The Straight and Narrow of Parallels Remote Application Server

We currently have all of our remote work running via Parallels Remote Application Server with multiple servers across our group internationally. This provides a great and easily manageable infrastructure with a versatile and reliable architecture that allows you to manage both users and devices connected to your network. It supports various forms of two-factor authentication. In our case, we use the Google authenticator as it also ties in with other services we use. It also allows us to set up redundant servers and have the ability to load balance on a per session basis. So that if we need to shut one of the production servers down for maintenance, it is easy to do so as it will push the sessions towards the other server.

The Parallels Remote Application Server console is very simple to use. For example, it provides sections, the connection section where you can manage 2FA, publishing where you can set up the applications or desktops that are published and set availability by users and or groups to ensure the right people get the right applications. For example, we have two teams of people, both of which connect to two different Parallels Remote Application Server as each team use a different subset of apps, but at the same time, on the off chance that someone might need to access these apps, they can do. Another thing we do is if an external company is supporting a piece of software, we have them set up with Parallels Remote Application Server access to just the server they maintain. Which is then forced to use 2FA, but we can also revoke access easily and at any time.

We mainly use the windows client for this - which auto-updates (after v17.3), which is great as it ensures the software is always up to date with the latest versions. We, as admins, occasionally use the iOS/Android applications to access various things, including the console via the mobile application, when we cannot access a computer if we need to make urgent changes. From an end-user point of view, it is great - because all they need is to download the client, put in the gateway, and off they go.

We only really use Hyper V for this and windows virtual servers within our company ranging from 2012 R2 to 2022. But it is important that it works across the board. But also knowing that if we were to undertake new ventures and other technologies, it would work with all of the common ones.

We use the 2FA and also an SSL on the gateway and the encryption to provide end-to-end encryption for all of our connections both in and out. This helps reassure and provide some confidence that it is secure. It also means that we know exactly who can and can't access the systems as each user's 2fa registration is logged.