IGEL & Lenovo launch AI-ready devices with Igel OS

IGEL and Lenovo have announced the launch of new AI-ready endpoint devices pre-loaded with IGEL OS. This collaboration aims to support next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) use cases while delivering solutions for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) on Lenovo ThinkAgile MX Systems.

The AI-ready Lenovo devices include ThinkPad L14 Gen5 (Intel), ThinkPad L13 Gen5 (Intel), and ThinkPad L16 Gen1 (Intel). These devices will benefit from direct access to neural processing units (NPUs) through IGEL OS 12. This partnership seeks to enhance user experiences and remote protocol resilience.

Bill McCarthy, Vice President of Strategic Alliances at IGEL, commented on the collaboration: "Together with Lenovo, IGEL is simplifying the deployment of AI, virtual desktops and apps that make next-generation endpoint computing both cost-effective and prolific. Through our expanded joint development with Lenovo, IGEL OS 12 is now able to expose Lenovo NPU capabilities to the operating system to help customers realise better audio/video content experiences, improve remote protocol resilience in even the most congested networking environments and help security tools better identify individual user behaviour. It’s a joint move that positions IGEL OS as the most AI-ready Linux operating system for the enterprise endpoint."

IGEL and Lenovo have also made IGEL-powered solutions available for Microsoft Azure Stack HCI and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) on Lenovo ThinkAgile MX650 V3 devices. These systems, optimised for scale and performance, aim to reduce the time-to-value for environments seeking to bring cloud benefits of AVD on-premises to comply with data sovereignty and regulatory requirements. The combined strengths of IGEL’s Preventative Security Model, Lenovo’s hardware architecture, and the latest Microsoft security technologies set a new benchmark for virtual desktop environment security.

Jonathan Pollock, Director of Worldwide Commercial PC at Lenovo, stated: "Our goal is to ensure that every piece of hardware we develop supports the complex needs of modern enterprises, from security to performance. The integration of our AI Ready technologies with IGEL's secure operating systems transforms how organisations deploy and benefit from virtual desktops."

This development builds on the recent collaboration between IGEL and Microsoft. It signifies a significant advancement in how enterprises can securely and efficiently manage their IT infrastructures in a cloud-centric environment. The combined offerings of IGEL, Lenovo, and Microsoft aim to enhance security posture and improve organisational operational efficiency.

These advancements will be highlighted at the IGEL DISRUPT 24 event in Munich, Germany, on September 16 and 17. The event will feature sponsorship from Microsoft, HP, LG Business Solutions, Lenovo, Citrix, and Omnissa, among others.