VMblog:  Can you give us a quick overview of Lakeside Software?

Geoff Hixon:  Lakeside Software has been in the end-user computing space for over 20 years. We're a global company with a focus on helping organizations achieve the visibility they need to proactively tackle performance issues, reduce IT costs, and improve end-user experience.

VMblog:  Tell us about your technology... what problems do you solve?  And how are you considered unique?

Hixon:  With increased adoption of SaaS, VDI, remote work, BYOD, etc. many organizations only have a partial view of what their IT environment is comprised of and how well it's functioning, or they have to jump between multiple tools to try and piece the picture together. With SysTrack, our digital experience monitoring platform, IT can see all of their endpoints within a single tool as well as over 10,000 performance metrics and information on user behavior. This data supports a wide array of initiatives, from planning VDI and Windows 10 migrations to software rationalization to ongoing IT support and beyond. SysTrack's advanced analytics and AIOps capabilities also help IT tackle problems proactively, quickly pinpoint root cause, and resolve issues at scale.

One of the most important metrics SysTrack monitors is end-user experience. Leveraging SysTrack's deep data collection and Lakeside's decades of knowledge and experience, SysTrack calculates an end-user experience score for each endpoint. By analyzing trends in the score for individual users and groups, IT can understand where the biggest productivity impacts are in their environment. With this information, teams can address problems that directly affect end-user experience, thereby improving productivity and providing immense value to the business.

SysTrack is also well-suited to third-party integrations, and we've worked with numerous partners over the years to extend the value of other IT solutions, including offerings from Microsoft, Citrix, VMware, and IGEL.

VMblog:  How do you partner with IGEL?

Hixon:  Our partnership with IGEL is twofold. For customers interested in thin clients, we've developed a joint report that shows you the current composition of your environment and identifies users whose requirements would be well-suited to thin client devices. Additionally, the SysTrack agent is baked in to IGEL OS, enabling customers to see what is happening within these endpoints including information on key metrics like CPU, memory, disk usage, latency, and more.

VMblog:  What do you plan to show off at your booth at DISRUPT 2020?

Hixon:  This year we'll be demoing the latest version of our product, SysTrack 9.0, which provides powerful new ways to leverage SysTrack's data collection including new AIOps features like predictive analytics, self-healing, and Windows Evergreen analytics. As a Windows Virtual Desktop partner, we also expect to continue to have great conversations around right-sizing WVD and how people can get started with our free WVD assessment.

VMblog:  Why do you think DISRUPT is a much needed event this year?

Hixon:  DISRUPT is a great opportunity to dive into all things EUC. Again, I expect that WVD will be a hot topic at the event and we'll be able to hear the latest from the many WVD partners attending DISRUPT. 

VMblog:  What do you attribute to the growing success of End User Computing?  Why has it become so popular lately?

Hixon:  More than ever, companies are prioritizing their most important asset: their employees. The nature of work has shifted dramatically for so many over the past decade, resulting in increased reliance on technology and the need for greater flexibility when it comes to where, when, and how we work. While employees increasingly require multiple devices and apps to do their best work, companies must continue to ensure compliance and security needs are met in an ever-evolving threat landscape. End-user computing solutions are gaining popularity for their ability to enable companies to allow employees to work in a way that supports innovation without sacrificing IT standards.

VMblog:  And finally, how does Lakeside and your solution help with the growth of the EUC market?

Hixon:  Lakeside's long history and continued success is proof that organizations understand the value of monitoring and optimizing the endpoint. By continuing to strengthen our partnerships and identify opportunities to integrate within the EUC community, we anticipate great things ahead in 2020!