Item: Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS)
Rating: 10
Author: Mikel Seidl

Overall Satisfaction with Parallels Remote Application Server

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We moved to a newer more modern domain and a new ERP system simultaneously. Our old ERP system was Windows dependent and resided on the old domain. In lieu of migrating the old ERP to use as a reference, we use Parallels RAS to allow users to access a machine on the old domain that grants access to the old ERP system.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Virtual desktop infrastructure.
Ease of use and management.

Cons

Multi-domain support.
Resilience to network hiccups.

Return on Investment

Flexible use of multi-domain systems.
Positive return on investment.

Alternatives Considered

Citrix Workspace

Parallels RAS is much easier to implement at a much lower cost than Citrix. We needed something for our somewhat smaller and simple use case. Citrix was going to be extremely expensive and cumbersome to implement. Parallels gave me the ability to get the VDI hosts setup without any outside consulting.

Parallels RAS Simplicity

Being a small IT department, we need applications that allow us to easily manage them. Parallels is easily manageable by our small team of admins. Parallels support is very easy to engage as needed and is super helpful in all requests both pre and post-sales. We have been very happy with the service.

Parallels RAS User Experience

Our users need to access the VDI sessions from out of the network and out of the country. Many use iOS devices to do so. The flexibility that Parallels has given our users has contributed to making our ERP conversion success and much less impactful on the user base as a whole.

Parallel RAS Flexibility

We have Parallels virtualized on a Nutanix Hyperconverged host running Nutanix's own Acropolis Hypervisor. Parallels natively support this, making it easier than we could have expected to integrate into the hypervisor to create and manage VDI sessions and pooled resources. This integration was crucial for us in choosing a RAS software. Parallels was one of the few that could do it seamlessly.

Parallels RAS Security

We force our users to connect to parallels using their Active Directory Credentials as well as a multi-factor authentication code from Google Authenticator on each login. This mitigates the risk of allowing users to connect to VDI sessions from outside the network. It has really helped ensure the security of domain resources.

Support Rating

Parallels customer support team is phenomenal. They are always ready to assist regardless of the questions. They were very helpful pre-sales in providing a trial to ensure that it would work for our needs. Support post-sale was easy to engage and solved every problem we could have run into. The only issue I have with their customer support lies in their documentation as it can be convoluted and hard to find in many cases.

Key Insights

Do you think Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS) delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS)'s feature set?

Yes

Did Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS) live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS) go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS) again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Nutanix AOS, Windows Server, Cisco Meraki MS Switches, Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls - PA Series, Aruba Networks Wireless LAN (WLAN)

Likelihood to Recommend

Parallels has been the most cost-effective and user-friendly option for our use. Citrix would have been drastic overkill both in complexity and cost. Parallels gives us the flexibility to easily spin up VDI sessions across domains and for as many users as we need, while also allowing a very easy to stomach license cost that keeps our finance office happy.

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