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Pano Logic wants to make desktop virtualization easier for SMBs.
Pano Logic on May 26 rolled out Pano Express, an all-in-one VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) solution that includes the company’s zero-client platform, VMware vSphere Essentials virtualization technology, Microsoft Windows 7 licenses, and server and storage hardware, all for $489 per seat.
Pano Express is designed to remove two of the key hurdles to desktop virtualization adoption-upfront capital expenses and complexity, according to Parmeet Chaddha, executive vice president of engineering at Pano Logic.
“[Capital expenses] for VDI is a significant barrier that needs to be overcome,” Chaddha said in an interview. With Pano Express, “nothing is left out. They get all this for less than $500 a seat.”
He estimated that capital costs for Pano Express are about half of those for other desktop virtualization offerings. With everything preloaded into a single package, the complexity issue is reduced. Currently so much discussion among virtualization technology vendors is around protocols, Chaddha said.
“This will help shift focus of discussion in this industry from protocols to price,” he said.
Pano Logic is aiming this offering particularly at SMBs, which lack the same monetary and IT staffing resources that enterprises have. However, enterprises that are in the assessment stage with VDI could also benefit from Pano Express, though as they grow their use of virtualization, their scale begins to reduce capital expense concerns, Chaddha said.
The government and education also will be attracted to Pano Express, Chaddha said. The first customer to put Pano Express in production is the Blue Ridge High School District in Pennsylvania, he said.
Pano Logic is looking to differentiate itself from other vendors in the highly competitive desktop virtualization space with its zero-client offering, in which users connect to a centrally stored virtual machine through a device that has no processor, operating system, memory, drivers, applications or moving parts. All of that is housed in a server running VMware virtualization technology. The desktop is streamed from the server to the zero-client device.
The company in April upgraded its offering, rolling out Pano System 3.0, which includes tighter integration with VMware View, support for Windows 7, and other performance and security features.
With Pano Express, customers get 50 zero client Pano Systems, VMware vSphere Essentials, 50 Windows XP or Windows 7 virtual desktop licenses, and a custom-configured dual-quad-core server with RAID5 internal storage, all pre-loaded. Pano Systems include the zero-client Pano Device, Pano Direct service and Pano Manager.
Pano Express will be available in early June.