You might remember Pano Logic as those zero-client gurus with the shiny silver box. Recently, Pano has introduced an expanded “open platform” for their zero-client system, which includes Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization support. Read on about Pano’s “vendor independence” and the technical details…

Pano Logic’s Pano System 3.5 is adding Microsoft Hyper-V support in addition to VMware, and Pano is now calling it the first of it’s kind, since it’s a” Hypervisor-Indifferent” virtual desktop platform. The key focus is on choice, which is something Pano stresses isn’t traditionally available from zero-clients. VARs can decide what type of solution best fits a customer setting, and then extend that infrastructure without worrying about the compatibility of the endpoint.

Pano sees this as a way to ease management complexity and lower costs if reconfiguration of an infrastructure is needed. Pano boasts that their ‘true’ zero-clients are the reason for this, unlike thin clients which, according to Pano, “contain firmware…built to support a protocol tied to a specific hypervisor.”

Pano feels that the aforementioned thin-client isn’t delivering on the promise of what a thin/zero clients should do, which is why their zero client contains no operating system, no storage nor any limiting hardware / software combinations. For partners, the ability to leverage Microsoft services is seen as a big selling point for Pano System 3.5, as it will also enable users to use licenses they already have, and work in a familiar platform.

Partners of Pano, and friends of virtualization, what do you think? This blogger thinks that Pano is smart to be ‘vendor agnostic’ with their zero-client platform to reach more potential customers, but also wonders if there are disadvantages to not having a ‘thin’ client that is custom-tailored for a specific hypervisor.

Sign up for The VAR Guy’s Weekly Newsletter; Webcasts and Resource Center; and via RSS; Facebook;   Identi.ca; Twitter and VARtweet.