VMware and Aptronics recently hosted a breakfast on end-user computing (EUC). Guests were introduced to the latest iteration of VMWare’s EUC Platform, Horizon.

As the key speaker, VMware’s EUC Manager Nick Black introduced the challenges of building an infrastructure that can handle the excess of new devices and working styles out there. Black emphasised the importance of managing behaviours and users, securing and controlling the data centre, and delivering simple, user-friendly interfaces.

Black went on to introduce the concept of just-in-time desktops and the different user case scenarios that the Horizon platform can provide. The session concluded with a round table discussion of EUC.

Aptronics has long enjoyed a strong partnership with VMware, frequently winning recognition and channel awards. According to Ken Marsden, Chief Technology Officer at Aptronics’ VMXperts division, the company has an important role to play in driving the uptake of EUC technologies.

“We have the most partner skills around the VMware and the Horizon product in the South African market,” says Marsden. “This is one of the main reasons VMware chose to enter into a mutual agreement with us to drive the end-user computing message further.”

The overarching theme to come out of the breakfast was the potential of EUC to deliver greater business value in a cost-effective way. Marsden believes that solutions like Horizon represent a new chapter in EUC.

“Up to now, the user computing space hasn’t been fantastic at reducing costs as companies need to manage more devices,” he says. “We’re finally getting to a point where replacing physical desktops with this technology is cheaper.”

Marsden concludes that the Horizon product set represents an excellent opportunity for Aptronics to serve its customers better: “Our methodology is to help the customers understand what they have, how their desktops work and which solutions are the best fit. The big value proposition for our customers in the end-user computing space is that we can assist them in achieving compliance, enhancing security and managing the end-user rather than the box.”