IGEL this week added a business continuity and disaster recovery offering for Windows that leverages a dual boot capability to enable applications to automatically migrate to a distribution of Linux that enables applications to run on virtual desktop in the event of a system failure or ransomware attack.
At the core of the IGEL Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery capability is IGEL Dual Boot, which enables any endpoint running Windows applications to, in effect, have its own recovery capability that isn’t dependent on any remote service.
The capability is based on IGEL OS, a distribution of Linux that the company has extended using virtual machines that enable Windows applications to run on it. IGEL enables Windows to run on IGEL OS using an IGEL Managed Hypervisor (IMH) or on a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) offering to run them in emulation or, alternatively, deploy them as Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) that can be used to run Microsoft Office.
IGEL CEO Klaus Oestermann said those approaches enable IT teams to run Windows applications on the IGEL OS either in an on-premises or cloud computing environment. The IGEL Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery offering, however, is designed to be deployed on the same endpoint running Windows to enable recovery in a matter of minutes rather than hours or, sometimes, even days, he added. Users simply reboot compromised endpoints into a clean IGEL OS environment running in parallel to restore access to business applications, noted Oestermann.
That approach enables IT teams to restore systems without having to reimage systems or ship a new system, he added. All recovery operations can be remotely managed via the IGEL Universal Management Suite.
Additionally, the compromised Windows partition remains untouched, maintaining forensic evidence for investigation and insurance claims.
It’s not clear how well an endpoint might be able to have Windows and IGEL OS running on the same system. In most cases, endpoints will only be actively running IGEL OS until IT teams are able to resolve an issue, said Oestermann. However, more end users will be exposed to IGEL OS that provides an alternative to Windows on their desktops so it’s possible some endpoints might as a result of an incident be migrated to a distribution of Linux, he added.
At a time when there is more focus on ensuring cyber resiliency, the IGEL Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery provides a means to ensure that, for example, once a ransomware attack is launched IT teams have a way of responding that doesn’t disrupt workflows. The challenge, of course, is allocating the budget and resources needed to achieve that goal.
The one thing that is certain is that in the wake of a wave of cybersecurity and outage incidents the senior leadership of more organizations than ever are aware of the risks to the business. The challenge IT teams are being tasked with is to find a way to minimize the impact of those types of incidents because, like it or not, they are all but inevitable.
