Pano Logic, a 100 percent channel-focused company known for its virtualization solutions and super-lightweight zero clients, has launched a new version of its virtualization system back-end, dubbed Pano System 4, and a new zero client featuring comprehensive under-the-hood upgrades. I spoke with Dana Loof, executive VP of Marketing and Aly Orady, company CTO and co-founder, about the new offerings and channel implications …

“[The update is] a big announcement for us and our customers and prospective [customers],” said Loof. “We’re addressing a lot of the requests we’ve gotten.”

“What we’ve done here in Pano System 4 … [is] support all three major players — Citrix, Microsoft’s Hyper-V and VMware,” Orady noted. Because the technology is hypervisor platform-agnostic, there’s a solid mix-and-match approach to the brokering of the desktop, to the hypervisor and DVM provisioning (which you can see pictured here).

“A lot of customers are coming to us now [and] they’re much bigger than we had in the past,” Loof said. Pano System 4 was built to meet the increasing demands for flexibility, ubiquitous access, interoperability and the ability to leverage existing licenses in a workplace.

Pano System 4 was also designed to lower complexity for channel partners, Loof and Orady noted. Since virtualization tends to be a complex sell, the easier Pano Logic can make it, the better it is for the VAR. Hence, the platform-agnostic nature of Pano System 4. “It will allow [VARs] to provide customers with what the customer needs, rather than with what the vendors are pushing on them.”

Support and maintenance are included in all sales, with the first year free and tiered levels of service available after. For more ambitious partners, Pano Logic offers a support certification course to help resellers better provide and sell services. Naturally, VARs can set their margins on services.

And what about that new zero client? Designed to perform some serious client-side processing, the zero client actually provides four USB ports with isochronous support so headsets, microphones and webcams all can be used natively. Plus, there’s dual DVI monitor support. The device comes in either chrome or black finish, and sucks up only 6 watts of power, making it a ‘green’ machine.

Existing partners will be receiving the new demo devices soon to help familiarize themselves and get out and sell as quickly as possible, Loof said.

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