Today Dell announced it was expanding its PC-as-a-Service (PCaaS) solution making it easier for companies to procure, deploy and manage PCs. Dell, with a partnership with VMware, also announced zero-touch Windows 10 Provisioning by VMware AirWatch service, as well as joint engineering initiatives to integrate VMware Workspace ONE, powered by AirWatch technology, with Dell Client Command Suite. The expanded PCaaS and partnership with VMware aim to simplify PC lifecycle management.
Today Dell announced it was expanding its PC-as-a-Service (PCaaS) solution making it easier for companies to procure, deploy and manage PCs. Dell, with a partnership with VMware, also announced zero-touch Windows 10 Provisioning by VMware AirWatch service, as well as joint engineering initiatives to integrate VMware Workspace ONE, powered by AirWatch technology, with Dell Client Command Suite. The expanded PCaaS and partnership with VMware aim to simplify PC lifecycle management.
The role of the PC has remained dominate in business over the last few decades, however, organizations are beginning to approach this old standby in a new manner. Companies are rethinking not only how the PC is deployed (in the past as individual units now more and more as thin clients and even tablets) but also their entire lifecycle. Companies don’t want singular devices that can cause failures or security issues, so they are relying on companies like Dell to deliver a new approach.
Dell’s PCaaS combines hardware and peripherals, software, lifecycle services including deployment, support, and asset recovery and financing into one all-encompassing solution with a single predictable, price per seat, per month. One of the main ideas behind PCaaS is allowing IT to worry more about the core business of a company and less about maintaining PCs. Dell states that customers can see reduction in costs of PC lifecycle management as high as 25%.
Features and options include:
- PCaaS Services Delivery Manager: Services Delivery Managers provide a deep level of services engagement for all stages of the customer’s PC lifecycle. This manager is the single point of contact for the customer from initial planning to the end of the lifecycle, and coordinates with deployment, support, Dell Financial Services and asset recovery.
- Flexible Financing: Business needs change over time, so Dell Financial Services provides flexible financing options that include the ability to flex the number of systems up or down and/or upgrade PCs mid-term by up to 5, 10 or 15% within the 36 and 48-month term options.
- Complete Lifecycle Services: Dell has added asset recovery into the standard PCaaS services offer. Asset recovery enables a simplified return of the old equipment to Dell Financial Services with an option for an on-site data wipe service.
Along with expanding the features of PCaaS, Dell is also expanding the software options for the solution to beef up security and simplify management. The new options include: Dell Endpoint Security Suite Enterprise for file-based data encryption and advanced threat prevention; VMware AirWatch for modern, over-the-air unified endpoint management; or Absolute Data and Device Security for asset tracking and adaptive endpoint security. Also included in the standard PCaaS offer is the ProDeploy Client Suite. As the name implies, this suite aides in deployment and project management through planning, configuration and integration.
Dell is also announcing Windows 10 Provisioning by AirWatch. More for the companies that do not need the full lifecycle services offered by PCaaS, Windows 10 Provisioning by AirWatch integrates AirWatch unified endpoint management (UEM) technology, which powers the VMware Workspace ONE digital workspace platform, to simplify the deployment of new Dell PCs. This service will reduce the number of touchpoints between ordering and getting an employee up and running while providing greater visibility into a device and the ability to download approved apps and reset passwords. AirWatch will also integrate with Dell Client Command Suite (unique to Dell). This allows firmware settings to be configured from the cloud as part of the zero-touch provisioning process.
Availability
The PCaaS enhancements are available now from Dell for OptiPlex desktops, Latitude laptops, and Dell Precision workstations. Windows 10 Provisioning for AirWatch and Dell Client Command Suite is available worldwide on Dell Latitude, OptiPlex and select XPS PCs, and Dell Precision workstations.
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