2X Touts Virtualization Alternative

Company: 2X Software

U.S. Headquarters: Irving, Tex.

Technology Sector: Virtualization

Key Product: 2X ApplicationServer

Year Founded: 2005

Number of Channel Partners: 1,200 worldwide

Ideal Channel Partner: Midmarket-focused solution providers

Why You Should Care: For customers looking to migrate to new server virtualization technology or tie different technologies together, 2X Software offers a low-cost alternative.

The Lowdown: Regardless of which server virtualization technology --VMware ESX, Citrix XenServer, Microsoft Hyper-V, or whatever -- a customer has in place, 2X Software is ready with a line of products that virtualizes its applications and desktop PCs.

"We are virtualization vendor-independent," said Nikolaos Makris, CEO of the Malta-based company, which has U.S. headquarters in Irving, Tex.

2X Software's main product is ApplicationServer, an alternative to Citrix's XenApp application virtualization platform.

2X ApplicationServer

ApplicationServer connects to Microsoft Terminal Services to publish a company's applications, Makris said. It provides secure access to applications, desktops and files from any location, and works on any user device.

2X Software also sells VirtualDesktopServer, which allows customers to build a virtual desktop infrastructure on top of any virtual server environment.

VirtualDesktopServer, which comes integrated with ApplicationServer, replaces VMware View or Citrix XenDesktop, Makris said. Customers who originally purchased ApplicationServer can upgrade to VirtualDesktopServer, he said.

Both products are follow-ups to the vendor's original product, ThinClientServer, which allows the centralized management of a company's PCs and thin clients from a single console. ThinClientServer lets a small PC image boot locally or via PXE Boot, with customers able to make changes to those images from a central location, Makris said.

A new version of ApplicationServer suitable for small businesses with between three and 10 users is slated to ship on August 1, said Scott Sims, business development manager for the Americas. It is free of charge to businesses with under three users.

2X currently has about 350 solution providers in the U.S., and is recruiting more partners, including ASPs who deal with small and midsize business virtualization, Sims said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE