IGEL and Parallels RAS — Collaborating to Shape the Future of EUC at IGEL Now & Next 2025

The Fontainebleau in Miami Beach will be alive with energy on March 24–27, 2025, as IT professionals, industry experts, and End-User Computing (EUC) enthusiasts gather for IGEL Now & Next 2025, the premier event for EUC, endpoint security, and digital workspaces.

This four-day convergence of forward-thinking strategies, innovative solutions, and deep insights showcased the future of digital workspaces—and Parallels RAS is right at the center of it all.

We had a chance to sit down with George Watkins, the Product Marketing Manager for Parallels RAS, to get the scoop on what’s to come.

Tell us about your company and how you partner with IGEL. How long have you been an IGEL Ready partner?

George Watkins: We share a rich history together. Parallels has been an IGEL Ready partner since 2021. Parallels was the first partner-built platform app on the IGEL application portal. Most recently, the Parallels client was validated for use with IGEL OS in February 2024.

Our partnership has enabled organizations to optimize IT environments with better deployment flexibility, user experience, and secure end-point management.

As two major players in the EUC space, the Parallels and IGEL teams have worked together on product roadmaps and releases, resulting in joint success for many mutual customers.

Through our collaboration and innovation, Parallels RAS and IGEL continue to deliver solutions to help organizations improve their hybrid, private, or public cloud or on-premises operations.

We [Parallels and IGEL] share the same vision about how the world works, and we aim to provide better outlines for people, organizations, and the planet.

What are some things your organization is doing together with IGEL to shape the future of EUC?

George Watkins: Together with IGEL, Parallels RAS has been shaping the future of EUC and enabling organizations to adapt to market demands and handle constantly evolving challenges quickly.

We have a shared goal of meeting customers where they are in their journey, offering freedom of choice whether they need solutions for on-prem, cloud, or hybrid deployments.

This freedom extends to enabling remote or hybrid work environments, enabling teams and organizations to be productive from anywhere at any time, all with security in mind and Zero Trust strategies and architecture top of mind.

Other shared goals include enhancing sustainability via solutions that allow organizations to repurpose hardware and support (nearly) any device.

The organizations run community programs together to ensure that customers are truly being listened to and heard and that their feedback is implemented to improve both Parallels RAS and IGEL’s solutions.

Learn more about how Parallels RAS and IGEL join forces to offer powerful virtualization capabilities.

How has being a part of the IGEL Ready program improved your business or enhanced customer experience? We’d love to hear specific examples or success stories!

George Watkins: Parallels Client is IGEL Ready Certified, showing our commitment to the program and IGEL vision.

The partnership between IGEL and Parallels RAS unites IGEL’s cutting-edge client software and operating system with Parallels RAS’s robust remote application and desktop delivery platform. It offers organizations a comprehensive solution for secure, high-performance remote access.

With efficiency and flexibility, users can enjoy access to applications and desktops from anywhere. Parallels is uniquely positioned in the market with its Desktop, Server, and Cloud technologies, including Parallels Desktop, RAS/DaaS, and Browser Isolation.

Customers are moving more quickly from alternative solutions to Parallels than ever due to our flexibility, simplicity, and total cost of ownership. Parallels allows companies to extend the lifespan of their hardware, improving sustainability and cost savings.

One example of a happy customer is Austin-based Trinsic Technologies. The organization introduced Anytime Cloud, a Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) solution designed to help SMB clients improve the end-user computing experience and streamline business operations.

Through Anytime Cloud, customers gain access to the latest cloud and virtualization technologies using IGEL endpoints with Parallels RAS.

What are some of the key trends that are impacting your partners and customers in 2025, and how is your organization solving these?

George Watkins: Several prominent trends are shaping the industry, and Parallels RAS is working with partners and customers to navigate these changes effectively:

• Optimizing IT delivery for the future of work: Organizations are focusing on solutions that support remote and hybrid work while reducing time to value and enhancing sustainability.
• Strategic IT deployment: Choosing between cloud, on-premises, or hybrid is no longer a simple decision—it requires a holistic approach to IT strategy.
• The rise of digital employee experience (DEX): More organizations are prioritizing the team experience in IT strategies. According to Gartner, 50% of IT organizations will soon have a dedicated DEX strategy, team, and management tools, up from less than 20% in 2023. Parallels RAS (along with a monitoring solution like ControlUp) can enhance this.

We work with our partners and customers to consider an organization’s IT strategy as a whole—it’s not as simple as choosing cloud, on-premises, or hybrid, but selecting the best deployment methods for supporting the business.

Why is your organization a sponsor of Now & Next 2025?

George Watkins: Parallels RAS is proudly played a pivotal role as a sponsor at Now & Next 2025. From keynote sessions to hands-on demonstrations, our team has connected with attendees in the past to explore how Parallels and IGEL are redefining the EUC landscape together.

Parallels RAS has a long-standing collaboration with IGEL, and together, our organizations continue to expand through joint marketing efforts and shared customer success.

Most recently, Parallels RAS was awarded the 2024 IGEL Ready Platform App of the Year and we’re excited about what the future holds for both organizations.

Is this the first time you are sponsoring an IGEL event? If not, what keeps bringing your organization back to these events?

George Watkins: Parallels has previously sponsored other IGEL events, most recently IGEL Disrupt Miami and Munich in 2024.

What will you present to attendees at Now & Next 2025?

George Watkins: At our booth, the Parallels RAS team will showcase our latest updates to our remote application and desktop delivery platform.

Visitors will also learn how combining Parallels RAS and IGEL equips organizations with the tools to secure endpoints, reduce costs, and extend hardware lifespans.

What do you hope attendees learn from the content you share at Now & Next 2025?

George Watkins: Visitors to our booth will learn how our latest solutions with hands-on demos, insightful discussions, and interactive sessions tailored to solving today’s IT challenges.

What do you hope to take away from participating in Now & Next 2025?

George Watkins: Events like IGEL Now & Next remind us of the incredible possibilities on the horizon for EUC. The team at Parallels RAS aims to remain dedicated to empowering organizations to meet future challenges while continuing to innovate with IGEL. We hope our team walks away feeling reignited to help power the future of IT teams.

What is one thing you plan to accomplish either personally or professionally in the next three to six months?

George Watkins: At the heart of our work lies a shared determination to make IT solutions more accessible, sustainable, and innovative. The team at Parallels RAS wants to be part of the future of EUC. Over the next few months, we are committed to deepening this partnership with IGEL and delivering greater value to our customers.

The best part? We’re just getting started. Meet us at our booth! Together, we’re building a better tomorrow for enterprises, teams, and beyond.

Don’t miss IGEL Now & Next 2025 in Miami Beach. Register today!