Virtual PC without software 5 September, 2007 By Paul Weinberg

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It is the lack of software including an operating system that ultimately makes the new Pano Logic virtual desktop much easier to manage from a central point, stated Michael Rose, associate research analyst for IDC's enterprise virtualization software program.

"If you have 1,000 distributed thin client devices, you still have 1,000 operating systems that you have to manage. With the Pano device you don't have to do that."

The Pano Logic virtual desktop architecture is "fundamentally" different from the standard thin client from companies like Hewlett-Packard, although the basic premise is similar, stated Michael Fodor, vice president of product management at Pano Logic.

"The thin clients of past and today are basically nothing more than a scaled down personal computer. At the end of the day, there is still an operating system in the thin client; there is a still a CPU and local memory."

The removal of all software from the desktop to the server means that total cost of ownership at the PC level is eliminated by 70 per cent or more, explained Fordor.

Other features in the Pano Logic virtual desktop include more security and greater energy savings -- Pano consumes five watts or three per cent of what is generated by a typical PC -- the company spokesperson added.

"I like the fact that [Pano] is plug and play," commented Chris Wolfe, a senior research analyst at the Burton Group. "There is no required software installation; you can plug it in; it is very easy to deploy."

Also, Pano Logic contains a feature that allows for switching among virtual machines.

"If you need to bring up a different virtual machine, you can click the panel button, and expect another virtual machine," stated Wolfe.

The challenge for Pano Logic is that the business case for server virtualization is much easier to justify in the enterprise.

Server virtualization is a response to a crowded data center and there is no similar compelling business argument to virtualize the desktop, Wolfe stated.

Also, the virtual desktop puts new pressure on the data center.

"If you have anywhere from 500 to 2,000 desktops, you are going to be looking at adding several racks now into your data centre to support all of those virtual machines for each of those desktop operating systems. So for some organizations, virtualizing their desktops isn't an option right now, because they don't have the physical space," Wolfe commented.

This industry analyst described Pano Logic's timing as premature and advised end users to wait until mid-2008 before they purchase this product.

Wolfe noted that management and application provisioning for the virtual desktop have not been fully developed by virtualization software vendors (e.g. VMware, Citrix or Virtual Iron), as has been the case with similar features for server virtualization.

"VMware is just coming onto speed [in manageability and provisioning]. They are obviously the market leader in server virtualization and they are just starting to round out their desktop virtualization."

Rose countered that Pano Logic's timing for product introduction makes sense since it starts the process of building relationships with the key virtualization software vendors to improve manageability on the virtual desktop. "Pano Logic is not a software vendor. They are just making that thin client [hardware] device."