveats to be aware of. Particularly the anytime and anywhere statements. These are dependent on firstly being able to get a connection and then is that connection fast enough to deliver the user experience?
But in keeping with the theme of this post, we are focusing on the any device statement. While you may well be able to connect to a CAD-enabled virtual desktop remotely using a smartphone, is it really usable? Probably not in reality. So where am I going with this?
Basically, what I am saying is that you should choose the most appropriate device that meets the end user’s requirements. The right device for the right job. Delivering that ability, and in this case the four abilities in the title of this post, defines how Amulet Hotkey is best placed to meet all the demanding requirements of the end users and delivering the end user experience.
Scalability and Performance of Amulet Hotkey Client Devices
Let’s start by going back to the theme of this post and the first ability and that’s Scalability. In the case of the new Amulet Hotkey 5th Gen client’s scalability and performability go hand-in-hand.
You can start with a very basic device with an entry level CPU (U300) and support for a single monitor, for basic office tasks, all the way up to a device with the latest Intel i5 CPU and support for four screens running at 4K resolutions for advanced power users.
Securability and Agnostability: Unique Features of Amulet Hotkey Devices
Next is the Securability, something that Amulet Hotkey excels at, not just due to the fact that the devices are designed and manufactured in the UK, but also because global defence customers deploy them in their thousands from onboard ships to field deployments in hostile places where security is paramount, but also the robustness of the device itself to withstand those sorts of conditions.
If we talk about physical security then client devices come as standard with a raft of features, from integrated fibre networking, to tamper and intrusion detection hardware. Which leads nicely on the final ability. Agnostability. I made that word up in case you hadn’t noticed!
With that in mind I had better explain what I mean by my made-up word of Agnostability. Essentially it means the ability to be agnostic, which describes the choice of operating system that can be installed on an Amulet Hotkey client device. Amulet Hotkey themselves do not have their own operating system but instead support a raft of leading client operating systems. As discussed, both the client device configuration and the operating system choice will come down to the use case.
If we continue along the security theme, then maybe the OS of choice is Becrypt Paradox SE to satisfy security teams. Maybe it’s IGEL OS or Unicon eLux to compliment an existing install base. Or maybe Windows IoT. Continuing the Windows theme, you could even run Windows 10 or Windows 11 and maybe lock them down in kiosk mode using something like ThinScale ThinKiosk.
As you can see, the list of operating systems is long, and all goes to deliver the Agnostability of the device and the OS you choose. You are not tied to an OS and therefore not tied to a particular vendor platform. You have the choice based on your specific requirements.
Conclusion: Amulet Hotkey’s Comprehensive End-to-End Solutions
In summary, Amulet Hotkey have a range of end point devices that are scalable, performant, secure, and agnostic that will provide the end point solution for any customer environment. Not only that they deliver a complete end-to-end solution with customised and optimised datacenter infrastructure.
As an Amulet Hotkey partner and coupled with years of experience and expertise in delivering digital workspace solutions, Luniq are the ideal partner for helping customers navigate the best options for delivering the best end user experience.