Teradici releases preview of delayed PCoIP platform for VMware and Microsoft

IDG News Service - Teradici has been forced to delay the release of Arch, which combines VMware and Microsoft server-based desktops using its PCoIP protocol, due to a scalability issue. But a new tech preview will still allow enterprises to familiarize themselves with the product.

Today, PC-over-IP (PCoIP) is used to improve the performance of multimedia and other graphics-heavy applications on VMware's Virtual Desktop Infrastructure.

Teradici's Arch was previously known as Remote Desktop Services Host. The platform allows enterprises to combine VMware View and Microsoft RDS desktops and have the same performance levels across both types of desktops. The first version was supposed to have shipped in December, but the company was forced to delay the launch because of a scalability issue related to VMware View, which results in only 45 sessions per virtual server.

"We have been working with VMware on this particular issue and an engineer has been assigned it. VMware is reproducing the problem, but it hasn't identified the root cause and at this point doesn't have a clear picture on when a fix will be available," said Michael Fodor, director of enterprise software at Teradici.

The goal is now to ship a first version during the third quarter, according to Fodor.

While the development of the product has stumbled, Teradici is still eager to get more early adopters using it. It has therefore released a tech preview that is available to everyone.

"We feel that the product will fill a significant gap in the VMware ecosystem," Fodor said.

The company has also started working on adding support for Microsoft's Connection Broker.

"In a subsequent release we are going to support Microsoft customers who don't have View and really just want to add PCoIP," Fodor said.

Three scenarios where the product has already been tested are a training lab for clinical and administrative personnel at a health care organization; on desktops at Binghamton University in New York and at a construction material supplier. All three like so-called zero clients, because they are the easiest to deploy and manage.

The health care organization wants better video performance compared to a standard RDS environment. The construction material supplier wants to move away from the hassle of having to manage a mixture of traditional Windows desktops across its distribution centers. And Binghamton wants to consolidate its current infrastructure, which uses both View and RDS. The university also uses Teradici's workstations, according to Fodor.

When Arch is released it will cost US$50 per named user for a perpetual license, including one year of maintenance and support. After the first year, maintenance and support will cost $10 per named user and year.

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