Pano Logic scales up zero client for global push

The Pano endpoint has no processor or operating system

Pano Logic has announced an update to its zero client technology for virtual desktops, designed to scale up to support larger deployments as the firm begins a more concerted global push of its solution.

The company has also introduced an add-on that lets the Pano endpoint device support dual displays for the first time.

Available immediately, Pano System Release 2.8 adds a number of improvements to the server side to help customers scale up deployments, doubling the number of desktops that can be controlled from a single management console, according to the firm.

"As we begin scaling customers above a couple of hundred seats, they've been asking for more enterprise-level features, like backup and recovery and better scalability," said Pano Logic chief executive John Kish.

Backup and recovery in this instance refers to information about the state of desktop sessions managed by Pano Manager, the software that acts as desktop connection broker between end users and the virtual machine instances hosted on servers.

Also announced today is Pano Dual Monitor, a USB adapter that plugs into a Pano endpoint device and provides a DVI connector for a second display. This is available for order today, and will ship from 2 November.

The Pano Device itself is a compact box that acts as user console, linking a user's keyboard, screen and mouse over the network back to a virtual desktop machine hosted on a server.

Unlike a thin client, each Pano Device is just an appliance; it has no processor or operating system, but is built around a custom chip (a field-programmable gate array) that functions as a frame buffer and handles the keyboard and mouse.

"Unlike thin clients or PCs, no processing occurs at the endpoint. Customers can centralise all compute cycles in the datacentre," said Kish.

A Pano service running in each virtual desktop makes the Pano Device appear to be a standard keyboard, screen and mouse to Windows, and also makes the USB ports on the device appear to be directly connected to it, which is how the Pano Dual Monitor works.

Pano Logic also said that it has appointed STL Technologies as its chief channel partner in the UK, as part of a greater global drive to make its technology more widely available.

"Our products have been available in the UK for about 12 months, but we haven't made a big push in the global market outside the US till now," said Kish.

Pano Logic expects that many of its customers will come from the government, health and education markets, according to Kish.