IGEL brings containers, AI, and more to the thin client world

At its in-house conference Now & Next, the German company IGEL Technologies is setting new impulses around its thin client offering. While the company has so far been primarily known for its own operating system, IGEL OS, containers and the runtime environments Docker and Podman are set to play a role on the thin client in the future. According to the announcements, the software manufacturer is entering several new areas, both at the operating system level and regarding new market segments such as Operational Technology (OT).

IGEL OS is based on Linux with mechanisms such as UEFI Secure Boot. The typical application is in the areas of VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure), DaaS (Desktop as a Service), and browser-based applications. On the hardware side, this has so far been reserved for x86 users. Now IGEL wants to enable the use of containers on the thin client. To achieve this, IGEL admins must make some configurations in the Universal Management Suite (UMS). This includes enabling the required repositories of container images; furthermore, enabling them for users or end devices. The latter refers to the actual container instances. According to Matthias Haas, CTO at IGEL Technologies, the focus is currently only on individual local containers – either on the desktop or in the edge area.

IGEL bridges the gap between thin client and containers

But how do containers fit into the concept of thin clients, on which no important data is stored locally? IGEL uses a small trick here. The container data resides on a separate encrypted LVM (Logical Volume Manager) partition. This keeps IGEL OS “clean” and “stateless.” There is central management of the keys for this LVM partition. This allows the execution of containers on the end device to be allowed or denied. The same applies to access to the corresponding data. The company plans to make IGEL Managed Containers available this summer.

With the IGEL Managed Hypervisor (IMH), a KVM-based hypervisor, IGEL Technologies also aims to gain a foothold below the operating system level in the future. The IMH performs several tasks and serves as the basis for new thin client functions. This includes, among other things, enabling any individual Windows applications for the IGEL desktop. In the background, a virtual machine with the Microsoft operating system runs – connected via the RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol). The VM data, analogous to the IGEL Managed Containers – resides on a separate encrypted LVM partition. The entire construct is also managed via the UMS. This includes implementing I/O policies, shutting down network or other interfaces, and redirecting data via proxies or firewalls. All of this happens outside the virtual machine and requires no reconfiguration.

Another use case for IMH is in Operational Technology (OT). This involves reusing outdated operating systems or replicating hardware that no longer physically exists. According to Matthias Haas, such old OT systems rarely require a network connection, making the use of Windows XP, for example, less insecure. Furthermore, virtualization also allows for better backup and recovery of the OT system. The IMH has been available since 2025. Based on customer feedback, IGEL Technologies is continuously developing the hypervisor. The ability to create a backup copy and completely reinstall an end device with it has now been added. Scheduled backups, management of so-called Golden Images, or the (re)installation of many end devices are planned.

Push into the world of ARM devices

Together with Qualcomm, IGEL Technologies is also working on a port of the thin client software to ARM. Qualcomm was chosen because its chips are often used in industries such as automotive or healthcare. With ARM support, IGEL Technologies is strengthening its ambitions in the OT sector. Specifically, the first step involves devices with a screen or browser access; later, tablets are also to follow. Further information can also be found in the announcement of IGEL OS for ARM from last fall.

(vbr)