VMblog:  As a Citrix Synergy 2019 sponsor, give us the rundown of your booth setup this year.  How can attendees find you? 

Jed Ayres:  IGEL is a Platinum-level sponsor for Citrix Synergy 2019 and will be in Booth #204 showcasing our software-defined endpoint optimization and control solutions for the secure enterprise. During the event, members of IGEL's Management Team including Heiko Gloge, CEO and Founder, IGEL; myself, Jed Ayres, President and CEO, IGEL North America; Matthias Haas, IGEL's Chief Technology Officer; along with its sales and marketing team will be on-site to meet with customers and partners throughout the event. Visit https://www.igel.com/synergy for the latest information on IGEL-related Citrix Synergy activities.

Over the past three decades, IGEL has emerged as the world leader in providing software-defined endpoint optimization and control solutions for cloud and virtualized workspaces, delivering its innovative world-leading software products that include IGEL OSTM, IGEL UD PocketTM (UDP) and Universal Management SuiteTM (UMS). These solutions comprise a more secure, manageable and cost-effective endpoint management and control platform across nearly any compatible x86 device. Easily acquired via just two feature-rich software offerings - IGEL Workspace Edition and Enterprise Management Pack - IGEL software presents outstanding value per investment. Additionally, IGEL's German engineered endpoint devices deliver the industry's best warranty (5 years), support (3 years after end of life) and management functionality. IGEL enables enterprises to save vast amounts of money by extending the useful life of their existing endpoint devices while precisely controlling all devices running IGEL OS as well as Windows OS from a single dashboard interface.

IGEL is encouraging Citrix Synergy conference attendees to register for the following technical trainings:

IGEL Certified Engineer (ICE) Base training | Monday, May 20 | 11am - 4:30pm.

This session will provide all the information and beginning experience needed to configure, install, and manage IGEL-powered software-defined endpoints. 

ICE Pack: UMS Expert training |Monday, May 20 | 2pm - 4pm

This training will offer a technical deep dive based on several practical examples and many use cases around IGEL Universal Management Suite.

ICE Pack: Cloud Architect session | Wednesday, May 22 | 3pm - 5pm

This training will feature a deep dive based on several practical examples of how to get the most benefit from IGEL solutions running in cloud-based environments.

For more information on these sessions or to register, visit igel.com/synergy

VMblog:  What type of theme do you have planned for this year's booth? 

Ayres:  The IGEL booth will be reflective of this year's event theme which is focused on the future of work. Citrix believes in a future of work powered by a true digital workspace that is unified, secure and intelligent to guide, automate and optimize work. 

One of the most exciting attractions for attendees will be the opportunity to drive a "virtual" race car. IGEL will be running the popular Forza Motorsport 7 racing video game to demo the powerful capabilities of IGEL's software-defined endpoint optimization and control solutions. 

Show attendees making a stop at the IGEL Booth #204 will also have the opportunity to enter IGEL's "I Challenge Everything" sweepstakes. Following the completion of a short survey and attending an in-booth presentation in the Innovation Theater, they will be entered to win the all-new electric Porsche Taycan. The winner for this sweepstakes will have the option of a cash equivalent prize ($85K) or donating the prize money to his or her charity of choice. Winner will be announced on December 31, 2019.

IGEL is also extending its successful Customer Challenge Award contest in 2019, where IGEL customers can qualify to participate for a chance to win $20,000 by submitting their testimonial story. To see video and written testimonial submissions from last year's Customer Challenge Award contest, please visit: https://www.igel.com/ichallengeeverything/customer-contest.

VMblog:  Why should a Synergy attendee add you to their MUST SEE list?

Ayres:  Among the top reasons why attendees should visit IGEL in Booth #204 at Citrix Synergy are: 

1)      To learn why a software-defined endpoint management strategy is of key importance to enterprise security, IoT, cloud and mobility initiatives.

2)      Enter to win the all-new electric Porsche Taycan.

3)      To spend 25 seconds in the Money Machine. A winner will be announced after every presentation in the Innovation Theater.

4)      To get a convertible Porsche rental for the weekend. Winner doesn't need to be present to win.

5)      Get a first public glimpse of the all-new IGEL UD2 endpoint device

6)      Share your IGEL success story for a chance to win $20,000. 

VMblog:  If an attendee visits your booth, what's the big message that they will take back to work with them? 

Ayres:  One of the most important things that attendees will learn from IGEL at Citrix Synergy 2019 is how to harness the power of IGEL's software-defined endpoint optimization and control solutions for cloud and virtualized workspaces. Key initiatives for IT enterprises during 2019 in which IGEL has the ability to be a significant enabler are:

• Comprehensive endpoint security, including knowing the BIOS has not been hacked
• Migrating to Windows 10 without the costly and disruptive "hardware refresh" - no need to upgrade CPU and/or RAM
• Smart and secure cloud onboarding made easy 

VMblog:  How many times have you sponsored Synergy before?  What keeps you coming back? 

Ayres:  We've been attending and sponsoring this event for many years. What brings us back each year is the strong alliances we have with Citrix and its ecosystem partners, as well as being the premier forum to communicate our story, messages, and latest offers.

VMblog:  Can you give VMblog readers a sneak peek as to what you will be showing off at your booth this year? 

Ayres:  During Citrix Synergy 2019, be demonstrating our world-leading software products including the very latest version of IGEL OSTM - IGEL OS 11, IGEL UD PocketTM (UDP) and Universal Management SuiteTM (UMS). We will also be introducing our newest endpoint device, the IGEL UD2 and showcasing it in the booth along with the IGEL UD7.  As mentioned previously, one of the most exciting attractions for attendees will be the opportunity to drive a "virtual" race car. IGEL will be running the popular Forza Motorsport 7 racing video game to demo the powerful capabilities of IGEL's software-defined solutions. 

VMblog:  Give readers a few reasons why your product or service is considered unique and differentiated from the competition.

Ayres:  IGEL is an enterprise software company that places extreme value on platform independence and customer freedom of choice.  Our software-defined endpoint optimization and control solutions for the secure enterprise comprise a more secure, manageable and cost-effective endpoint management and control platform across nearly any x86 device. Easily acquired via just two feature-rich software offerings, - Workspace Edition and Enterprise Management Pack - IGEL software presents outstanding value per investment. Additionally, IGEL's German engineered endpoint solutions deliver the industry's best warranty (5 years), support (3 years after end of life) and management functionality. Quite simply, IGEL enables our customers to save money - oftentimes lots of money - by extending the useful life of their existing endpoint devices while easily and precisely controlling all devices running IGEL OS as well as Windows OS from a single dashboard interface.

VMblog:  How does your company work or partner with Citrix?  What value add do you provide? 

Ayres:  IGEL is committed to helping IT organizations operating Citrix-based cloud and virtualized infrastructure environments increase efficiencies, reduce costs, and enhance the security of their deployments. One example of this is the IGEL UD Pocket. 

Built to provide on-demand access to cloud and virtualized workspaces, the IGEL UD Pocket offers IT organizations with remote or mobile workforces a flexible and cost-effective out-of-the-box micro thin client solution that is designed to improve the security of bring-your-own-device (BYOD) initiatives. The IGEL UD Pocket enables simple and secure access to Citrix-powered virtual desktops, via a USB-bootable device, without overwriting the local operating system (OS). 

VMblog:  What are you looking forward to most at this year's event?

Ayres:  This year, we are looking forward to connecting with our partners and customers and will also be hosting invitation-only meetings with our customers from North America and EMEA, as well as a Happy Hour event with the IGEL Community at Der Biergarten on Wednesday, May 22. For more information or to register, visit https://marketing.igel.com/acton/fs/blocks/showLandingPage/a/34989/p/p-0029/t/page/fm/0.

In our view, education is also a very important aspect of the sales and marketing process, and we are looking to identify new synergies between our two companies. We know that there are many areas of overlap that we can capitalize on, but we would also like to identify areas where we could further expand our education efforts together in order to build greater credibility, and continue to grow our partnership with Citrix. 

VMblog:  What would you say to prospective attendees who are thinking about attending Synergy but aren't sure if it's worth it or not? 

Ayres:  Citrix Synergy is the best place to find out what like-minded customers and partners are doing to tune performance and improve end-user productivity. The exchange of ideas, exploring the "art of the possible" with Citrix, will easily cover your expense and time, plus you'll make new friends and have some fun.  IGEL guarantees you'll leave Citrix Synergy with some new ideas as to how to optimize your infrastructure, endpoints and user experience.

VMblog:  What do you think we need to do collectively as an ecosystem to strengthen the industry?

Ayres:  The problems that our mutual customers within the Citrix ecosystem face cannot be solved by a single technology or solution. The strength of our ecosystem relies on the cooperation and collaboration of vendors across this space. At IGEL, our goal is to drive cost and complexity out of the endpoint management equation, and we are achieving that by forging partnerships across the ecosystem.

One of the unique things IGEL has done is launch our own conference - DISRUPT End User Computing Forum. This year, we brought in many of our ecosystem partners for multi-day IGEL DISRUPT EUC events in Munich, Germany and San Jose, Calif. Together, we were able to demonstrate how multiple technologies are working together to disrupt endpoint computing by driving greater efficiencies, reducing costs and improving security. This is the second year we've hosted this annual event, and our attendees are already looking forward to our events in Germany and the U.S. in 2020.

VMblog:  Do you have any quick predictions for 2019 you'd like to share?

Ayres:  In 2019, Forrester estimates 85% of firms will implement or plan to implement IoT solutions.  The proliferation of IoT devices and the overall growth of mobile and remote computing have created new endpoint management challenges for IT teams.  Adding IoT to an already diverse end user computing (EUC) environment is a big job ahead for IT.  Solutions that can deliver organization, efficiency and security will be in greater demand as enterprises seek to gain control over this growing endpoint estate.

IGEL is seeing the impact IoT has on an already over stretched IT organization who is still trying to deal with traditional endpoint management, like Windows.  Many Enterprises are still struggling with how to integrate IoT devices into their overall operations and apply a common level of security and oversight to both their existing devices, desktops and new IOT devices.  Centralized, automated endpoint management software, that can securely manage tens of thousands of these endpoints, is essential to creating organization and efficiency out of this complex, diverse environment.

B2B applications of IoT will take off in 2019, Forrester notes, as enterprises focus on driving efficiencies, connecting the enterprise, expanding the edge, and, in some cases, providing personalized customer experiences.  Centralized endpoint management will be a critical part of enterprise IoT as IT teams must be able to deliver a secure, efficient environment for not only IoT but all EUC devices. 

VMblog:  Attendees always enjoy a good trade show giveaway.  What can an attendee hope to get at your booth? 

Ayres:  IGEL will be giving away IGEL UD Pocket Demo Sticks, while supplies last, as well as IGEL hats for attendees who either sign up for the IGEL Community or show booth staff an IGEL social media post using the hashtags #CitrixSynergy and #IChallengeEverything. Also, back by popular demand we will have a limited quantity of IGEL hedgehogs, available on a first come, first serve basis. 

VMblog:  Does your company have any speaking sessions during the show?  If so, can you give us the who, what, when and where?

Ayres:  Yes, IGEL's Douglas Brown and Simon Townsend will be participating in a "Meet the Experts" session on "Best Practices for Transforming the Desktop Experience for the "Future of Work."

During this session, attendees will learn how IGEL is working with Citrix to accelerate the delivery of cloud workplace applications through a secure platform leveraging IGEL's software-defined endpoint solutions. With this combined solution, workers can access their applications and desktops from virtually any location or device. The session will take place at the  Georgia World Congress Center, Level 1, Synergy Park, Hall C2, Meet the Experts Theater #1 at 4pm on Wednesday, May 22. 

IGEL's Douglas Brown will also present a breakout session with Roberto Perez, IT Architect for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines featuring insights on how the world's second largest cruise line operator was able to re-purpose many of its aging endpoints leveraging IGEL's software-defined endpoint solutions. The combination of IGEL and Citrix increased the flexibility of the organization's small IT team, making it possible to do more with less, while at the same time improving the end-user computing experience. This breakout session will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center, Level 3, Room C302 at 11:30am on Thursday, May 23. 

VMblog:  Are you guys throwing or involved with any type of party during the event?  Can you share the details?  

Ayres:  The IGEL Community, led by Douglas Brown, Global Technology Evangelist for IGEL will be hosting a Happy Hour on Wednesday, May 22 from 5:30pm to 7pm at Der Biergarten located at 300 Marietta Street NW in Atlanta. To Register for this event, visit igel.com/synergy 

IGEL will also be a sponsor again this year for the M7 Global Partners party, one of the most talked about events at Citrix Synergy. 

In summary, you need to visit IGEL at Citrix Synergy 2019 because: 

1.       This is the best place to find out about what is new and changing with IGEL.

2.       This is the best place to find out how to manage your Windows 10 migration.

3.       This is the best place to find out how to optimize your endpoints for maximum user productivity.

4.       This is the best place to find out about the future of VDI and DaaS endpoints.

5.       This is the best place to get a FREE UD Pocket - the world's smallest cloud client.

6.       This the best place to save millions of dollars on your VDI implementation, and if you don't ask we'll never tell! 

Visit https://www.igel.com/citrixsynergy for the latest information on IGEL-related Citrix Synergy 2019 activities.