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Parallels RAS

Parallels RAS

Overview

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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Recent Reviews
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Awards

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Reviewer Pros & Cons

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Pricing

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Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee
For the latest information on pricing, visithttps://www.parallels.com/products/ras/…

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting / Integration Services

Starting price (does not include set up fee)

  • $120 per year per user
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Product Details

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

Screenshot of Parallels RAS supports on-premises, private and public cloud providers, including Azure and AWS, from a single console.Screenshot of The Parallels Web Client is accessible from any HTML5 browser or choose one of the many local clients.Screenshot of Parallels RAS integrates MSIX app attach for modern, dynamic app delivery.Screenshot of Parallels RAS supports multiple MFAs for security and flexibility.Screenshot of Integrated Let's Encrypt security certificates, to issue and manage certificates in Parallels RAS.Screenshot of Expression-based filtering makes it easier to set policies in the Parallels RAS.Screenshot of Visual reporting in the Parallels RAS Management Console is used to monitor and troubleshoot issues.

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 ...
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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,...
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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...
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Parallels RAS Integrations

Parallels RAS Competitors

Parallels RAS Technical Details

Deployment TypesOn-premise, Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsWindows, Linux, Mac, Windows Server 2008R2, 2012/R2, 2016, 2022, Windows 7, 8/8.1, 10, 11
Mobile ApplicationApple iOS, Android, Mobile Web, iPadOS
Supported LanguagesEnglish, 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 9.4.

The most common users of Parallels RAS are from Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(252)

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-25 of 145)
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September 27, 2023

There is no bits, parallel ras is the best virtualization tool

AA
aditi ananya
Network System Administrator
cygnetinfortech.com (Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
In our company parallel ras have been in use across all department where all staff have been able to access the apps hosted and in my view this tool can fit in any company and to every department that may be.
September 18, 2023

Determined that Parallels RAS is the best virtualization tool if you are getting started.

EC
evelyn chloe
Web Developer
valtech.ltd (Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
I am using Parallels RAS in the IT field, where I am accessing apps remotely hosted on parallel ras for my software development work. The tool works superbly, and depending on its capability and features, I think it can fit every department and can be scaled to fit any organization's needs.
September 15, 2023

Parallel ras is an incredible asset

AD
aarna durga
Network Engineer
infiicaretech.com (Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Mostly I have used parallel ras across all department even if am in IT department where majorly I deploy apps to be used by the staffs across all department.
This tool has been essential in that I can scale it and deploy apps that only needed by our employees in every department.
September 15, 2023

Flake quickly with parallel ras

JK
jackie kaur
Network System Administrator
cygnetinfortech.com (Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
To my concern when I used this tool I saw it to fit in almost every field since an app can be accessed from remotely which has been virtually been on parallel ras.
The capability of parallel ras being dynamic and allowing it to be compatible to all apps is awesome and makes it suitable to all fields.
September 11, 2023

Is there anything pleasing about parallel ras?

PI
prisha ira
System Administrator
hiddensbrain.com (Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Parallel ras is deemed to fits on all departments because it is dynamic and can have all the apps you may need to use on it.
In my department of IT, it has worked superbly and I have seen it's result working on virtualized apps.
September 02, 2023

A good fit for legacy applications

Verified User
Director in Information Technology
Transportation/Trucking/Railroad Company, 1001-5000 employees
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS) is well suited for access to legacy application (client / server). Is cheaper respect to Citrix and have a lot of features that the simple microsoft RAS do not have. This is a very well fit for us. also VDI is a great use of the application. Less appropriate in my opinion on web based applications
August 31, 2023

Empowers IT user to advanced virtualization operations

AP
Aria Prisha
Database Administrator
Infiicaretech.com (Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees)
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Parallel ras is suitable in areas where you need to have to use other apps and you don't need to install them into your local computer. Mostly this tool is alplicat Le in IT field because they require different tools for their works in which most of them they don't want to run on their local computer because of computation power of their computer.
August 30, 2023

Parallels Remote Application Server - it just works.

Verified User
Analyst in Information Technology
Health, Wellness and Fitness Company, 1001-5000 employees
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
It's great at forcing specific browser use for certain apps. We have some apps that only work in IE - for example. It can create and spin up desktops from an image - replacing a VDI solution completely. it is great at printing - never had issues with drivers or devices
August 30, 2023

easy and cost effective Solution for Home Office activities

Verified User
Administrator in Information Technology
Chemicals Company, 201-500 employees
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Parallels Remote Application Server (Parallels RAS) is well suited for companies who wants to have a good priced solution for remote connections or home office activities which is also easy to configure. There is no difficult licensing like on other brands you have on this market When you by a Parallels RAS license, you can use all included features.
August 29, 2023

Parallels RAS provides a cost effective user experience.

Verified User
Director in Information Technology
Mental Health Care Company, 501-1000 employees
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
I would recommend parallels to anyone that has virtual desktop infrastructure, remote applications, or a hyper converge infrastructure. This could be extra beneficial for a call center as they only bill per active user, so if the call center has any shift changes the business only pays for users that are active.
August 23, 2023

Easy to deploy and manage. Good end-user experience.

Verified User
Technician in Information Technology
Information Services Company, 11-50 employees
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
ResellerIncentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
I think it's well suited to someone smaller environments (sub 100 users). May work well with larger deployments but we have only used it with smaller businesses and it has served us well. In my opinion, it's probably not well suited for a very small environment simply due to the cost.
August 22, 2023

Very good product - poor sales and renewal experience

Verified User
Engineer in Information Technology
Marketing & Advertising Company, 51-200 employees
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Parallels RAS can be used in many scenarios, It can be a VDI platform for desktop replacement and a move to a more central virtualized infrastructure. It can allow you to publish a cloud app that can be accessed from anywhere on nearly any device avoiding the need to install anything on device. I can see its value in Retail, Remote services, Manufacturing, schools, etc. anywhere with an internet connection. It adds a secure layer in front of RDP services. It can be used to allow secure access to desktops or laptops from outside the office if this is something you need to do.
August 22, 2023

A great option for those looking to simplify deployment of their published applications.

Verified User
Team Lead in Information Technology
Apparel & Fashion Company, 51-200 employees
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Works perfect where you need multiple people to access software remotely and the software has a centralized database or file that is stored on the RAS server and vpn is not an option because of performance / reliability reasons. Also eliminates the need to install the same software on multiple user devices and have to deal with managing updates constantly.
August 21, 2023

Parallels Remote Application Server is our go-to Citrix replacement because of it's easy implementation and security options (SAML)

JM
Jan Mangelschots
System Architect
Netropolix (Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees)
Score 6 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
In our company when a customer has an out-of-date Citrix installation we always recommend switching to Parallels Remote Application Server, cheaper in-licensing and cheaper in infrastructure needs. It's also a lot easier to implement and maintain. When using Azure Virtual Desktop we currently don't see the need to augment it with Parallels Remote Application Server.
May 04, 2023

Easy to use with great value

Verified User
Consultant in Information Technology
Computer Software Company, 201-500 employees
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Well suited for a Distributed workforce specifically as more company's transition into a hybrid way of working. Good for Organizations that deal with sensitive data and need to ensure compliance with security regulations with MFA being supported. Scales very well and does not require large vdi farms to support it
October 27, 2022

Progressive Platform for Remote Management.

MT
Martyn Ticko
Management Information Systems Director
Lift Accounting (Accounting, 201-500 employees)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Parallels Remote is the productive approach to remote management, where friendly communications, reliable systems integrations, and concrete business support are well offered. Again, Parallels Remote manages all procedures that focus on innovations and business enhancement. Finally, Parallels Remote is accurately useful, where manageable costs are authentically reduced and better performance enhanced.
October 27, 2022

Sustainable and Efficient Remote Enhancement Platform.

MT
Madrina Tyson
Systems Software Engineer
BeWorks (Accounting, 201-500 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Parallels Remote is constant and professional in delivering quality services for remote collaboration, application sharing, and database management. The universal access of Parallels Remote delivers accurate inference, more so in matters of database analysis and complaisance. The seedy navigation of all communications proceedings and back up systems give Parallels Remote more support and acceptance to new users.
October 25, 2022

Parallels Remote Application Server Review

Marzieh Hooshmand | TrustRadius Reviewer
Marzieh Hooshmand
Consultant
Emarex (Architecture & Planning, 11-50 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
The remote desktop option is very fast and secure and helps me a lot. Also, sometimes I need some specialized software in the work environment that requires strong hardware to run, which can be done through Parallels Remote Application Server via any devices. It doesn't matter what size your company is, I think it is important for every company to have it.
October 20, 2022

Substantial Virtual Support Program.

EM
Ephah Mikson
Systems Developer
BeWork (Accounting, 201-500 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Parallels Remote is quality in managing most of the business roles online, where data backup and storage are well managed, and desktop and software sharing are well facilitated too. More so, Parallels Remote brings employees into a closed setup, where they communicate virtually and share concepts despite their location. Further, Parallels Remote has the required technological support for friendly business operations.
October 12, 2022

Parallels RAS has more than delivered on our expectations

Verified User
Team Lead in Research & Development
Banking Company, 11-50 employees
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Likelihood to Recommend
Parallels Remote Application Server is ideal for organizations looking to host their applications in the cloud without the need for installing them on client machines and interacting with different IT departments. It's less suited for web applications that are already in the cloud by their nature.
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