September 4, 2008

Daniel Kusnetzky

Aqua Connect is an exception. It focuses on providing access virtualization for users of Mac OS-based servers. (For those keeping track, the post, Aqua Connect Access Virtualization for Mac OS X, introduced the company back in December 2007.) This time, the good folks at Aqua Connect are in the process of releasing their newest generation of access virtualization software for Mac OS-based servers. Aqua Connect’s Terminal Services (ACTS) version 3 allows users of Mac OS X (Leopard)-based servers to deliver applications to a broad selection of client systems. The software should become available on or near September 16, 2008.

Snapshot Analysis

Most suppliers focus on creating products for operating systems based upon their share of the market, not based upon how interesting or “cool” they are to use. They, after all, have to make the best use of their limited research and development budgets. This means that Mac OS X doesn’t get much attention even though it is a powerful, reliable operating environment.

If we step into the shoes of a strategic planner for a virtualization technology supplier, we can quickly see the reasons for this. If it takes the same investment to produce technology for several operating environments, the choice of which to support is typically driven by the size of the potential market.

This means that the flow of investment typically addresses Windows, Linux and then UNIX if shipments of software are the primary factor. If operating system revenues are the most important factor, the list would be Windows, UNIX and then Linux.

Since Apple’s Mac OS (being a form of BSD UNIX) has had a very small share of the shipments overall UNIX server operating environment software market and that in turn has has a modest share of the shipments of the overall server operating environment market, suppliers of virtualization software have not placed much emphasis on Mac OS.

Aqua Connect’s ACTS 3.0 makes it possible for organizations that would like use client systems that support Microsoft’s RDP, the UNIX/Linux X-Windows protocol or Aqua Connect’s own Virtual Network Computing protocal, RFB, to Mac OS X applications. Since Apple doesn’t offer anything similar, organizations who have selected Mac OS as a host for some, or perhaps all, of their applications, have few choices beyond those offered by Aqua Connect.

The company’s website shows some interesting demonstrations of the technology and should be of interest to you access virtualization fans. The site discusses how their technology can help reduce overall costs of IT, bring systems under a more centralized management structure and even provide some “green computing” benefits to organiations.

 

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