UnParallel data access and protection
When protecting organisational data and information you need a solution to allow users access without restricting their ability to perform …
Starting at $120 per year per user
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What is Parallels RAS?
Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS, formerly 2X RAS), is application virtualization technology, billed as a solution to extend the life of legacy OS (like Windows XP) with its virtual desktop for any device. Maltese company 2X Software developed the technology,…
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- Free/Freemium Version
- Premium Consulting/Integration Services
Starting price (does not include set up fee)
- $120 per year per user
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What is Parallels RAS?
Parallels® Remote Application Server (RAS) is a remote work solution that provides secure virtual access to business applications and desktops on any device or OS—from anywhere. The platform offers an agile, cloud-ready foundation and end-to-end security fueled by a centralized management console with granular policies. Companies can leverage on-premises, hybrid, or public cloud deployments and integrate with existing technology like Microsoft Azure and AWS. Parallels RAS aims to give organizations the flexibility, scalability, and IT agility to adapt to changing business needs. Parallels RAS offers a single, full-featured licensing model that includes 24/7 support and access to product training. The vendor states its key benefits include:
- User experience—work from anywhere, on any device.
- Enhanced data security and compliance—centralized management console with granular policies.
- IT agility and business readiness—flexible hosting solutions to scale and adapt.
- Total cost of ownership—supports BYOD and includes a simple licensing model.
- Always-on support—access to 24/7 support and training at no additional cost.
Parallels RAS Features
- Supported: Advanced access controls: Secures corporate data with a client group policy in the Parallels RAS Console. Centrally manages and controls access by user, group, or device.
- Supported: Multifactor authentication: Requires users to authentication access via two-factor or smart card authentication. Parallels RAS also integrates with third-party security solutions.
- Supported: Encryption protocols: Parallels RAS Secure Gateway supports SSL and FIPS 140-2 encryption, helping organizations adhere to data compliance policies such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR.
- Supported: Centralized monitoring: Transforms raw data into custom visual reports to show traffic and resource usage from network infrastructure. Centrally monitors day-to-day user activities.
Parallels RAS Screenshots
Parallels RAS Videos
This video shows how to deploy virtual apps and desktops via Parallels RAS in Azure by using Parallels RAS in the Azure Marketplace. This is a fast way to create a proof of concept (POC) or test environment.
This video demonstrates the steps an administrator takes within the Parallels RAS Console to successfully deliver services to end users via Amazon EC2.
Parallels RAS themes allow an organization to transform what the user sees when they access resources delivered via Parallels RAS. For example, custom branding (white labeling) can be applied, a custom URL can be set for the end user, and access can be locked down to specific ...
Show More MSIX app attach is an Azure Virtual Desktop feature. It provides application modernization, improves application lifecycle management, and reduces hardware footprint and IT management overhead by using fewer templates.
Parallels RAS brings MSIX app attach technology to RDSH,...
Show More Automated certificate management with Let's Encrypt integration.
Parallels RAS includes cloud cost-reduction capabilities, including autoscaling, power management, and automated image optimization. Parallels RAS adds more cost-reduction measures by extending cost-saving capabilities to storage.
When the virtual machine (VM) is not running...
Show More Parallels RAS Integrations
Parallels RAS Competitors
Parallels RAS Technical Details
| Deployment Types | On-premise, Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based |
|---|---|
| Operating Systems | Windows, Linux, Mac, Windows Server 2008R2, 2012/R2, 2016, 2022, Windows 7, 8/8.1, 10, 11 |
| Mobile Application | Android, Mobile Web, iPadOS |
| Supported Languages | English, German, Japanese, Russian, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean |
Parallels RAS Downloadables
Frequently Asked Questions
Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS, formerly 2X RAS), is application virtualization technology, billed as a solution to extend the life of legacy OS (like Windows XP) with its virtual desktop for any device.
Maltese company 2X Software developed the technology, but was acquired by Parallels (in Seattle, WA) in February, 2015 to extend their cross-platform support solutions.
Parallels RAS starts at $120.
Citrix DaaS, VMware Horizon, and VMware Horizon Cloud Service on Microsoft Azure are common alternatives for Parallels RAS.
Reviewers rate Availability highest, with a score of 9.6.
The most common users of Parallels RAS are from Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees).
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August 12, 2022
Goodbye Citrix.... hello Parallels Remote Application Server
- Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (formerly XenDesktop)
I think it's a pretty easy comparison of the two. Citrix is more expensive and more complicated compared to Parallels Remote Application Server; however, Parallels Remote Application Server misses the nice audio plugins that Citrix has for teams, etc. Parallels Remote Application Server really excels in its ease of installation and use compared to Citrix. Citrix does have a slightly bigger feature set, however, but you need to purchase other Citrix items to get full benefits. Parallels Remote Application Server has everything included.
Parallels Remote Application Server has been easier and less expensive to implement for our clients than VMware Horizon and offers a better experience than Microsoft Remote Desktop Services. All three of these can accomplish similar end results, but when looking at the overall return on investment, Parallels has come out ahead of those two for us.
August 04, 2022
Parallels - The Good and the Bad
Azure Desktops actually perform much better in my opinion. The administration is easier, and speed is better.
August 02, 2022
Parallels RAS saved our bacon
Parallels RAS is orders of magnitude easier to set up than the Citrix products and therefore increase our speed of execution by months.
July 30, 2022
Happy with Parallels Remote Application Server
We have not used or evaluated other products since 2005.
Well, of course, we use Terminal Services and Remote Desktop Protocol. That is an everyday occurrence. We use Parallels to provide RDP from the server to LAN workstations for some users as they travel. Works very well as a secure RDP gateway. We also used Citrix for many years for our paramedics to publish ICA files for scheduling systems as well as for remote access to some other software. Citrix is hard to beat but Parallels is a very close cousin.
July 27, 2022
Parallels is awesome for what it is for
Parallels Remote Application Server is pretty different from a lot of remote software. It isn't a VPN or even a remote desktop application though it does have a lot of those same functions available. Parallels is a good software for many of an office's remote needs and centralize those services into one dashboard.
Outranks all competitors in both cost, support, and functionality. The others are getting too large and don't offer support for small to medium businesses with custom needs and non-standard applications and build. I used the top 4 brands in a previous corporate office, where ITIL was implemented and followed. It is easier to work with a company like Parallels in regards to refining and maturing business processes as they will actually work with your team and not just force you to comply with their predefined standards
July 18, 2022
Affordable product with optimal features
The cost of the two products is significantly different. Though Citrix has many advantages and features, the cost was a primary factor that helped us make that choice.
Parallels Remote Application Server is a cost-effective solution for Citrix and VMware products. It is also less complex to configure and manage. Offers similar connectivity options and integrates easily with 2FA authentication, for example from Google which is a free option.
July 09, 2022
Cost effective wrapper for MS RDP/VDI deployment. Worth it for consolidation and ease of management.
Simplicity cost. It is a wrapper for MS RDP, not its own proprietary protocol as in both of these examples. I like the greater support for multiple OS and client flexibility. However, tuning the base network stack for high latency is mostly out of scope.
faster, leaner and more comfortable at the same time cheaper than Citrix, and in relation to the benefits to native RDS good price/performance ratio
- Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)
June 23, 2022
Remote Application Server, the way it should be.
For the time we've used Parallels, we've found Parallels much easier to set up and manage over Citrix.
June 20, 2022
Best and Easy RAS Solution
- Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops and TSPlus
The least prerequisites for RAS server compare to other solutions. Server configuration is totally based on user load. Licensing model is impressive. The most important factor for us was the support. Parallels Remote Application Server support is more than expected and all engineers are well trained. If required even the sales team can support technical issues to push it to the next level.
April 08, 2022
Make the switch to Parallels RAS!
We used Citrix XenApp prior to Parallels and due to the complexity of an upgrade, it caused us to begin looking for other products. We ran into Parallels RAS and decided to give it a shot. We had a working POC within 30 minutes and launched apps within the hour. The upgrade/migration of Citrix XenApp was in progress for over a month with no end in sight. We purchased the product and migrated all users to Parallels and haven't looked back!
April 04, 2022
Controllers may love this.
Parallels is easy since it only allow me to connect and work from the Application needed.
Softgrid was great in its day but it was difficult to manage, and our applications that we were virtualizing were also more complicated. Parallels is more like a window into the software vs actually getting into the nuts and bolts of the software to allow the application to stream. But because applications have improved, an option like parallels now can support them vs a full virtualization of the app.
- Citrix Virtual Apps (formerly XenApp)
Much easier to set up a Parallels farm than it is to set up a Citrix farm, cloud connectors, gateways, storefront servers, delivery controllers, machine catalogs, etc. I love how you can stand up a new Parallels server without having to leave the management console. I've had to literally hire consultants before to help stand up a Citrix environment due to the complexity of configuring a Netscaler to communicate with storefront, parallels setup is much more intuitive and faster to bring to production.
March 29, 2022
Parallels is a great application that works as it says
- Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan)
Parallels has more features and good administrator portal but is limited vs a dedicated vpn
March 26, 2022
Simple, secure, reliable
- Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365)
We came to the conclusion that this product has the best value for money, quality and functionality
March 26, 2022
Falling behind the competition
- Amazon WorkSpaces (VDI) and Azure Virtual Desktop
Parallels Remote Application Server seems to be behind the offerings of both Amazon and Azure. Their product functions more as a traditional Windows Server application that just happens to run on the cloud or on-premise servers. Both Amazon and Azure's offerings are cloud-native and far easier to manage as a result. They also use less compute resources.
March 17, 2022
Excellent Product from Parallels
- Citrix Virtual Apps (formerly XenApp)
Primary objective is save cost. Easy to configure policy and has more security
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We still have one small Citrix unit in production. But Parallels Remote Application Server is far simpler to configure and get working out the box with exactly what you need, whether it be publishing entire desktops or publishing standalone applications. One of the nice things was that we could publish an app from anywhere. Even if it is on one PC, we can make it available to all the relevant people. Citrix began to feel a bit clunky in comparison.
February 28, 2022
A better solution for Remote Access
- Citrix Gateway (formerly NetScaler Unified Gateway) and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (formerly XenDesktop)
Parallel RAS is so much easier to install than Citrix. Doesn't require a NetScaler for external access. The customizing for the login page is so much simpler they anything we have used. The single console helps our helpdesk staff manage clients much easier.