Leostream Releases Connection Broker 6.0
New version of vendor-neutral virtual hosted desktop software features native support for Citrix XenServer.
Waltham, Mass.-based Leostream Corporation, a developer of virtual hosted desktop software, announced Leostream Connection Broker 6.0, which features native support for Citrix XenServer along with extended monitor support, an enhanced Web interface, more powerful USB device management, and reporting capabilities.
Connection Broker, which is delivered as a virtual appliance, is the software management layer that ties desktop images in the data center to users’ thin client, laptop, desktop, or Web interfaces. With it, companies can provide end users with a virtual desktop experience that is equal or superior to that of traditional desktops, according to the company. The virtual desktop can be accessed from any machine or location.
Connection Broker enables IT managers to integrate an array of clients, back-end systems, and viewers. The product also integrates with existing authentication and security protocols without changes, providing a set of policies for implementation of business rules for users and machines.
In the new version, Connection Broker offers native support for Citrix XenServer, which can be installed as a virtual appliance on Citrix XenServer 5. As a result, companies can create a VDI entirely on XenServer. This new capability builds on the company’s previous Citrix offerings, including Citrix Ready verified support for XenServer Centers and the more recent addition of XenApp Integration for delivering desktops and applications side-by-side. Organizations can also deliver Citrix desktops simultaneously with other virtual, physical, or bladed desktops or Terminal Server sessions, create pools of Citrix desktops or applications for delivery to different groups of users, and assign desktop and application pools based on end-user policy and location.
Connection Broker 6.0 also enables virtual desktops to be split or spanned across multiple screens with no degradation of performance, says Leostream. This capability enables IT managers to provide virtual desktops to end-users accustomed to multiple monitors.
Additional enhancements include:
- More Powerful USB Device Management: End-users can attach and employ USB devices on virtual desktops with the same ease-of-use as physical desktops, while IT management has visibility and control over which USB devices are permitted.
- Enhanced Reporting: IT can now monitor resource usage.
- New Integration with Syslog Servers: New integration features allow for more effective compliance and auditing.