News (Blog)

Synergy 2013 Partner Reception

preston@greenqube.com (Preston Rose) — Thu, 16 May 2013 03:13:45 +0000

GreenQube is proud to announce a reception at Citrix Synergy 2013 in Anaheim, CA on May 21, 2013.

The reception will be held from 5-6:30 at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel Conference Room, Elite Ballroom/Salon 3.

Present will be GreenQube's President and CEO, Hunter McFadden, along the VP of Partner Relations, Preston Rose, and other members of the GreenQube staff. Hunter and his staff will hold a brief demo and presentation of the GreenQube Hosted Desktop platform. Hunter will also go over the strategic path GreenQube is taking to ensure the best desktop experience on the market and our vision for the future.

All current GreenQube partners, and those potential partners seeking more information, are invited along with their clients and prospects to attend. Registration is required. Please send an email to info@greenqube.com or click here to register.

What is a Hosted Desktop?

hunter@greenqube.com (Hunter McFadden) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 05:09:10 +0000

The biggest solution in setting up a business continuity plan is to have your IT infrastructure transferred online by availing of services from cloud computing vendors. And undoubtedly, the biggest portion of this business continuity solution is having all or most workstations virtualized, the most common type being hosted desktops.

Photo by: Saad Faruque

Hosted Desktops (DaaS) are quite flexible and there are many offers out there depending on your budget and needs. A lot of these services are also customizable; a top requirement for service providers swimming in an industry with near-infinite combinations of needs and wants. Let us look at the three most common types of desktop virtualization.

Shared Remote Hosted Desktops – This can be summed up in one word, “terminal”. Client machines/devices have a small installed application which mediates its connection to a server running a single image of an operating system or application that multiple clients are connecting to. The client device only serves to view an image of the “screen” that the server gives and transmits keyboard and pointer/mouse input back to the server. This is probably the solution with the lowest cost among the bunch but offers good flexibility and control over data and applications. But it has limitations. For one, because of the fact of sharing, some applications may not support it. Also, it is very dependent on connectivity and network connection quality. Because it is totally online and virtual, minimum local resources are used and graphics and visuals may suffer as it is dependent on display protocols in handling graphics.
Dedicated Remote Hosted Desktops – Similar to the one above but instead of multiple users connecting to a single instance, a separate instance of the desktop is served to only a single user. This offers more power and flexibility compared to the above solution because this allows for all kinds of applications, especially those that do not work in share mode. Dedicated remote hosted desktops can be run on streaming mode or remote hosted mode. This allows for some processing to be done locally especially on the graphics component but requires more powerful client devices. Citrix XenDesktop is a common service offering for shared and dedicated remote hosted desktops.
Remote Virtual Applications – One of the most common applications on the web, so common that many users do not even realize that they are using cloud computing. Flash games are an example. Imagine your flash games being run in the server side instead of in the client device, which is used only to send control signals like keyboard, touch, or mouse movement and clicks. Remote virtual applications are a good example of software as a service (SaaS).

What solution to go for? Companies and businesses must choose depending on the type of work an employee does. Some may only use minimal processing and simple applications so will only need the first solution while others may need more dedicated service. Still, some others will need customized solutions, variations from the types listed. It is, therefore, important to select a service provider that offers expertise and flexibility, such as GreenQube.

To find out how to move your desktop to the cloud, click here.

Hosted Desktops: Making the IT Guy’s Job a Breeze

hunter@greenqube.com (Hunter McFadden) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 01:23:15 +0000

Traditionally, the role of the IT or IS department is to make sure that all required computing resources are up and running smoothly for an indefinite measure of time. Meaning the IT guy’s job is never done, from data migration, software installation and update, and even hardware repair and maintenance, the job is always stressful and there is always something that needs fixing. Hosted Desktops eliminate a number of these problems.

First of all, the biggest change to the IT guy’s routine is the elimination of the need for individual installation and update of new applications into each workstation that required it. This is replaced with a centralized control in the hosted desktop admin console where required applications are quickly added and updated based on which employee needs it and it can be pushed to multiple accounts at once.

Next, the need to maintain large and costly office computers that hinder all productivity when they bog down also vanishes. With GreenQube’s hosted desktop, the Qube, users can access their whole work environment using any device capable of viewing full web content. This removes the need for big specialized computers and requires the bare minimum downtime in case the device being used malfunctions; simply swap devices like laptops or tablets into a working one.

Also, the IT guy could rest easy knowing that backups are created automatically and handled by well trained professional data and security staff and can even be remotely managed. This assurance is invaluable, as can be seen on the added benefit of hosted desktops—portability and security.

Aside from being able to add and change applications on the fly and making the changes reflect on multiple users at once, hosted desktops have the added benefit of being really portable as you can go anywhere and access it on any device deemed compatible. Companies often use a lot of data encryption and security on the laptops that are being used by staff off site, just in case they are lost or stolen. Hosted desktops, being remote and all, means that there is no real data on the stolen device that an employee might have been using. So even if the device is stolen, the thief still needs the account credentials of the user. If a user’s credentials might have been compromised, it is easy to change security settings and even access.

Lastly, as you have seen from the foregoing discussion, the job of ten IT guys can now be done by a couple simply with the advent of hosted desktops. This translates to more savings on the part of the business enterprise, and a fulfilling job on the part of the IT guys.

Website Revamped to Highlight Hosted Desktops

hunter@greenqube.com (Hunter McFadden) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 01:03:07 +0000

In an effort to better inform potential Hosted Desktop users and businesses, GreenQube has updated its website. The updated website highlights the benefits of utilizing a cloud hosted desktop solution.

GreenQube has updated its website to better inform customers and partners about the benefits of Hosted Desktops. Each benefit is highlighted on a separate page.

These benefits include:

Great experience even with low bandwidth
Access from multiple devices
Enable user access to critical business applications
Enhanced business continuity and security features
Save time and money

By partnering with Microsoft and Citrix, GreenQube is able to deliver on the promise of these benefits.

A great user experience is key to delivering a Hosted Desktop. Citrix HDX technology helps GreenQube achieve this benefit. HDX is known for its ability to compress video, keystrokes, mouse clicks, and connected peripheral data over low bandwidth connections. This experience allows users to workshift.

Citrix HDX also allows GreenQube to deliver its Hosted Desktop to any Internet connected device. Citrix has written its client (aka receiver) not only for Windows devices, but iOS, Android, Chromium, Linux, and MAC OS powered devices. This enables the end user to choose their own device while the company maintains a consistent user environment.

By utilizing Hyper-V and XenServer, GreenQube is able to deliver on the promise of business continuity. Both of these hypervisors allow GreenQube’s platform to be highly available across multiple datacenters.

GreenQube utilizes Citrix’s Netscaler to deliver the benefits of security and user access to the Hosted Desktop. The policies setup here help ensure that data never resides where it is not supposed to or accessed by devices or users that are not allowed to.

There have been many case studies around the cloud saving users and businesses time and money. GreenQube’s platform is no different. It is a cloud-based platform. With the benefits above coupled with GreenQube’s automation platform, businesses can subscribe to services as needed and know that everything is being handled on the backend. This allows businesses to concentrate on their core competencies and not have to worry about IT related headaches.

"Our goal is to deliver a high quality hosted desktop solution. One in which the end user will not be able to tell the difference from a regular PC desktop." - Hunter McFadden, CEO, GreenQube

Hosted Desktop - Infrastructure Upgrades

hunter@greenqube.com (Hunter McFadden) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:57:18 +0000

GreenQube has gone through a hardware refresh and upgrade process. With this upgrade GreenQube has incorporated Windows 2012 and Solid State Drives (SSD) into its Hosted Desktop infrastructure.

GreenQube decided to upgrade its file servers to Windows 2012. With the advent of SMB 3.0, hosted desktop users have faster access to their data shared out from these resources. Other features in this release of SMB ensure transparent failover of file shares between file server nodes. Feature enhancements to VSS and quota management enable GreenQube to more easily manage backups and file storage for the end user.

The most exciting upgrade was to use SSD's as part of the Hosted Desktop platform. This upgrade has significantly improved the environment by significantly reducing desktop boot time, user logon time, and application launch time. GreenQube was able to reduce these times by at least half of what they previously were.

Other improvements to the infrastructure include new HP blade servers and upgrading the network to 10GB to each blade.

Business Continuity, Privacy and Security—The Private Cloud Way

pwatson@greenqube.com (Paul T Watson) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:41:06 +0000

The main reason why data-driven companies with lots of sensitive customer data are looking past cloud computing as a viable solution for their business, is because of security and privacy concerns that the multi-tenant infrastructure of cloud computing brings. The multi-tenant infrastructure is very important for cloud computing as it carries the scalability and cost benefits of the paradigm.

At first glance, this would seem unfavorable for businesses of this type because their data would be mixed with other client’s data and all of it—including security, privacy, and data integrity—will be handled by a third party, namely the cloud provider. Privacy is really a big issue because of the ease in which a cloud vendor can control and by extension monitor, lawfully or unlawfully, all the data and communications between the client and the host company. But the cloud offers solutions.

One solution is the private cloud set-up. You get some of the benefits of cloud computing, namely the cloud part, while maintaining security and privacy within the organization through private management of the cloud infrastructure. And no, a private cloud does not necessarily have to be disconnected from the internet; it just means that the cloud is privately managed so you should be able to access the private cloud anywhere in the world with the right credentials. The solution offers the possibility of workshifting for employees of the company; allowing them to work anywhere while maintaining a level of security because all data and communications are handled by internal staff. Users will still be able to access their applications and work-related documents from anywhere using some form of cloud desktop service: great cost savings through scalability pay only for what you use.

Another way cloud computing vendors get the business of those clients who want utmost security and privacy for their data and applications is by leasing them the cloud infrastructure, dedicated servers, data centers, and computing resources like CPU and RAM and still made scalable through virtualization. Hardware and infrastructure maintenance and technical support are handled by the provider but all data and software management are handled by the client. This separates the vendor from the client’s data and applications giving the clients their needed security and privacy while still gaining the benefits of cloud computing. This is a very good example of the platform as a service (PaaS) category of cloud computing.

Benefits of End-User/Client Application Hosting

hunter@greenqube.com (Hunter McFadden) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 03:05:48 +0000

Cloud computing, or application hosting, offers something for everybody. And even when something is not yet offered, you can bet that someone is already developing it or at least thinking about it.

This is because everyone wants to make full use of the benefits of application hosting, not only independent software vendors or ISVs. Application hosting also offers some major advantages for end-users or clients. As IT service providers offer efficient hosting solutions to help maintain and manage the clients’ application space, a very costly portion of the organization’s budget is greatly reduced. This is one of the advantages of ‘software as a service’ or SaaS.

The following are some more of the benefits application hosting offers:

Packaging – Application hosting allows for the automatic configuration of application and software packages for easy distribution to clients (in this case, the various hardware that they may run on).
Distribution – Software and applications are automatically installed on respective devices—usually automated—or, otherwise, activated when the client or end user decides to release the software to all devices.
Image management – Service providers follow standard imaging guidelines for shared environments, covering all imaging activities from definition to execution.
Patch management – Service providers are on the lookout for threats, hazards, and vulnerabilities so that the appropriate updates or fixes can be tested and applied.

GreenQube offers end user/client application hosting for organizations whose employees are spread out in different locations and need access to a main server, even one that is not hosted with GreenQube.

How Business Loss From Super Storm Sandy Could Have Been Avoided

hunter@greenqube.com (Hunter McFadden) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 02:49:30 +0000

It is easy to assess how much damage a storm does to an IT business by simply judging the length of interruption in business services, not counting physical infrastructure and equipment damage. The cost to a company due to lost business begins accumulating at the announcement of an evacuation until the time that the storm passes, cleanup has finished and business processes can resume. With most IT businesses operating nationwide or internationally, losing business in a major hub often results in losing business in other areas as well, and can end up being a massive loss.

With the recent havoc that Super Storm Sandy caused, businesses in New York and the whole East Coast experienced double damage: the cost of business lost as well as infrastructure damage. Infrastructure isn’t that major; it is replaceable, reparable, and even insurable. But if it involves core business infrastructure like servers and databases, then it can be considered substantial and even downright crippling to the business. No amount of insurance can cover the cost of lost business. The easiest and most logical solution is to offload critical IT functions and core IT business processes from local servers or IT infrastructure unto the cloud, utilizing concepts such as PaaS (platform as a service) or SaaS (software as a service). This will provide business continuity when disaster strikes. Employees who have evacuated may continue with their work and services with only little downtime, even when waiting for the storm to pass.

Photo credit: Roman Iakoubtchik/CreativeCommons.org

Business continuity solutions and Hosted Desktops make this possible and GreenQube takes care of all rest. No need to worry about infrastructure or technical expertise to maintain such infrastructure, and you can bet on a 99% uptime on all of your services. You no longer have to worry about losing business for an amount of time, plus you give your employees the ability to workshift which gives them time for themselves and their families, ultimately resulting in happy and more productive employees.

Why ISV’s Should Consider Cloud Application Hosting and SaaS

hunter@greenqube.com (Hunter McFadden) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 03:44:48 +0000

The rapid advancement of telecommunications technology and the mobile industry is ensuring that cloud computing is the paradigm of the future and will not look to be replaced anytime soon. The emphasis is shifting to the mobile space with small and easy to use apps rather than full blown “fat applications” which need a specific hardware to run. Though we can still consider cloud computing and telecommunications technology as young, having yet to show their true potential, it is getting apparent that this is the path we are headed in.

Pretty soon, we will be able to play graphically demanding games previously only available on the PC and consoles on our underpowered tablets and smart phones through server-side application hosting, as all processing is being done on the server and the output video streamed to mobile devices. There are already companies out there that are providing such services. But most independent software vendors (ISV) are still unable to compete with large game and software companies because of the lack of resources and manpower. They have tighter budgets and hence have smaller timeframes for development, cutting the testing period, diminishing quality. Add to that the time required for setting up online components like servers and testing them for resiliency and what you get is a late product full of bugs. Having a good application host can totally turn this around.

What this means for the ISV is that they do not have to worry about hardware compatibility and varied resource availability on their customers’ side because the application they develop can be hosted on the cloud and given out as a service (SaaS) and it will not matter if it is a game or an office application, any kind of software can be hosted by a cloud vendor like GreenQube and made available to customers quickly because the expertise can be provided by the vendor in terms of server and subscription management so that the ISV can concentrate on their application and have more time to develop rich features because other problems are taken off their hands. With a subscription scheme that essentially turns this into Software as a Service (SaaS), customers are able to pay only for what they use which makes it a very good alternative to buying the licensed software which may no longer be needed a few months in the future. This ensures that software development carries over nicely into the world of cloud computing.

Paranoid: Then a Hosted Private Cloud Solution Could Be Right for You

hunter@greenqube.com (Hunter McFadden) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 03:28:13 +0000

First of all let us define what a hosted private cloud is and how it differs to the general definition of cloud computing. A hosted private cloud is a cloud infrastructure which has been provisioned for the exclusive use of a single organization or collaborations thereof; only recognized constituents may access it or even know that it exists. The infrastructure could be operated, owned and managed by this organization, a third party, or a combination of both and it may exist on or off premises.

Though there is some variation to how a hosted private cloud is defined, the general consensus is that it is a service provided to a customer who does not need to worry about the underlying cloud hardware infrastructure since that is handled by the vendor. The client, however, has full control of all software resources including the operating systems, applications, data, storage and anything that makes use of the infrastructure. This means that the client maintains complete control over all data traffic and communications within the private cloud and hence maintains utmost privacy of information. ISV’s, with a lot of sensitive customer data that may receive massive amounts of traffic, should consider a hosted private cloud infrastructure. It offers the scalability of a real cloud service while allowing them to maintain full and sole control of important data.

Still, there are variations as to how a private cloud is implemented:

• Managed hosted private cloud –this is simply IaaS (infrastructure as a service) in action. The vendor manages all hardware infrastructures and everything above that is managed by the end user. Some vendors will require some control over the OS and/or application layers as they are correlated with the health and optimization of hardware. This is the best solution for organizations who are a little paranoid with their sensitive data. This doubly secures all data and access to cloud hosted desktops.

• Partially dedicated resources –the whole infrastructure here is not really dedicated to a single client, but that client may specify what part of the infrastructure he needs to be his alone. Some just need a dedicated network while others just need storage and computing power. In this case the rest of the infrastructure can be shared.

• Cloudwashed traditional outsourcing –these are not really cloud solutions but current implementations of networking technology rebranded with the “cloud” moniker to rope in customers. These have long contract terms and very slow VM deployment taking days instead of minutes. The biggest red flag here is the pricing that does not reflect a pay-per-use model. Avoid these unless there are no other options.

• Virtual private cloud –the name virtual gives it away as NOT a real private cloud solution as the hardware infrastructure is not dedicated and there is no physical segregation from other customers, but the isolation is simply virtual. The majority of this isolation is simply on the networking end. These should also be avoided if you are looking for a totally isolated cloud implementation.