Parallels Remote Application Server: it just works, we love it

Parallels RAS is being used by remote workers to easily access corporate systems. These users do not have a PC on site that they can remote into, so a system was needed that could provide them with the necessary applications.

We have benefited. I have a user who has a raspberry pi to connect. Most users can connect from home via the application, but some prefer not to install anything. Those users connect via html5 from anywhere. That is simple and great for the end-user experience.

I have access to Parallels for some critical apps. I am a mac user and the applications cannot be installed locally for me. Whenever I need to access these apps, RAS is my tool to get there. When I am on call or not home with a PC, I can easily open the application from my phone and get the job done quickly and easily with the mobile app. It is a security blanket. Otherwise, I would need to keep a PC with me wherever I go.

We are a VMware shop, but having the option to use any number of technologies is great. We do not feel locked in. Parallels runs on VMWare and the desktops are shared desktops via RDS.

We provide access to users via AD groups. This access is a privilege and not granted to all users. SSL and encryption are deployed to provide the necessary security for the organization. We do not have multi-factor authentication.