While Google Chromebooks were originally designed primarily for consumers, their rising popularity, and low cost are attracting enterprises. Google and its partners are aware of this, and are starting to focus on this market segment as well. That being said, Google Chromebooks still have many limitations that can impede their usefulness as an enterprise platform. In this presentation, originally presented at BriForum US 2014, Ericom CTO Dan Shappir provides concrete guidelines that will enable you to determine if Google Chromebooks are a viable option for your organization and users. He also highlights tools and applications that can increase the usefulness of this platform for enterprises. To learn how Ericom can help your organization make the transition to Chromebooks, visit the following URL: http://j.mp/1nefYTS

1. Google Chromebook for the
Enterprise: Yeah or Meh?

2. Dan Shappir
CTO at Ericom Software
@DanShappir
blog: ericomguy.blogspot.com
Six-time BriForum speaker

3. Agenda
Answering these questions:
1. Why are we having this discussion?
2. What are Chromebook, Chromebox and Chrome OS?
3. What can and can’t a Chromebook do?
4. How do you manage Chromebooks?
5. How to access Windows Desktops and Apps?
6. Is it appropriate for your Enterprise?

4. Google Savings Calculator
PC Chromebook
Purchase price $61,500 $24,900
Hardware maintenance $12,300 $9,000
IT Software & Infrastructure $58,500 $15,000
Management and
administrative overhead
$343,500 $21,900
End-user Costs $145,500 $36,400
3 year total cost of
ownership
$621,300 $107,200
For 100 devices:
http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/business/devices/#tco=100

5. Chromebook Benefits (Per Google)
● Low cost, CAPEX and OPEX
o Starts at $179
● Boots in seconds
● Easy to use
● Integrated with Google Apps
● Sharable
● Battery lasts entire workday / school-day

6. What’s a Chromebook?
Personal Computer running Chrome OS ...
designed to be used primarily while connected
to the Internet, with most applications and data
residing "in the Cloud" ... A Chromebook is an
example of a thin client
-
Wikipedia

7. Chromebook Facts
● Chromebook, not ChromeBook
● Chromebox is a Chromebook in Thin Client
form-factor
● Very successful in Education
● I want a Chromebook Pixel, but won’t pay
$1,449 for it

8. Google Ecosystem Integration
● Login using Google+ credentials
● Chrome browser sync
● Manage using Google Apps Console
● Best platform for Google Docs
o Including offline
● Apps from Chrome Web Store
● Google Drive bundle

9. Chrome OS
● Linux based
● Open source (Chromium OS) + additional
firmware features (verified boot, etc.)
o Must be official Chrome OS to be Managed
● Driven by Google
● “Aura” window manager
● Google Cloud Print

10. Chrome OS Desktop

11. Chromebook Keyboard

12. Chrome OS Application Types
1. Web apps
2. Chrome Web Store apps
3. Future: Android apps

13. Web Apps on Chrome OS
● Google Chrome is world’s leading browser
● Leading in HTML5 support
o Offline
o WebGL (3D)
o Location-based services
o Audio / video input / output
o WebRTC (“like Skype”)
o Voice input / output
o Much, much more
● Supports Flash & PDF, but not Java or Silverlight

14. Chrome Web Store Apps
● Purchased & installed from Chrome Web Store
● Package containing “web resources” stored locally
o Offline first
o Self updating
● Permission-based access to extended services
o Run outside browser window
o TCP / UDP sockets
o USB / Bluetooth / serial, clipboard, …
● Native Client (NaCl) - apps built with C++

15. Future: Android Apps
● Announced and demoed at Google I/O
● Select apps by end of the year
● Eventually most apps

16. Audio / Video Conferencing
● No Skype
o Until Android app support?
● Citrix Hutt: https://hu.tt/ and go!
o Built with WebRTC
● Google Hangouts
o Built with WebRTC + NaCl (this is new)
o Integrated with Google+

17. Chromebook Limitations
● Potentially underpowered
● Limitations on offline capabilities
● Limited VPN options
● Limited local storage size and capabilities
● Office files challenges
● Keyboard and touchpad issue

18. Purchasing a Chromebook

19. Chromebook & Chromebox Vendors

20. Screen Size

21. Screen Res

22. Processor & Speed

23. Memory

24. Storage

25. Battery

26. 4G / LTE

27. Touch Screen

28. Weight

29. Price

30. Chromebox Models
Available Brand Model Processor RAM Price
2013-03 Samsung Series 3 XE300M22-
B01US
Celeron B840 4 GB $479
($329)
2013-02 Google Chromebox for Meetings
(equipment bundle)
Intel Core i7 $999
2014-03 Asus Chromebox-400MU 1.4 GHz Celeron
2955U
2 or 4 GB $179 /
$225
2014-05 Asus Chromebox-M075U Intel Core i3-4010U 2 or 4 GB $407
2014-06 HP HP Chromebox Intel Celeron
2955U/Core i7-4600U
2 or 8 GB ?

31. Chromebox For Meetings
● Video Conferencing System from Google
● High-end Chromebox - Intel Core i7
● HD 1080p camera
● QWERTY keyboard on back of remote
● 24/7 support
● Works best with Google Apps for Business (duh!)
● Starts at $999, management & support $250 after first year

32. Chromebooks vs. Tablets
● Keyboard + mouse vs. touch
● On a surface vs. handheld
● Also:
o Large screen tablets 2x the price
o But half the weight
o Tablets generally have better resolution
o Tablets still better offline
o Chromebooks more manageable and less hackable

34. Chrome OS Management Principles
Web-based management
Configure and manage key settings centrally
Customize from the cloud
Specify apps, themes, and extensions to install
Security built-in
Provide multiple layers of protection including
sandboxing, data encryption, and verified boot
Forever fresh
Chromebooks and apps update themselves;
new users sign into a fresh computer

35. Four Major Management Areas
● Proxy Access and URL Management
o For example: block websites
● Applications and Extensions
● Security
● Hardware

36. Apps
● Pre-install apps from Chrome Web Store
● Preform bulk purchase
● Create “private app store” by whitelisting /
blacklisting apps
● Pin apps and extensions for easy access

37. Security
● Sandboxed browser
http://dev.chromium.org/developers/design-
documents/sandbox
● Safe browsing - via Google services
● Verified boot
● Screen lock and password policies
● Global proxy settings
● Restrict device use

38. Sync With Active Directory

39. Google Cloud Print
● Cloud based service
● Associates printers with Google account
● Print from anywhere
● Cloud Ready printers
● “Classic printers” via agent in local Chrome
browser

40. Chrome OS Settings

41. User Experience Settings

42. Track Shipping

43. Asset Tracking

44. Windows Desktops and Apps
● Remote access only
● Many options, including all leading vendors
o Except Microsoft
● On premises and hosted
● Pure HTML5 and Chrome Web Apps

45. DEMO
http://an.ericom.com

46. Chrome Web Store Apps
● Google Chrome Remote Desktop - free
o Chrome/Chromebook to Chrome
o Access Windows, Mac and Linux
● Ericom AccessToGo for Chrome (RDP) - free
o Blaze acceleration
● 2X Client for RDP - free
● RealVNC Viewer for Chrome - free
● Citrix Receiver for Chrome ?

47. HTML5 Remote Access
● Ericom AccessNow
● VMware Horizon View Blast
● Citrix Receiver for HTML5
● Cybele ThinRDP
● RemoteSpark Spark View
● Stoneware webRDP
● and more ...

48. Ultimate Mobile VDI Client?
● Windows form-factor
o Except keyboard layout
● Easy online access
● Low cost
● Long-lasting battery
● Centralized management
● Local browsing / media playback

49. Points to Consider
● Target hosts
o VDI / RDSH / physical
o Windows / Mac / Linux
● Published desktops / published apps
● Chromebook keyboard
● Performance
● Printing
● Connection brokering
● Secure remote access & SSL VPN compatibility

50. Chromebooks Yeah!
1. Bought into Google ecosystem
2. Going web: Office 365, Salesforce.com, …
3. Cost conscious - both CAPEX and OPEX
4. Content producers
5. Specific verticals, e.g. Education
6. Mobile VDI client
7. If / when Chromebox prices drop

51. Chromebooks Meh ...
1. On-premises / can’t use Cloud
2. Totally Windows - unless mostly VDI / SBC
3. Often offline
4. Content consumer / mobilized
5. Or high-end content producer
6. Windows laptop / Surface can do everything
Chromebook can do ...

52. Summary
● Chromebook advancing at rapid pace
● Google services becoming Enterprise
Ready, and Chromebooks are natural
extension
● Benefits from advances in Web tech,
and improving Net Access
● Improving management capabilities

53. Q&A