2X offers cross-platform virtual desktop broker

2X claims that its connection broker has the broadest compatibility

Thin client vendor 2X has released a connection broker for virtual desktops with broader cross-platform support than its rivals, according to the firm, making it better suited to mixed environments.

Available in the UK now, 2X VirtualDesktopServer (VDS) is compatible with virtualisation platforms from VMware, Microsoft, VirtualIron and Parallels, among others.

The connection broker, or desktop broker, is an essential part of any virtual desktop infrastructure that links users at login with a virtual client running in the datacentre.

However, according to 2X chief executive Nikolaos Makris, most brokers are proprietary and tied to each vendor's own hypervisor technology.

"We believe companies will have a mixture of technologies. Those with Terminal Servers will keep them, and many will be using both [Microsoft] Hyper-V and VMware for virtual machines," he said.

"With our product, you can access all these technologies. We are the most flexible, supporting more platforms than even Leostream. "

VDS also has the ability to publish applications to the web or to a Terminal Server farm, and supports a universal print driver.

Clients to access virtual desktops are available for Windows, including XP Embedded which many thin clients run, Linux and Mac OS X, plus the firm's own Linux-based 2X OS for thin clients.

Makris also said that 2X is developing mobile clients for Apple's iPhone and devices running the Android and Windows Mobile platforms.

2X VDS runs on Windows 2008 Server and is licensed on a per-server basis. The entry level version for small businesses is restricted to a single server and costs £810. The Enterprise version runs on a minimum of two servers for load balancing purposes and costs £2,030. Additional servers for the Enterprise version cost £1,290 each.

A free trial version limited to three connections is available from the 2X website.