IGEL and Microsoft co-development results in optimized Microsoft Teams experience on IGEL-powered devices accessing Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365

 IGEL, provider of a managed endpoint operating system that delivers secure access to any digital workspace, today announced the availability and support for Microsoft Teams optimization on IGEL OS-powered endpoints connecting to Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365. The result of more than two years of joint development and co-engineering between IGEL and Microsoft, this solution provides high-performance Teams capabilities that enable employees to work and collaborate from anywhere utilizing the secure Linux-based IGEL OS.

“IGEL is proud to be teaming with Microsoft to bring to market an optimized Microsoft Teams experience on Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 for enterprises of any size” . “Optimized Teams support has become a mandatory requirement since the start of the pandemic and continues to be essential in today’s hybrid world. This technology offers a seamless experience, without tradeoffs, for users of Teams on IGEL OS-powered Linux endpoints.”

said Jed Ayres, CEO, IGEL.

“IGEL is a valued Microsoft technology partner and has worked with the Microsoft engineering team shoulder to shoulder to create an optimized Microsoft Teams experience for Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 with the Linux-powered IGEL OS,” said Kam VedBrat, Director, Azure Virtual Desktop, Microsoft. “Together, we are able to provide our mutual customers with robust collaboration experiences, smooth video, dynamic screen-sharing, and advanced Teams capabilities, delivered with the ease of management and security that are hallmarks of the IGEL operating system.”

Microsoft won the IGEL Ready Partner of the Year for 2021 for the deep levels of collaboration that began in November 2019, when IGEL was named an inaugural member of the Azure Virtual Desktop value-add partner program as an “early adopter” and was recognized by Microsoft as a key Linux device partner. In 2020, IGEL announced the first Linux client to support Azure Virtual Desktop and Microsoft became a founding member of the IGEL Ready technology partner program. Since that time, IGEL and Microsoft have collaborated in the development of a high-performance Teams experience on IGEL-OS powered endpoints, delivering capabilities on par with Windows-powered endpoints.

Users of the jointly developed Azure Virtual Desktop Teams experience on IGEL OS have seen significant benefits from the combined solution.

Pavel Yailo, Infrastructure Architect, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida says, “IGEL has made it easy for us to take advantage of the powerful collaboration and video conferencing capabilities of Microsoft Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop. Using IGEL OS, in conjunction with robust workstation monitoring, management and security programs, helps ensure that our user devices are secure and protected from ransomware intrusion – no matter where users are working – without giving up important user productivity and collaboration. It’s a valuable enabler for our remote workforce.”

Simon Barlow, Group CTO, AXA says, “The use of Microsoft Teams on our IGEL OS-powered devices accessing Azure Virtual Desktop has been a powerful advantage for enabling our remote workforce. Microsoft and IGEL together offer a user experience that keeps our remote employees not only connected to the data and applications they need, but also collaborative, engaged and secure. Their partnership and co-development work have resulted in an immersive, productive solution for our hybrid workforce.”

The Teams optimization for Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 is available today in version 11.07.110 of the IGEL OS. Organizations who are looking to evaluate Azure Virtual Desktop or Windows 365 on IGEL-OS powered endpoints can visit https://www.igel.com/get-started/try-for-free/  for a free demo.