Lenovo links computing devices to the cloud

Lenovo is doing its part to equip IT professionals deeper into the cloud with its recent release of a “client to cloud” strategy that couples Lenovo computing devices with cloud-based applications.

The program encompasses all of Lenovo’s ThinkPad laptops and ThinkCentre desktops, which are equipped with second-generation Intel Core or Core vPro processors chips and unique APIs that connect the devices to cloud apps—dubbed “Cloud Ready Clients” by Lenovo.

In addition to the hardware strategy, Lenovo is also rolling out a program called Secure Cloud Access (SCA) that lets users access local or web-based applications via any browser, adding a layer of security and optimizing performance, memory and bandwith, according to Lenovo. SCA recognizes a number of what Lenovo calls “situational cues”—user authentication method, device capabilities, time of day, location and more—to guide allocation of cloud resources. That performance is streamlined even further when access is over one of the company’s Cloud Ready Clients. 

SCA is designed to run on Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Safari. The platform is aimed at business users and is priced at $80 per user.

SCA allows business organizations to quickly deploy a private/hybrid cloud inside the data center on physical or virtual servers, simplifying application delivery and services to users. Users can easily access the Web-based desktop since it only requires an Internet connection and a Java-enabled browser.

A cloud strategy from a company like Lenovo should be readily endorsed, if not embraced, by cloud service providers, and IT pros relying on the companies computing devices (or even just pondering them) should take a careful look at the features, pricing and promised capabilities of these systems—particularly SCA. If a business already is making a move to the cloud and its hardware of choice makes that transition more seamless, it’s a no-brainer.