Tackling the Windows Embedded Endpoint Challenge

Prepared by Dan O’Farrell—Dell Cloud Client-Computing

Many organizations ranging from small school districts to large

Global 500 corporations have deployed desktop virtualization,

often with Windows Embedded-based thin client endpoints,

to better protect vital apps and content while vastly reducing

much of the constant desktop management and maintenance

burden faced by their IT teams. While improving security remains

the primary reason most organizations migrate their people to

virtual desktops, another key impetus for this migration has been

control. That is, gaining control over how apps and content are

accessed, by whom, and from which devices.

The drive toward greater control comes as no surprise given

the recent sharp increase in how people now get their work

done. It seems every month a new tablet or smartphone

is announced, and these devices can run on a variety of

operating systems – predominantly iOS, Android, or Windows.

Moving apps and content away from the network edges and

into the secure, reliable datacenter via desktop virtualization is

Step One toward accommodating the growing number of new

access devices, empowering mobility, and enabling people

to match their work-style to their lifestyle. But all of this can

come at a price to IT teams, namely in terms of control.

This is where Dell cloud client-computing can help. A lot.

Gaining control with virtual desktops and Windows Embedded thin clients

2

Dell cloud client-computing enables strong control of how people can access corporate-owned apps and content in the following three ways:

1. Migrating to desktop virtualization:

Moving apps and content into the

secure and reliable datacenter is Step

One in gaining control. With all apps

and content located in one location,

IT teams can focus their policy-setting

and control activities in one place

instead of across hundreds or many

thousands of traditional desktops.

2. Wyse Windows Embedded thin clients

from Dell can be configured in multiple

ways based on the needs of specific

users to give them just what they need

to be as productive as possible, and

nothing more.

3. Virtualization and management

software from Dell allows IT teams

to strictly map user capabilities and

access rights to applications, with

enforcement, to cover the myriad of

ways in which people may attempt to

gain access to target apps and content.

Dell Wyse Configuration Manager (WCM): enabling fine-tuned control with high productivity Configuration of Windows Embedded

thin clients is often a time consuming,

and costly, manual process. Wyse WCM,

offered only by Dell, directly addresses

this pain point by giving organizations

extreme virtual desktop endpoint control

by vastly simplifying the process of

configuring Windows Embedded thin

clients, and replicating like configurations

across hundreds or many thousands

of other endpoints. Simply select the

desired configuration, and WCM does

the rest, automatically, with no imaging

or re-booting required, across the

entire installation. WCM supports SMB

to Enterprise environments, stationary

or mobile thin clients, in or out of the

office, and supports Microsoft Active

Directory, when present.

Simple and flexible auto-configurationWCM greatly simplifies and automates

the configuration and management of

Windows Embedded devices. With WCM,

deploying a new Windows Embedded

thin client is as simple as taking it out

of the box, plugging it into the network,

turning it on and, within less than

2 minutes the device is specifically

configured for either general or

user-specific settings.Wyse WCM for auto

configuration of mobile clients.

3

Saves IT time and moneyWith WCM, IT administrators can create

configuration files using a simple

standalone GUI or capture them from

an already configured Wyse Windows

Embedded device. This configuration

can be automatically deployed to

Windows Embedded devices when

users log in. Typically, IT departments

often spend a significant amount of time

creating and deploying custom images

to provide updated settings such as VDI

connections (RDP, Citrix HDX, VMware

Horizon View, Wyse vWorkspace) and

device settings for display, keyboard,

localization and networks. With

WCM every user can have a different

configuration without IT having to

re-image each and every endpoint.

With WCM, IT departments no longer

need to create and deploy a new

image each and every time a change

is required to the device settings. IT

departments can define a single ‘Gold’

image for the entire organization to

dramatically simplify and reduce costs

of managing and maintaining Wyse

thin clients with Windows Embedded

Standard 7 or Windows Embedded 8

Standard images.

For even greater endpoint control,

WCM supports ‘appliance mode,’

wherein any Windows Embedded thin

client can be configured to function as a

“locked down” single-purpose appliance

and nothing else (e.g. as a read-only

kiosk). Other important WCM control

features include display configuration

settings for up to two displays,

timeserver settings, Internet Explorer

proxy settings, and greater security

and credential authentication for

WCM operators.

WCM FeaturesGranular control for IT department to deploy

• Universal or user-specific settings

• Stationary or mobile thin clients

• Local or remote devices

Key features

• Create configuration from standalone

GUI or capture from an already

configured device

• Maintain history of configurations

• Update existing configuration or revert

back to previous configuration

• ‘Appliance mode’ allows configuration

of one or more Windows Embedded

thin clients to function only as one

of the following single-purpose

appliances. Examples include:

- Kiosk

- Citrix client

- VMware Horizon View client

- Microsoft RDS/RDP client

Up to 16 settings

• VDI connections for Citrix HDX,

Microsoft RDP or VMware Horizon View

• Device configuration (incl. display,

time zone, network, wireless, etc.)

• OS configuration (incl. browser,

firewall, etc.)

4

Sample Wyse WCM Use Cases

Corporate Users

With WCM, configurations are available on the network and the settings are applied to the

device as a user powers it on and logs in.

Mobile or Home Workers

For users connecting over a VPN, all the settings can be published over the Internet so that

devices get configured while the user is working from home or travelling and connecting from

an airport or a hotel.

Small Businesses

For small businesses with just a few devices, WCM allows settings to be deployed on each

device using a USB key, removing all the complexity of setting up a server.

Import from Server/Locally

Wyse WCM for

auto configuration

of desktop clients.

Gain Windows Embedded thin client control with Wyse Configuration Manager

5

Whitepaper-Dell CCC Control-021214

©2014 The Dell logo and references are trademarks of Dell Inc. Other product names mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. All specifications are subject to change without notice. While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the details, specifications, models, images and benefits featured in this datasheet, we cannot be held responsible for any errors and/or omissions.

About DellDell Inc. listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. For more information, visit www.dell.com.

Dell cloud client-computingOne Dell Way Round Rock, TX 78664www.dell.com/wyse

Refer to our website for regional and international office information.