Thin client vendor Wyse Technology Inc. is expanding the capabilities of its Rapport management software to include Linux-based appliances from rival Neoware Systems Inc.
The technology, Wyses Rapport V4 agent, is part of the San Jose, Calif., companys strategy to enable the software to cover a variety of devices. Currently, Rapport can manage not only Wyse products, but also thin client appliances from Hewlett-Packard Co. and personal digital assistants, scanners and other handheld devices from such vendors as Palm Inc. and Symbol Technologies Inc.
David Rand, director of corporate marketing for Wyse, said the company also wants to support more Linux-based thin clients, saying the open-source operating system is growing faster than other environments, including Windows XP Embedded and CE. Its also growing quickly in Europe, an important market that tends to adopt alternative architectures such as thin clients more quickly than the U.S. market, Rand said. Wyse recently created a new business unit focusing on Linux.
With the new agent for Linux-based Neoware appliances, “you can knock down bowling pins two at a time,” he said. “With Linux growing so quickly in Europe, it made sense to create this [business] unit.”
Wyse already offers a line of Linux-based thin clients, the Winterm 5000 series. Rapport is a standard feature on all Winterm products.
Neoware, of King of Prussia, Pa., currently offers a management software product called ezRemote Manager.
Rand said some benefits of Wyses Rapport software include being based on SQL Server, which enhances its scalability capabilities, as well as the use of digital certificates and encryption and the ability to break it apart and let the separate components operate on different systems, Rand said.
The V4 agent for Linux-based Neoware devices is available immediately, he said.
/zimages/6/28571.gifCheck outeWEEKs Desktop & Notebook Centerat http://desktop.eweek.com for the latest news in desktop and notebook computing.