NetApp and Desktone Deliver Secure, Multi-Tenant Desktops as a Service for Service Providers

Joint Solution Accelerates Desktop Cloud Deployments with Scalable and Efficient Storage

SUNNYVALE, Calif., — NetApp (NASDAQ: NTAP) and Desktone, Inc., announced today a solution that simplifies the delivery of virtual desktops as a service (DaaS). The solution helps service providers avoid the common challenges of virtual desktop deployment by reducing startup costs, removing design and management complexity, and improving performance. With this solution, service providers can rapidly deploy a full-featured service that enables their customers to easily reap the benefits of virtual desktops such as supporting mobile users, reducing the cost of desktop support, helping to safeguard intellectual property, and supporting user demand for “bring your own device policies” policies.

The new service, built specifically for cloud delivery environments, features technology that enables a single infrastructure to be elastically scalable and cost efficient. Security is designed in at the application, network, and storage layers to help maintain the privacy of customers’ data.

“Desktops as a Service represents a high revenue opportunity. NetApp® and Desktone’s enterprise-ready desktops as a service solution enables service providers to deliver on-demand, cost-effective solutions that allow enterprise IT to more easily meet their end-user business objectives,” said Brendon Howe, vice president, Product and Solutions Marketing, NetApp.

The Desktone and NetApp integration takes full advantage of NetApp storage efficiency technologies, such as thin provisioning and deduplication, to minimize storage requirements on a platform designed to use 50% less storage. NetApp enables the near-instant provisioning of new virtual desktops so that new customers and users can be up and running on the service fast. NetApp Integrated Data Protection features allow service providers to deliver enterprise-level data protection including point-in-time backups for user data, self-restore, and data archiving.

The new solution supports deployment on FlexPod®, a pretested and validated data center platform for networking, computing and storage. The FlexPod components include NetApp® unified storage systems, Cisco Unified Computing System™ servers, and Cisco Nexus® switches. The FlexPod’s prevalidated, flexible architecture can be optimized for a variety of mixed workloads with high scalability and it supports organizations with the move to virtualized, private and public cloud environments.

Visit NetApp and Desktone at VMworld Europe, October 9 – 11, in NetApp Booth D206 and Desktone Booth E609.

Key Highlights
Today’s announcement enables the combined NetApp and Desktone solution to provide:

-Multi-tenancy. Enables service providers to securely deliver desktops to multiple customers from one platform.
-Fast, low overhead provisioning. FlexClone® technology enables near-instant provisioning of new desktops for users with little or no additional compute requirements.
-Administration self-service portal. Easy-to-use portal helps service providers or customers to manage desktop images, virtual machines, user assignments, and desktop support.
-Integrated reporting and billing systems. APIs support service provider-based business operations.
-Scale Out Architecture. Grid-based compute architecture tested to support up to 1,000,000 desktops from one platform and infrastructure.
-Complementary add-on services. Easily add home directories, group shares, and automated backup of user data with NetApp storage features.

Supporting Quote

-Peter McKay, CEO, Desktone
“DaaS makes it easy for organizations to deliver virtual desktops by eliminating cost and complexity issues. Service providers can take advantage of this market opportunity by provisioning and deploying desktops on demand through a scalable multi-tenant cloud platform. Today’s announcement by NetApp and Desktone continues our commitment to delivering simple, flexible and affordable cloud-hosted virtual desktops.”
-Tim Burke, CEO, Quest
“NetApp and Desktone’s solution provides a unique desktops as a service offering for customers. Quest is able to deliver a robust DaaS solution to any device at a lower price, helping our customers and partners realize significant savings when compared to deploying a virtual desktop infrastructure internally.”

Additional Resources

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-View NetApp videos on YouTube: www.youtube.com/NetAppTV
-Connect with NetApp on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=111681

About NetApp
NetApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions that deliver outstanding cost efficiency and accelerate business breakthroughs. Our commitment to living our core values and consistently being recognized as a great place to work around the world are fundamental to our long-term growth and success, as well as the success of our pathway partners and customers. Discover our passion for helping companies around the world go further, faster at www.netapp.com.

About Desktone
Desktone is changing the way people buy and manage desktops. Desktone pioneered the concept of cloud-hosted Desktops as a Service (DaaS), the easiest and most affordable way to deploy hosted virtual desktops. Desktone’s DaaS offering, provides all of the benefits of virtualized desktops without any of the hassles. By delivering virtual desktops in the cloud, Desktone enables enterprises to rapidly provision desktops to users connected on any device, anywhere, without the upfront costs and complexity of traditional desktop virtualization – transforming desktops from a CAPEX to OPEX item. Founded in 2007, Desktone is funded by Highland Capital and Softbank and is headquartered in Boston, MA. For more information, visit www.desktone.com.