Pano Logic’s silver box shines in 2008 and into 2009

Pano Logic CTO, Aly Orady, talks about the company’s desktop virtualization solution and how it can help fight a challenging economy in 2009.

Q: How has this year been for Pano Logic?

A: As we close the books on the company’s first full year of sales, Pano Logic is celebrating a year of exceeded expectations. The Pano Virtual Desktop Solution (VDS) was first shipped in late 2007 and we immediately saw a marketplace eagerly looking to embrace a built-from-the-ground-up desktop virtualization solution that’s easy to install and very fast to deploy. We are closing out the year with over 350 customers!

John Kish joined Pano Logic as CEO in October and is quickly creating mature company process that is positively impacting all parts of the company. From a product perspective, we recently introduced Pano VDS 2.5 that, for the first time, includes native session support for Windows applications, video, and audio interfaces and native USB device drivers – making Pano VDS the first Windows native VDI solution.

Looking into 2009, we are sensing that as the economic downturn continues, more companies are turning towards desktop virtualization to replace their traditional PCs and save on operating and equipment expenses. We believe the economics – both cost savings and long term end user benefits – around desktop virtualization will continue to drive Pano growth and customer adoption.

Q: How does Pano Logic fit within the virtualization ecosystem?

A: Pano VDS is a built-from-the-ground-up VDI desktop virtualization solution. The Pano solution is designed to entirely leverage existing investments in server virtualization and works seamlessly with existing virtual infrastructure management tools. This is an important for our customers as they look for ways to quickly improve the ROI of their virtualization investments. Pano VDS allows them to do that by inexpensively extending server virtualization out to include their desktop infrastructure. Pano VDS runs multiple desktops as virtual machines on a single server and leverages the management tools and skills already in place. In addition to lower TCO and management and security benefits, customers of Pano VDS also experience many of the benefits seen with server virtualization like consolidation, greater server utilization and a reduction in energy usage (both in the data center and at the desktop).

Ultimately, the positioning is focused on creating a very easy-to-install and deploy desktop solution for VMware customers.

Q: So simply put, how do you compare?

A: Pano VDS is optimized to deliver the industry’s only zero client desktop infrastructure. The Pano Logic solution moves all endpoint software to the server and runs Windows in a VM on the server allowing for end users to access Windows through the zero client desktop device. The Pano client – also known as the Silver Cube – has no memory, state, CPU or moving parts. This optimized device not only delivers the full windows user experience but also provides administrators with a zero administration solution. With its newest release, Pano VDS also became the first desktop virtualization solution to optimize the Windows user experience without using the Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). This means that the Pano solution uses the native Windows drivers to provide out-of-the-box support for USB devices and other peripherals. In addition the Pano Windows experience more closely parallels the native Windows experience by supporting video, flash and other capabilities whereas alternative server-based desktop solutions are far more limited.

By taking advantage of VMware virtualization infrastructure, Pano Logic requires no additional specialized skills or training to install or manage virtual desktops beyond those required to install or manage VMware, allowing Pano Logic to focus on solving unique desktop challenges without having to reinvent the virtual infrastructure.

Q: What do you see in 2009?

A: In 2009, Pano Logic expects adoption of desktop virtualization to increase as more organizations already using server virtualization and experiencing benefits wish to further extend savings. As the economic environment necessitates further belt-tightening the Pano VDS solution has a strong and proven TCO value.

From the beginning there have been a few areas of particular focus for Pano Logic. Among these, the Company is focused on delivering a complete solution that is easy-to-install and deploy for resource-constrained customers in the small and mid-market segments. While the current product strongly delivers on this promise there are areas that the Company can further refine and develop. Along those lines, Pano will continue to invest in providing a desktop virtualization solution that is both easy to administer on the back end while providing end users with a superior native Windows experience.