Parallels RAS: what is it and what is it eaten with?
Parallels, with its product Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS), occupies a niche in the current market for VDI solutions.
Dmitry Tameev , Parallels director of business development in Russia, the CIS and Eastern Europe, talks about how the company managed to achieve this, about the company's priority development plans for the near future and about the technical capabilities of the Parallels RAS product.
- To what extent is Parallels RAS a promising direction for the company?
This is the most promising direction at the moment. Our most famous product - Parallels Desktop has long become a kind of standard in the industry, and we continue to improve it, now it's up to leadership in the segment of application delivery and VDI for SMB business.
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We have five main products: Parallels Desktop to run Windows applications on MacBooks, Parallels RAS , Parallels Mac Management, Parallels Access, and a set of useful Parallels Toolbox utilities.
At the moment, RAS is our main product in terms of both the interest of the company’s management and growth prospects. Because Parallels Desktop, which is now making the main profit, although it has long been the de facto standard among MacBook users, is limited by the number of MacBooks, RAS also has a wider niche. And if Parallels Desktop is aimed at end users, then the target segment is the corporate segment.
- Who are the main users of Parallels RAS in Russia today?
These are mainly banks, financial and industrial organizations, trade networks, organizations from the healthcare sector.
- Do you take part in state tenders?
We are a development company and we don’t sell anything in Russia by ourselves. Our partners participate in state tenders for the supply of RAS, and I must say, quite successfully.
- How do you evaluate the activities of competitors in your market? What are your advantages over them?
The market for remote application delivery and VDI is segmented by the number of connections - from units on the one hand to hundreds of thousands on the other. The bottom segment is occupied by the Microsoft RDS system, in the upper segment of the VDI market there are such grandees as Citrix and VMware . They offer powerful and sophisticated solutions that almost everyone in terms of application and desktop delivery can support hundreds of thousands of connections, but have two drawbacks. Firstly, they are very difficult to implement, manage, support, change the structure. Secondly, they entail high costs. Since these are difficult decisions, then working with them requires highly qualified specialists who have undergone special training, have passed the exam and now require an appropriate salary.
Thus, the segment from hundreds to thousands of connections remains uncovered, because on hundreds of connections Microsoft RDS can no longer cope, and Citrix and VMware solutions are redundant. It is to this segment that customers from companies of medium and small businesses who cannot pay a lot for infrastructure automation tools belong.
Therefore, we can say that we do not compete with Microsoft, Citrix and VMware. We have our own market niche in which they practically do not work. Our solution is a balance of possibilities and ease of operation, convenience and functionality for companies that do not want to spend too much time and money on application delivery solutions.
- Let's now dwell on a number of technical issues. Tell us how Parallels RAS has changed from a technical point of view over the past year? What's new in his arsenal?
In short, the key new features in Parallels RAS are as follows:
1) Templates of terminal servers (TS) and changes of TS groups
2) Support for Azure MFA via RADIUS
3) Client branding for Windows
4) Granular Connection Policies for Parallels RAS Clients
5) Publish MS App-v Container Applications
6) Support for scripts in notifications
7) Improvements in the work of the VDI agent: now the default VDI agent is installed on the publishing agent, and it can work with many nodes of different platform hypervisors simultaneously
8) Improvements in business continuity related to licensing.
- To what extent is the risk of losing control over corporate data trapped in a personal user area relevant to Parallels RAS users?
If the security of the solution is correctly configured, all data is located in the data center of the company and does not leave the company’s security perimeter.
- What features of Parallels RAS are most demanded by users and why?
First of all, I would mention the publication of applications and desktops of terminal servers. In second place is the optimal price and quality of the product per user.
In addition, RAS offers quite convenient tools for administrators - one console, remote installation of agents, mass creation of a vehicle through templates. To control and manage user workstations based on Windows OS, use the “client manager” (Device manager), which allows you to turn machines into kiosks and continue to use old PCs as thin clients that are configured for maximum security.
- Can you describe a typical user script for Parallels RAS?
The most common is the classic scenario - application delivery to remote offices of geographically distributed companies. This allows you to ensure the stability and security of work, facilitate the work with peripheral devices and control access to information. Also now we are seeing an increase in interest in the “work with your own device when connecting to corporate data” and “not from the office” scenarios.
- Can you evaluate the effectiveness of the interaction of Parallels with the Microsoft Azure platform?
At the moment, Parallels RAS is already successfully working in Azure, and we are working on additional integration. In particular, in the new version of the product, which will be released in 2019, we plan to support Azure as a virtualization platform, which will allow us to replicate VDI desktops and TS via templates.
- What is the difference between Parallels RAS and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops and similar solutions?
Parallels RAS has a rich set of functions and not only covers a lot of the possibilities inherent in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, but also has some of its unique features. For example, script-enabled notifications, client manager, centralized remote installation of components from a single console. At the same time, when you install RAS, you do not need any professional skills in installing and configuring such solutions. You also do not need to understand the intricacies of licensing and fine-tuning the functionality, you buy a turnkey solution. Parallels RAS has a unified edition in which all product features are available. Licenses are purchased for the number of competing users, and one user can work with any number of devices.
- What are the priority directions for the development of Parallels RAS exist at this stage?
Priority directions do not change: our main task from the very beginning was the release of a product that is easy to install and use, and which at the same time is very inexpensive. In terms of technical solutions, we follow both the general market trends and the needs of existing customers.
- What are the company's plans for Parallels RAS for 2019?
At the beginning of the summer we will release a new version of RAS 17, which will have a lot of new things, we plan to complete a number of major implementations with our partners, find new opportunities for working with customers.
- How do you plan to promote Parallels RAS in the Russian Federation? What tools have proven effective?
We work on a two-tier distribution model through an affiliate network. This is most effective. We tell integrators where and why RAS will be convenient for customers, why it can be better than analogues in each particular case. Integrators offer this solution to customers, customers implement it. We are traditional in our methods of corporate business development.
- How can the deal with Corel announced in the press influence the development of Parallels RAS?
A positive impact, of course. Corel has its own sales channels and approaches to work that we haven’t used before - so combining the experience will be useful for both companies, everyone will benefit.
Dmitry Tameev , Parallels director of business development in Russia, the CIS and Eastern Europe, talks about how the company managed to achieve this, about the company's priority development plans for the near future and about the technical capabilities of the Parallels RAS product.
- To what extent is Parallels RAS a promising direction for the company?
This is the most promising direction at the moment. Our most famous product - Parallels Desktop has long become a kind of standard in the industry, and we continue to improve it, now it's up to leadership in the segment of application delivery and VDI for SMB business.
')
We have five main products: Parallels Desktop to run Windows applications on MacBooks, Parallels RAS , Parallels Mac Management, Parallels Access, and a set of useful Parallels Toolbox utilities.
At the moment, RAS is our main product in terms of both the interest of the company’s management and growth prospects. Because Parallels Desktop, which is now making the main profit, although it has long been the de facto standard among MacBook users, is limited by the number of MacBooks, RAS also has a wider niche. And if Parallels Desktop is aimed at end users, then the target segment is the corporate segment.
- Who are the main users of Parallels RAS in Russia today?
These are mainly banks, financial and industrial organizations, trade networks, organizations from the healthcare sector.
- Do you take part in state tenders?
We are a development company and we don’t sell anything in Russia by ourselves. Our partners participate in state tenders for the supply of RAS, and I must say, quite successfully.
- How do you evaluate the activities of competitors in your market? What are your advantages over them?
The market for remote application delivery and VDI is segmented by the number of connections - from units on the one hand to hundreds of thousands on the other. The bottom segment is occupied by the Microsoft RDS system, in the upper segment of the VDI market there are such grandees as Citrix and VMware . They offer powerful and sophisticated solutions that almost everyone in terms of application and desktop delivery can support hundreds of thousands of connections, but have two drawbacks. Firstly, they are very difficult to implement, manage, support, change the structure. Secondly, they entail high costs. Since these are difficult decisions, then working with them requires highly qualified specialists who have undergone special training, have passed the exam and now require an appropriate salary.
Thus, the segment from hundreds to thousands of connections remains uncovered, because on hundreds of connections Microsoft RDS can no longer cope, and Citrix and VMware solutions are redundant. It is to this segment that customers from companies of medium and small businesses who cannot pay a lot for infrastructure automation tools belong.
Therefore, we can say that we do not compete with Microsoft, Citrix and VMware. We have our own market niche in which they practically do not work. Our solution is a balance of possibilities and ease of operation, convenience and functionality for companies that do not want to spend too much time and money on application delivery solutions.
- Let's now dwell on a number of technical issues. Tell us how Parallels RAS has changed from a technical point of view over the past year? What's new in his arsenal?
In short, the key new features in Parallels RAS are as follows:
1) Templates of terminal servers (TS) and changes of TS groups
2) Support for Azure MFA via RADIUS
3) Client branding for Windows
4) Granular Connection Policies for Parallels RAS Clients
5) Publish MS App-v Container Applications
6) Support for scripts in notifications
7) Improvements in the work of the VDI agent: now the default VDI agent is installed on the publishing agent, and it can work with many nodes of different platform hypervisors simultaneously
8) Improvements in business continuity related to licensing.
- To what extent is the risk of losing control over corporate data trapped in a personal user area relevant to Parallels RAS users?
If the security of the solution is correctly configured, all data is located in the data center of the company and does not leave the company’s security perimeter.
- What features of Parallels RAS are most demanded by users and why?
First of all, I would mention the publication of applications and desktops of terminal servers. In second place is the optimal price and quality of the product per user.
In addition, RAS offers quite convenient tools for administrators - one console, remote installation of agents, mass creation of a vehicle through templates. To control and manage user workstations based on Windows OS, use the “client manager” (Device manager), which allows you to turn machines into kiosks and continue to use old PCs as thin clients that are configured for maximum security.
- Can you describe a typical user script for Parallels RAS?
The most common is the classic scenario - application delivery to remote offices of geographically distributed companies. This allows you to ensure the stability and security of work, facilitate the work with peripheral devices and control access to information. Also now we are seeing an increase in interest in the “work with your own device when connecting to corporate data” and “not from the office” scenarios.
- Can you evaluate the effectiveness of the interaction of Parallels with the Microsoft Azure platform?
At the moment, Parallels RAS is already successfully working in Azure, and we are working on additional integration. In particular, in the new version of the product, which will be released in 2019, we plan to support Azure as a virtualization platform, which will allow us to replicate VDI desktops and TS via templates.
- What is the difference between Parallels RAS and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops and similar solutions?
Parallels RAS has a rich set of functions and not only covers a lot of the possibilities inherent in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, but also has some of its unique features. For example, script-enabled notifications, client manager, centralized remote installation of components from a single console. At the same time, when you install RAS, you do not need any professional skills in installing and configuring such solutions. You also do not need to understand the intricacies of licensing and fine-tuning the functionality, you buy a turnkey solution. Parallels RAS has a unified edition in which all product features are available. Licenses are purchased for the number of competing users, and one user can work with any number of devices.
- What are the priority directions for the development of Parallels RAS exist at this stage?
Priority directions do not change: our main task from the very beginning was the release of a product that is easy to install and use, and which at the same time is very inexpensive. In terms of technical solutions, we follow both the general market trends and the needs of existing customers.
- What are the company's plans for Parallels RAS for 2019?
At the beginning of the summer we will release a new version of RAS 17, which will have a lot of new things, we plan to complete a number of major implementations with our partners, find new opportunities for working with customers.
- How do you plan to promote Parallels RAS in the Russian Federation? What tools have proven effective?
We work on a two-tier distribution model through an affiliate network. This is most effective. We tell integrators where and why RAS will be convenient for customers, why it can be better than analogues in each particular case. Integrators offer this solution to customers, customers implement it. We are traditional in our methods of corporate business development.
- How can the deal with Corel announced in the press influence the development of Parallels RAS?
A positive impact, of course. Corel has its own sales channels and approaches to work that we haven’t used before - so combining the experience will be useful for both companies, everyone will benefit.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/443690/
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