Lenovo, in collaboration with Nutanix, announced its TruScale hosted desktop offering, which aims to address the shift to hybrid and remote work environments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The offering is delivered as a service that, for a monthly fee, covers the client devices, data center systems, and software required by virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI).

The premise behind the platform is fairly straightforward. The desktop environment itself runs in a virtualized environment on Lenovo’s ThinkAgile HX servers, which are themselves managed by Nutanix’s software platform. Rather than relying on VPNs, zero-trust network access, or secure access service edge (SASE) platforms to provide secure access, the entire operating system is sandboxed and running in the corporate data center.

Remote workers can then access the environment via a variety of PC or thin client devices available as part of the monthly subscription.

Lenovo and Nutanix argue that the platform is ideal for companies with data privacy compliance or other regulatory concerns.

Canadian health care provider Fraser Health Authority was among the first companies to deploy a Lenovo and Nutanix VDI, the early learnings from which served as a backdrop for today’s joint solution offered through TruScale.

“We see that remote connectivity is more than just a short-term response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s part of our long-term strategy to ensure we can deliver vital health services no matter what,” Wesley Kampff, portfolio manager for Fraser Health, said in a statement.

Prior to this, Fraser health workers had to be in the office to access health records, explained Brian Connors, VP and GM of strategic alliances and business development at Lenovo. And by sandboxing the desktop behind the firewall, he argues that companies don’t have to worry about sensitive data being copied, shared, or leaked.

Lenovo and Nutanix also claim their hosted desktop platform is easier to manage and less expensive to operate compared to competing secure access services on the market.

As a managed service, Lenovo handles everything from deployment and right sizing to migration and end-of-life asset removal and replacement. Because the environments are virtualized, they are easier to scale up and down depending on the individual needs of the user, according to both companies.

The joint platform is available now.

Editor's note: this story has been updated to reflect Fraser Health Authority's use of the Lenovo, Nutanix VDI platform.