Fidelity today became the first RIA custodian to unveil a comprehensive, cloud-based virtual desktop workstation for their advisors.

Working with cloud outsourcing company External IT, Fidelity says the workstation will enable the “anywhere advisor,” providing financial professionals access to the company's entire suite of business tools from a Web browser, including mobile devices such as tablets.

Advisors will be able to contract directly with External IT for bundled or customized services at a discounted rate. External IT's services will include access from anywhere to cloud-based applications and data via a browser, including from mobile and tablet devices; business applications hosted in the cloud and accessed anywhere via the virtual desktop; a central document repository in the cloud, enabling advisors to access all of their documents and Microsoft Exchange e-mail from anywhere, anytime; the ability to reduce onsite computing infrastructure; and a subscription-based pricing model.

External IT also will provide support personnel specifically for Fidelity advisors, unlimited dual site replicated e-mail storage, replicated file storage, mobile device support and a desktop/laptop agent for software updates, antivirus, patching, asset inventory and remote support, among other features.

“This solution underscores Fidelity’s commitment to support advisors working with Fidelity as they consider cloud-based and mobile technologies in order to reduce IT responsibilities so they can better serve their clients," says Edward O’Brien, senior vice president and head of technology for Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services.

"Years ago," he continued, "Fidelity set on a course to bring the latest in innovation and technology to the advisors on our WealthCentral platform. Offering choice and flexibility through effective integrations was the first frontier on that charted course. Today, we’re looking ahead to the next frontier -- products and services for anywhere advisors in their pursuit of running a practice from a mobile or tablet."

The virtual desktop solution will be available in July. For more information, visit Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services or External IT.