NeTraverse, today, announced the immediate availability of Win4Lin Terminal Server 2.5, based on the award-winning Win4Lin technology. Win4Lin Terminal Server allows an organization to dramatically lower costs by hosting and managing their Windows desktop sessions on low-cost, reliable and secure Linux servers. Read more for the rest of the press release.
Win4Lin Terminal Server runs on a Linux server and hosts multiple Windows
desktop user sessions. The individual sessions can be remotely displayed to
any browser-enabled or X windows-enabled device such as a Workstation, PC or
Thin-Client display device. By running desktop sessions on a server, the
administration costs and change management costs associated with traditional
PC environments are dramatically reduced. Organizations also gain a benefit
from giving users the ability to access a consistent work environment
whether they are in the office, at home or off-site. Help Desk workloads are
dramatically reduced as administrators can ‘lock down’ the desktop and
provide users with a well defined, approved set of applications and services
suited to the role of the user. Instead of one-size-fits-all provisioning,
organizations can tailor their software purchases and deployments more
closely resembling the actual requirements of their users.
Running the Windows sessions on the popular Linux server platform adds
another dimension to the benefits of using Win4Lin Terminal Server. Many
organizations are adopting Linux as a standard platform in an attempt to
re-gain control of their computing infrastructure from the increasing
dominance of one vendor. Linux, developed and maintained under an “Open
Source” licensing model, is secure, reliable and free. In addition, Linux is
available from all major system vendors and has an increasing number of
native applications also available under “open source” licensing models,
making it an increasingly popular choice as a strategic next-generation
platform. By deploying Win4Lin Terminal Server, organizations can
encapsulate their legacy Windows environment while shifting investment to
network-centric models based on Linux, XML and Web Services. Organizations
can truly deploy an end-to-end Linux footprint in their organization without
giving up their essential Windows applications and ability to interchange
data with other Windows users.
“With NeTraverse Terminal Server, Linux has become a viable platform for
general-purpose labs in our school,” said, Jeffrey Elkner, Computer Science
Teacher, Yorktown High School
“Win4Lin Terminal Server is a powerful product for the cost-conscious and
innovative organization alike,” said James Curtin, President and CEO of
NeTraverse. “Organizations from the largest enterprises to the smallest
schools can benefit from shifting their desktop management burden from
dispersed, high maintenance PCs to centralized, easily-managed, stable
servers. The fact that this product runs on Linux is icing on the cake.”
Win4Lin Terminal Server is also proving to be invaluable to Independent
Software Vendors (ISVs) in several ways. ISVs that wish to web-enable their
applications, without expensive re-writing, loss of functionality or the
need to maintain a separate code tree, can host their desktop applications
via Win4Lin Terminal Server and easily remotely display the application
through a browser with literally no modification.
“Siceroo’s Zodiac system, a network computing solution with ultra-thin
workstations, is an ICT infrastructure with excellent capabilities to
integrate the use of windows-based software with a stable and easy to
maintain open standards environment. Especially for the educational market,
where sound and video are a dominant element in the applications, NeTraverse
‘s new Win4Lin Terminal Server version is of vital importance for Zodiac to
meet its quality and performance requirements”, said Ivar Janmaat, CEO of
Siceroo, a large System Integrator in The Netherlands.
Another popular ISV use for Win4Lin Terminal Server is as a way to control
“food-chain dependencies”. This is where an ISV relies on a specific set of
third party products being available, often in specific versions, on the
same system as their software. If a user upgrades a piece of software for
one application, it may create instabilities or inabilities to use another
dependent application. By hosting the ISV application on a Win4Lin Terminal
Server, together with the specific configuration and versions of dependent
components (i.e. an Oracle database client, or a Crystal Reports client), an
ISV can ensure that their configuration remains stable and available. This
dramatically reduces support calls and improves customer satisfaction and
uptime.
“We are recommending to all our users to deploy Bravo using the Win4Lin
TerminalServer. It simplifies the deployment and maintenance without
comprising any functionality. Our users are very happy with it. It is
simply a great way to deploy any Windows based applications,” said, Tom Li,
President of Bravosoft, makers of Bravo, a mid-tier accounting solution.
New features in Win4Lin Terminal Server 2.5 include the following:
· Improved networking support, including Winsock 2 without the need for using VNET; Novell Client support (IP only, not IPX)
· Improved video performance, including preliminary support for DirectX (for applications that do not require hardware acceleration)
· Improved audio support, including support for remote audio playback to Linux-based thin clients and Solaris workstations/SunRay clients
· French, Italian, German, Spanish Windows Me support (non-upgrade, full versions only)
· Improved support for VNC and Tarantella keyboard mappings
Don’t be fooled: read on <url>http://www.netraverse.com/products/wts/technology.php</url>
Users access their Server desktop session through a standard Linux X Window System, or through other remote display technologies (Tarantella, VNC, etc…), which permits access to Windows® sessions on Windows-based computers
This is just an interface, bringing Windows desktops to other client platforms. This is not about running “windows software” on *n?x. Marketing… *sigh*
Yeah, but the only real way to run Windows software on Linux is via Wine, which is less than perfect obviously. So, being able to actually run Windows on Linux is a useful hack to have around, for the time being.
I guess eventually Wine will become good enough that most apps work, and the ones that don’t become rare. But not for a long time yet
It is interesting that we are moving towards the initial Java paradigm of write once, and run anywhere. If only there was a way to make the .NET CLR, Java, and WINE work together, then I think we would have attained some sort of milestone that when historians look back, they will know when the end started.
You see, embedded Linux is good. To win the entire market, there’s WindowsCE, which is what we use when we run remote thin clients, Windows Server, Terminal Server, and in most cases, Citrix.
One step at a time here. Attacking one component at a time is a sane and rational thing to do. Why turn your nose at something just because it’s not a complete solution? Did you snub Ximian Connector?
“Win4Lin Terminal Server will run a copy of Windows 9X/ME operating system as a Linux application. Windows 2000 is not currently supported, but is in development and expected for release in 2004”
and …
Can I print from the Windows environment?
“WTS provides the interface between Windows and Linux. Therefore, you will be able to print from the Windows environment to any printers that are properly setup (under Linux) on the Win4Lin Terminal Server.”
As long as you set the printer up under Linux. Last I checked, there wasn’t drivers for HP JetDirect boxes.
Win4lin allows users to run windows software at near native
speed although u still need MS Office. Codeweavers CrossOver
Office is a good product that doesn’t require Ms Windows but
compatibility is bad compared to Win4Lin.
Last I checked, even Red Hat Linux 7.3 already have HP Jetdirect support.
Please use this product before commenting on it
Oops the first line should read Win4Lin still require MS Windows.
??? There’s been support for jet direct for years!
Huh? JetDirect is just TCP/IP based printing…