This robust, secure, and flexible desktop solution offers an array of powerful features designed to meet the diverse needs of modern organizations.  

Over the past six months, we have been working to enhance the solution even further, making Parallels DaaS a standout choice for businesses worldwide.  

Let’s explore just a few of these new enhancements: 

Global Azure region coverage

One of Parallels DaaS’s standout features is its extensive coverage of the global Azure region. By leveraging Azure’s vast infrastructure, Parallels DaaS ensures that your desktops and applications are hosted close to your geographical location. This proximity minimizes latency and maximizes performance, providing a seamless user experience. 

Moreover, hosting in local regions ensures high performance and helps comply with regional privacy laws and local legislation.  

This compliance gives you peace of mind, knowing that your data is managed according to local regulations, adding an extra layer of security to your operations. Whether your business operates in North America, Europe, Asia, or beyond, Parallels DaaS ensures reliable, high-performance access to your virtual desktops and applications. 

Multi-factor authentication

Security is paramount when accessing corporate resources. Parallels DaaS enhances security by integrating seamlessly with Entra ID for Multi-factor Authentication (MFA). MFA adds an extra layer of protection by requiring users to provide two or more verification methods before gaining access. 

This robust security measure significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access, ensuring  only authorized personnel can sign in to your desktops and applications. By incorporating MFA, Parallels DaaS helps you safeguard sensitive data and maintain a strong security posture for your organization. 

Windows 11 support

With Windows 10 nearing its end of support, transitioning to the latest technology is crucial. Parallels DaaS fully supports Windows 11, Microsoft’s newest operating system. Windows 11 brings a host of new features, improved performance, and enhanced security measures. 

By adopting Windows 11, your organization can benefit from the latest innovations and continue to receive critical security updates. This change ensures a robust and secure environment for your users, enabling them to work efficiently and securely with the latest tools and technologies. 

Flexible virtual machine sizes

Understanding that businesses have varying performance and budgetary requirements, Parallels DaaS empowers you with a wide range of virtual machine sizes to choose from.  

Whether you need a cost-effective solution for standard office tasks or high-performance machines with GPU capabilities for demanding applications, Parallels DaaS has you covered. 

This flexibility allows you to select a virtual machine size that aligns perfectly with your business needs.  

You can ensure optimal performance without overspending, making Parallels DaaS a cost-effective and scalable solution for businesses of all sizes. 

Parallels DaaS: The future of desktop virtualization

With features like global Azure region coverage, multi-factor authentication, Windows 11 support, and flexible virtual machine sizes, Parallels DaaS provides a comprehensive and secure solution for modern organizations.  

Combined with existing benefits such as simplified IT management, enhanced mobility, cost savings, and robust security, Parallels DaaS stands out as a powerful tool for businesses looking to optimize their IT infrastructure. 

Embrace the future of desktop virtualization with Parallels DaaS and unlock the full potential of your business today. Take a look at Parallels DaaS today, or register for a free 14-day trial. 

Parallels DaaS has been named a winner in the 2024 CRN Tech Innovators Awards in the Virtualization/Virtual Desktop Infrastructure category. 

The post Unlocking the full potential of Parallels DaaS: New features you need to know about appeared first on Server and Cloud Blog.

Winning this award is a testament to our dedication to pushing the boundaries of technology and delivering exceptional solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers and partners. The CRN Technology Innovator Award is not just a trophy but a recognition of our relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation in a highly competitive landscape. 

“We are inspired by the commitment to continuous innovation among this year’s CRN Tech Innovator Award winners and finalists. Each of these technology vendors delivers cutting-edge offerings that meet evolving customer needs and create new opportunities for solution providers. We look forward to future innovations from the recipients and to seeing how they advance success across the channel.”

– Jennifer Follett, VP, U.S. Content, and Executive Editor, CRN, The Channel company

The CRN Award criteria 

The selection process for this esteemed award was rigorous and thorough. A panel of CRN editors reviewed hundreds of vendor entries and solution provider testimonials to determine the standout innovations of 2024. Our solution was evaluated based on multiple criteria, including key capabilities, uniqueness, technological ingenuity, and its ability to address the specific needs of our customers and partners. 

Being recognized among such a diverse and dynamic group of technology leaders is a tremendous honor. It reflects our team’s diligent efforts and creativity along with our commitment to developing solutions that meet industry standards and set new benchmarks for innovation. 

We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the CRN editors and the entire IT channel community for this recognition. Your support and feedback have been invaluable in our journey to innovate and excel. 

“With the launch of Parallels DaaS earlier this year, I couldn’t be more thrilled for its recognition as a winner in the 2024 CRN Tech Innovator Awards. It serves as a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team here at Parallels and our ongoing commitment to innovation and excellence with our suite of products, including Parallels Desktop, Parallels RAS, Parallels Browser Isolation, and Parallels Secure Workspace, for our customers and managed service providers (MSPs).” 

 – Arnaud Marliere, SVP of Marketing, Global Products

As we celebrate this achievement, we want to reassure you that our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions, like Parallels DaaS, remains unwavering. This award is a milestone and a testament to our dedication to innovation and excellence. 

Discover Parallels DaaS 

Parallels DaaS is revolutionizing how businesses approach remote work and IT management. By leveraging Parallels DaaS, organizations can provide employees with secure, scalable, and high-performance virtual desktops from anywhere in the world.  

The solution eliminates the need for costly hardware investments and simplifies IT management with its intuitive administration tools. With features like seamless integration with existing IT environments, robust security protocols, and the ability to scale resources on-demand, Parallels DaaS empowers businesses to enhance productivity, reduce operational costs, and ensure a flexible and resilient workforce.  

Whether your team is remote, hybrid, or on-site, Parallels DaaS offers a reliable and efficient way to deliver desktop services tailored to your organization’s needs. 

The Tech Innovator Awards will be featured in the August issue of CRN and can be viewed online at crn.com/techinnovators.  

Thank you for joining us in this celebration. Stay tuned for more exciting developments as we continue to shape the future of technology! 

Learn more about Parallels DaaS. 

The post Celebrating Innovation: Parallels DaaS wins the CRN Technology Innovator Award for 2024! appeared first on Server and Cloud Blog.

Parallels RAS and DaaS Solutions in the Foreground 

The IDC MarketScape reports evaluate vendors who deliver applications and desktop virtualization support directly to customers. Alludo (Parallels) has two products that were part of the evaluation for each report – Parallels RAS (Remote Application Server) and Parallels DaaS (Desktop as a Service). 

Parallels RAS 

 Parallels RAS is a flexible virtual application and desktop delivery solution that empowers organizations of all sizes to work securely from anywhere, on any device. The platform offers an agile, cloud-ready foundation and end-to-end security, controlled by a centralized management console. Leverage on-premises, hybrid, or public cloud deployments and integrate with existing technologies like Azure Virtual Desktop and Amazon EC2.  

With Parallels RAS, gain the flexibility, scalability, and IT agility to quickly adapt to changing business needs. Best of all, Parallels RAS offers a single, full-featured licensing model that includes 24/7 support and access to free training. Discover more information on Parallels RAS.

Parallels DaaS 

 Parallels DaaS (Desktop-as-a-Service) is a cloud-based app and desktop delivery solution that offers a flexible and secure way to access critical data and apps from any internet-connected device. It uses a unique, cloud-native architecture that isolates the management infrastructure (which is managed by Parallels) and leaves critical business data where it belongs, in the business environment. This dramatically improves security and offers incredible scalability.   

 For IT admins, Parallels DaaS simplifies the onboarding and management process with intuitive administration controls and real-time dashboards, allowing all types of businesses to deliver and use enterprise-grade IT solutions.  Discover more information on Parallels DaaS.

Industry expert assessment 

“Parallels has continued to improve on their already powerful clients and multimedia protocol and is an excellent choice for an organization that needs to organize an existing heterogeneous VCC environment, including DaaS and most common hypervisors as an option,” said Shannon Kalvar, research director of IT Service Management and Client Virtualization at IDC. “Parallels delivers simple, flexible licensing, provides freedom of choice between desktop, server, and cloud, and has a clear roadmap that tracks with current and predicted trends.” 

About IDC MarketScape 

IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of technology and service suppliers in a given market. The research utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each supplier’s position within a given market.  

 IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of technology suppliers can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective suppliers. 

Parallels’ Commitment to innovation 

 “We’re honored by this recognition from the IDC MarketScape,” said Prashant Ketkar, CTO at Parallels. “Our goal at Parallels is to deliver flexible, customer-centric, and cost-effective solutions that provide secure access to desktops and applications on any device, anywhere.  

We believe these reports highlight our forward momentum and continuous innovation as we move toward integrating our products into a Parallels unified workspace ecosystem.” 

 For more information, visit our website. 

The post Alludo (Parallels) Recognized as a Major Player in Two IDC MarketScape Reports appeared first on Server and Cloud Blog.

This breach highlighted the increasing sophistication of cyberattacks and the urgent need for robust security measures.  

I’ll explore how the attack occurred, delve into the technical details, and discuss how modern security practices such as virtual browsers, browser isolation, and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) could have mitigated the impact.  

I’ll also emphasize the superiority of technical controls over training alone in combating such advanced threats. 

If you’re ready to start your browser isolation journey, get a free trial of Parallels Browser Isolation. 

How the cyber-attack occurred

The breach was detected on January 12, 2024, when Microsoft’s security team identified unusual activity within their corporate email systems.  

The attackers exploited vulnerabilities, gaining unauthorized access to sensitive data, including source code repositories and internal systems.  

This breach was part of a larger pattern of attacks by Midnight Blizzard, which is known for its persistent and sophisticated methods. 

The initial entry point is believed to have been through phishing emails, a common tactic employed by nation-state actors to deceive employees into divulging their credentials.  

Once the attackers had access to these credentials, they could move laterally within Microsoft’s network, exploiting further vulnerabilities to access critical systems and data. 

4 advanced tactics characterized the attack on Microsoft

1. Exfiltration of sensitive data from Microsoft’s email systems 

The attackers exfiltrated sensitive information from Microsoft’s email systems, including both internal communications and data shared with customers.  

This data was used to identify further vulnerabilities and potential targets within Microsoft’s infrastructure. 

2. Exploitation of vulnerabilities  

 Using the information obtained, the attackers attempted to gain further unauthorized access to other internal systems and data repositories.  

This included efforts to access source code repositories, potentially allowing the attackers to identify and exploit software vulnerabilities more broadly. 

3. Increased attack intensity

 In February 2024, the volume of password spray attacks increased tenfold, indicating a concerted effort by the attackers to leverage the stolen information for broader access.  

Password spraying involves attempting a few common passwords against many different accounts, capitalizing on weak or reused passwords. 

4. Advanced persistent threat (APT)

 Midnight Blizzard is known for its coordinated and resource-intensive attacks, involving long-term surveillance and sophisticated intrusion techniques.  

 This APT strategy allows the attackers to remain within the network for extended periods, continually extracting valuable information and identifying new vulnerabilities. 

 Watch our Zero Trust on-demand webinar for valuable advice from security expert, Dr. Chase Cunningham. 

The role of virtual browsers and ZTNA play in mitigating

In response to such sophisticated threats, adopting advanced security measures is crucial.  

Here’s how virtual browsers, browser isolation, and ZTNA could have significantly mitigated this breach. 

Virtual browsers and browser isolation

• Containment of threats 

Virtual browsers and browser isolation technologies can contain potential threats by executing web content in a remote virtual environment.  

This prevents malicious code from reaching the endpoint, significantly reducing the risk of exploitation. 

• Protection against zero-day vulnerabilities 

By isolating browsing activities, these technologies can protect against zero-day vulnerabilities, often exploited in APT attacks.  

Since browsing activity is isolated from the local machine, any malicious code executed through the browser remains confined to the virtual environment. 

• Enhanced security controls 

Browser isolation can enforce security policies at a granular level, ensuring that only safe content is rendered to the user.  

This reduces the risk of phishing attacks and drive-by downloads, common tactics used by attackers to gain initial access. 

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

• Micro-segmentation 

ZTNA implements micro-segmentation, dividing the network into smaller, isolated segments.  

This limits the movement of attackers within the network, containing the breach and preventing lateral movement.  

Each segment is secured individually, and access is granted based on strict verification processes. 

• Least privilege access 

By enforcing the principle of least privilege, ZTNA ensures that users and devices only have access to the resources they need.  

This minimizes the potential damage if credentials are compromised, as attackers cannot easily access sensitive systems without additional verification. 

• Continuous monitoring and verification 

ZTNA continuously monitors and verifies user activities, ensuring that any suspicious behavior is promptly detected and mitigated.  

This proactive approach helps in identifying and responding to threats in real-time, reducing the window of opportunity for attackers. 

Watch our Zero Trust on-demand webinar for valuable advice from security expert, Dr. Chase Cunningham. 

Superior technical controls vs. training alone

While user training is an essential component of any cybersecurity strategy, it is not sufficient on its own to defend against sophisticated threats like those posed by Midnight Blizzard.  

Technical controls provide a more reliable and consistent means of protection. 

Human error reduction

Training can help reduce human error, but it cannot eliminate it.  

Technical controls like virtual browsers and ZTNA do not rely on user vigilance, making them more effective at preventing breaches. 

Automated defense mechanisms

Technical controls offer automated, consistent defense mechanisms that do not depend on user behavior.  

For instance, browser isolation automatically protects against malicious websites, while ZTNA continuously enforces access controls. 

Comprehensive threat detection

Advanced technical controls can detect and respond to threats in real time.  

Continuous monitoring and automated response mechanisms ensure that potential breaches are identified and mitigated promptly, reducing the impact of any successful attacks. 

Scalability and consistency

Technical controls can be scaled and applied across an organization. 

Training effectiveness can vary significantly between individuals, whereas technical solutions provide uniform protection. 

Watch our Zero Trust on-demand webinar for valuable advice from security expert, Dr. Chase Cunningham. 

Defend against attacks with virtual browsers, browser isolation, and ZTNA

The Microsoft breach by Midnight Blizzard underscores the evolving threat landscape and the need for advanced cybersecurity measures.  

Virtual browsers, browser isolation, and ZTNA offer powerful tools to defend against such sophisticated attacks.  

By isolating potential threats and enforcing strict access controls, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of breaches and protect their sensitive data more effectively. 

Moreover, while user training remains important, the superiority of technical controls lies in their ability to provide consistent, automated, and scalable defenses that do not rely on user behavior.  

As cybersecurity threats continue to grow in complexity, adopting these advanced strategies will be essential for safeguarding digital assets and maintaining trust in our digital infrastructure. 

If you’re ready to start your browser isolation journey, get a free trial of Parallels Browser Isolation.

The post A deep dive into the recent Microsoft cybersecurity breach: Understanding the attack and mitigation strategies appeared first on Server and Cloud Blog.

This recognition is a testament to the exceptional partnership between Parallels and IGEL, a collaboration spanned over two decades since 2002. The award was officially accepted by our CRO, Michelle Chiantera, at IGEL Disrupt earlier this year.

What is the IGEL Ready program?

The IGEL Ready program is a pivotal strategic initiative that enables hardware, software, and peripheral vendors to seamlessly integrate their solutions with IGEL OS and jointly embark on market ventures with IGEL.

This collaboration offers customers an extensive range of verified, secure, and productive digital workspace offerings, empowering them with greater choice and flexibility. Parallels and IGEL play a pivotal role in revolutionizing end-user computing. Through a shared commitment to community programs, both teams gain invaluable insights into customer needs.

This understanding empowers them to give customers the freedom to choose between on-premises, cloud, or hybrid solutions tailored to their specific requirements. Additionally, the partnership promotes sustainable IT practices by enabling customers to repurpose hardware and support any device, fostering productivity on the go while prioritizing Zero Trust security measures.

Why Parallels was recognized

Parallels was the first partner-built platform app on the IGEL app portal, a testament to the close technological partnership between the two organizations. The integration between the two companies enables IGEL customers to deliver Windows applications and desktops to their users, empowering them with seamless access to the resources they need to excel.

Through the IGEL Ready program, Parallels® RAS has increased the number of active customers. Additionally, Parallels has tapped into IGEL’s vast channel partner network, expanding its reach and providing customers with convenient access to the combined strengths of both solutions.

IGEL’s secure and manageable endpoints and Parallels’ comprehensive application delivery and VDI platform offer customers a compelling value proposition.

The Parallels Client has undergone a meticulous rebuilding process for IGEL, leveraging the IGEL SDK to ensure native support and seamless availability in the App portal. This strategic move has enabled the teams to refine the offering over the past twenty years, consistently exceeding customer expectations.

Parallels and IGEL together

Notable improvements include enhanced peripheral redirection, multi-monitor support, and the ability to display published RAS apps directly on the IGEL desktop. Customers can use both Parallels and IGEL solutions out of the box. They can access either through the Parallels Client integrated into the IGEL firmware or via the App portal.

The teams are diligently working on delivering the next update to the Parallels Client for IGEL. Both companies are committed to fostering innovation while maintaining simplicity and accelerating customer time-to-value. Customers migrate to Parallels because of its technological flexibility, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness.

Parallels RAS boasts native integration with Azure Virtual Desktop, extending AVD capabilities for hybrid deployments, optimizing costs, and simplifying management and deployments through a user-friendly wizard-driven console.

The Parallels-IGEL partnership provides the following key benefits to customers:

1. Comprehensive and secure virtualization and endpoint management solution. The integration of Parallels RAS with IGEL OS creates a powerful combined solution that enhances endpoint security, extends the life of endpoint hardware, lowers endpoint management overhead, and reduces end-user computing costs.
2. Cost savings and improved productivity. The combination of Parallels RAS and IGEL OS allows organizations to minimize capital expenditures by enabling access to virtual applications and desktops from any endpoint. IGEL OS can extend the hardware lifecycle and avoid disruptions from investing in new computers, helping improve workplace productivity.
3. Streamlined IT management. Parallels RAS is simple to install and configure, allowing users to access enterprise applications quickly without extensive IT intervention. Similarly, IGEL OS is easy to install and manage through drag-and-drop profiling, streamlining IT management for organizations.
4. Enterprise-grade security. Parallels RAS and IGEL OS together deliver robust security features, such as locking down device usage and preventing unauthorized app installations, protecting organizations from data breaches and malware attacks.
5. Flexibility and scalability. The partnership allows organizations to deploy corporate resources in heterogeneous environments. Parallels RAS and IGEL OS are hardware-agnostic and can be installed on a wide range of devices, providing customers with greater flexibility and scalability.

IGEL has been strategically selected as Parallels’ technology partner, and in 2024, the partnership is poised for further expansion through increased joint marketing opportunities.

By joining forces, Parallels and IGEL can provide customers with a comprehensive end-to-end solution for accessing virtual applications and desktops from on-premises, cloud, or hybrid environments. This empowers organizations to achieve greater operational efficiency, security, and agility in their digital transformation journeys.

Start your journey with Parallels now!

The post Parallels awarded 2024 IGEL Ready Platform App of the Year appeared first on Server and Cloud Blog.

Accordingly, the Zero Trust model — built on the principle of “never trust, always verify” — has become a crucial element of cybersecurity, particularly for organizations leveraging cloud architecture. Zero Trust offers better visibility, consistent and comprehensive security, and the speed and agility necessary to combat rapidly evolving cyber threats.

I’ll explore five key strategies for integrating Zero Trust into the fabric of your cloud infrastructure, ensuring your data remains secure and your operations resilient. I’ll also delve into the criteria for assessing the impact of Zero Trust strategies on your organization.

If you’re ready to start your Zero Trust journey, get a free trial of Parallels Secure Workspace and Parallels Browser Isolation.

Key criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of Zero Trust strategies

Let’s kick off our discussion on integrating Zero Trust into cloud architecture by establishing some evaluation criteria. Consider the following three criteria to determine if an approach is effective.

1. Security

The foremost priority is to assess how well the strategy enhances the cloud environments’ security. A solid strategy prevents unauthorized access, detects threats in real time, and responds to security incidents effectively.

2. End-user experience

It’s essential to ensure that security measures do not make the user experience overly complex. Strategies should allow seamless access to necessary resources with minimal disruption to daily activities, thus maintaining or improving productivity.

3. IT admin management efficiency

Evaluate security strategies based on how they impact IT admin efficiency. The evaluation criteria include ease of deployment, ongoing management, and the ability of IT staff to maintain oversight without excessive overhead. By examining each strategy against these criteria, we can ensure that your Zero Trust approach secures the cloud environment and supports positive user experiences and efficient IT management.

1. Identity and access management (IAM)

Comprehensive IAM Solutions

The cornerstone of Zero Trust is robust identity verification. Implementing multifactor authentication (MFA), role-based access control (RBAC), and least privilege security policies ensure that only verified users have access to your network and only to the resources they need.

Identity Providers (IdPs) such as Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, and PingFederate play a crucial role in smoothly linking different apps and boosting security with OpenID Connect (OIDC). OIDC enhances authentication, allowing only authorized users access.

Effectiveness

• Security. IAM enhances security by controlling access with MFA, RBAC, and least privilege policies, using IdPs like Okta for smooth app integration. For legacy systems, use tools like Parallels Secure Workspace for secure single sign-on integration. This setup enhances security by seamlessly integrating modern and legacy systems.

• End-user experience. IAM can complicate access with additional security steps but streamlines it via single sign-on capabilities across applications.

• IT admin management efficiency. IAM reduces IT workload by automating access control and user verification, improving administrative efficiency and system control.

Use case: Consider a healthcare provider managing access to sensitive patient records. By integrating MFA and RBAC, the provider ensures that only authorized personnel can access specific data based on their roles, significantly mitigating the risk of data breaches.

2. Network Segmentation

Microsegmentation

This strategy involves segmenting your cloud network into smaller, highly secure zones.

Employing a secure intra-network gateway enhances control over resource access within these zones, mitigating unauthorized movements across the network. If one segment is compromised, the breach’s impact remains confined to that segment alone, thus preserving the integrity of the rest of your network and safeguarding critical resources.

Effectiveness

• Security. Microsegmentation confines security breaches to small areas, reducing overall risk and protecting critical network resources efficiently.

• End-user experience. Minimal impact on user experience; maintains regular access to necessary resources without interruption.

• IT admin management efficiency. Enhances control and simplifies network traffic monitoring, improving response to threats and maintenance efficiency.

Use case: A manufacturing firm operates two networks—a locally managed administrative network and a headquarters-controlled production network. Historically, accessing applications and data across these networks was a lot of work for local staff.

By implementing a secure intra-network gateway, the company now enables seamless and secure access to the production network, enhancing efficiency and reducing overhead. Parallels Secure Workspace serves as a secure gateway, facilitating streamlined access to data and applications on the production network. It also allows for secure, audited sharing of documents with external contacts, eliminating the need for local installations. Users can access this gateway through any browser on any device.

3. Continuous monitoring and analytics

Audit tools are essential for real-time anomaly detection and response, which is critical for maintaining transparency and enforcing dynamic security measures. These tools provide in-depth insights into user activities and potential threats.

Effectiveness

• Security: Audit tools enable real-time anomaly detection and response, significantly enhancing network security and threat mitigation.

• End-user experience: Minimal impact on users, maintaining system transparency while safeguarding data integrity.

• IT Admin management efficiency: Improves IT productivity by automating threat detection and security responses and streamlining administrative tasks.

Use case: A financial institution uses remote browser isolation to boost security when accessing cloud-based financial tools. This approach protects against cyber threats by isolating each browsing session and monitoring usage in real time.

4. Embracing the hybrid cloud

A hybrid approach is essential for balancing security and functionality. It allows organizations to keep sensitive data and confidential operations securely on-premises, minimizing exposure to external threats while leveraging cloud solutions for less critical business operations.

This setup enhances operational flexibility, scales resources efficiently, and ensures compliance with data protection regulations, providing a strategic mix of security and accessibility to meet diverse business needs.

Effectiveness

• Security. Keeps sensitive data on-premises, reducing exposure to external threats while using cloud resources for less critical tasks.

• End-user experience. Enhances flexibility and accessibility, seamlessly integrating on-premises and cloud resources for a smoother user experience. Utilizing Parallels Secure Workspace further elevates this by offering a unified workspace where users can access both on-premises and cloud applications through a single platform, simplifying navigation and improving productivity.

• IT admin management efficiency. Improves resource scalability and compliance management, streamlining operations and ensuring data protection efficiently.

Use case: An e-commerce company employs a secure workspace solution to integrate its on-premises inventory management with cloud-based customer service applications. This strategy ensures seamless and secure access, enabling the company to manage sensitive data internally while leveraging the cloud for less critical operations.

5. Enhancing the user experience with a browser-based unified secure workspace

With the rise of remote work and the proliferation of SaaS and web applications, users need a reliable, simple way to access their work tools.

The Zero Trust model can extend through an entire virtual workspace, resulting in a unified access gateway that facilitates secure, browser-based access to business applications, SaaS platforms, web apps, and even entire desktops, all without the need to install any new software. This solution ensures that users experience frictionless access to their applications while maintaining high-security standards.

Effectiveness

• Security. Extends Zero Trust to virtual workspaces, ensuring high security across all accessed applications without additional installations.

• End-user experience. Offers smooth, browser-based access to work tools from any browser, on any device, and from anywhere, boosting convenience and productivity for remote work.

• IT admin management efficiency or productivity. Reduces IT workload related to software installations and updates, streamlining application access management.

Use case: Consider the needs of a multinational corporation with employees spread across various regions, including remote and on-site workers. By implementing a unified secure workspace solution, the company allows its employees to securely access essential financial, HR, and operational cloud applications via any web browser.

This capability is particularly advantageous during travel or when employees log in via insecure public networks. This seamless integration ensures that all employees, regardless of location or device, have consistent and secure access to their work environments.

Why Zero Trust is essential for cloud architecture

Integrating Zero Trust into your cloud architecture is a necessity, not just a nice-to-have upgrade. By applying these five strategies, organizations can thoroughly protect their data and infrastructure, transforming their cloud environments into secure digital strongholds.

Tools like Parallels Secure Workspace and Parallels Browser Isolation empower your organization to address immediate security challenges while building a more secure and resilient digital future.

The post 5 Key Strategies for Zero Trust integration in Cloud Architecture appeared first on Server and Cloud Blog.

Among these enhancements are expanded go-to-market opportunities for our partners to promote Parallels RAS and extended support for Nutanix AHV for the latest image management features.

Additionally, there are improved security measures, newly introduced customizable administrative options, and improved end-user functionality.  Now, let’s take a closer look at the exciting additions in Parallels RAS 19.4.

New go-to-market (GTM) opportunity for partners

Extended GTM route for partners with Azure Marketplace listing (coming soon)

Parallels RAS is now listed as a transactional offering in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace in addition to the current bring your own license (BYOL) listing. This enables Parallels RAS to be more accessible and efficient through deployment automation.

Parallels partners can benefit through private offerings and simplified selling through personalized offerings, allowing for easier access and connecting Parallels solutions with businesses and organizations across the globe.

Provisioning and Automation

Extended image management for Nutanix AHV (AOS)

We’re thrilled to announce a significant expansion of our image management capabilities, initially introduced in the 19.3 release. It is now available for Microsoft Azure, Azure Virtual Desktop, Hyper-V and VMware vCenter, and ESXi and includes support for Nutanix AHV (AOS).

This is a pivotal step forward, enabling businesses considering migration to Nutanix to do so seamlessly with Parallels RAS. This comprehensive support encompasses a suite of powerful features, including template versioning, enhanced image lifecycle management facilitated by tags, and convenient template scheduling functionalities.

By extending our support to Nutanix AHV, we’re providing organizations with unparalleled flexibility to select their preferred infrastructure. This empowerment enables businesses to tailor their virtual environments precisely to their unique needs and preferences.

Find out more about the latest image management features with our Tech Bytes videos.

Support for scale computing SC//HyperCore 9.2

With Parallels RAS 19.4, integration with SC//HyperCore 9.2 is now available as a provider option. This enables organizations to use the latest supported SC//HyperCore versions 9.1 and 9.2 with Parallels RAS to automate provisioning, scaling, and power management of session host workloads.

Streamlined admin experience with Agent Auto-Upgrade

Managing upgrades across numerous backend session hosts can be daunting for IT administrators. To alleviate this challenge, Parallels RAS 19.4 introduces Agent Auto-upgrade, a feature that automates the upgrading of RDSH, VDI, AVD, and Remote PC (within a host pool) guest agents according to a maintenance schedule set by the IT administrator.

Whether operating on-premises, in the cloud, or in hybrid environments, this functionality simplifies upgrades, enabling administrators to focus on more strategic initiatives while ensuring all endpoints remain up to date.

Continuous improvement of template versioning

Building upon our commitment to improvement and optimization, the latest release of Parallels RAS includes several updates aimed at enhancing template versioning capabilities.

These improvements are designed to optimize the IT administrator experience, ensuring more seamless management and better version control for virtualization templates.

Security

Self-service registration for email-based one-time passwords (OTPs)

Security remains a top priority in today’s digital landscape. Accordingly, Parallels RAS 19.4 introduces a new, robust multi-factor authentication option with email OTP.

This feature provides organizations with an additional layer of security by delivering one-time passwords directly to user email addresses. Even external email addresses not stored in the company’s Active Directory are supported, ensuring comprehensive protection against unauthorized access. This capability provides a simple yet efficient use of email-based OTPs without relying on complex, third-party dependencies services.

Validate host headers

We have introduced HTTP host header validation at the gateway. This validation process serves to mitigate vulnerabilities associated with HTTP host header injection, enhancing the overall security posture of our platform.

With this feature implementation, administrators gain comprehensive control over custom HTTP host headers with the high availability load balancers and secure gateways being automatically included in the approved list.

Activation of this feature ensures that any request lacking a recognized host header from the specified list will result in a 404 error, thereby fortifying our defenses against potential security breaches originating from unauthorized host headers.

Configuring certificate authority templates

Administrators of Parallels RAS for organizations using SAML for their enrollment servers can now leverage a larger key size for security purposes.

This new feature enables the configuration of the PrlsEnrollmentAgent and the PrlsSmartcardLogon certificate templates used by the Enrollment Server at a minimum key size of 4096 bits. Previously, the minimum key size was 2048 bits.

User experience

Enhanced user experience with multi-monitor support

End-users leveraging the Parallels Client for Web will benefit from enhanced productivity with the introduction of multi-monitor support.

This feature empowers users to fully utilize all available displays during published sessions, whether they’re working within an application or in a desktop environment. By maximizing screen real estate, multi-monitor support enhances the overall user experience, facilitating seamless multitasking and workflow efficiency.

New built-in reports

The Parallels RAS 19.4 release introduces new host pool reporting options for IT administrators, further improving its reporting capabilities.   These new reports track areas in user sessions and include:

• Sessions disconnect for host pool

New reports are dedicated to monitoring session disconnects within host pools, akin to session activity reports for individual sessions.

• Transport protocol for host pool

New reports tailored to track the transport protocol usage within host pools, mirroring the functionality of session activity reports for host pools.

• Bandwidth availability for host pool

New reports focused on assessing bandwidth availability within host pools, providing insights like session activity reports but at the pool level.

• Latency for host pool

New reports aimed at measuring latency within host pools, offering analysis akin to session activity reports while focusing on pool-wide latency metrics.

• Connection quality for host pool

New reports designed to evaluate connection quality within host pools, providing insights like session activity reports but focusing on the overall connection quality across the pool.

• UX evaluator for host pool

New reports dedicated to assessing the user experience (UX) within host pools, offering insights like session activity reports but focusing on UX metrics at the pool level.

• Log-on duration for host pool

New reports aimed at analyzing logon duration within host pools, providing insights like session activity reports while focusing on pool-wide logon duration metrics.

SAML SSO capability

SAML SSO capability is now available when using Parallels RAS + Azure Virtual Desktop under the standard feature set.

Administration experience

Custom administration for tailored control

This feature introduces a custom menu under ‘Help’ within the RAS Console and allows customization of a URL in the management portal Support section.

This URL can redirect power or custom administrators to local or internal support or any other designated URL. It’s particularly beneficial for organizations that utilize Security Event and Incident Management frameworks, using local support to address IT tickets and enhance the efficiency of the support process.

Active Directory-based (AD) permissions for session management

Administrators can now define session management permissions tailored to Parallels custom administrators based on their AD group membership. This feature enhances the granularity of session management administration, ensuring that only designated administrators can oversee specific end-user sessions. This capability is particularly advantageous for service providers or larger enterprises with multiple designated help desk administrators.

View “license” permission options

This feature introduces a dedicated license view permission for administrators, available in both the RAS console and Web Management portal, tailored for both power and customer administrators.   It provides the flexibility to restrict the visibility of certain license information from other administrators who have access to all license data.

Ready for Parallels RAS 19.4?

Parallels RAS continues to raise the bar with its feature offerings while ensuring the best possible admin and user experience.

From Nutanix AHV image management support to multi-factor authentication options and streamlined administrative controls, Parallels RAS empowers organizations to achieve greater efficiency, security, and flexibility in their virtual environments.

For a full list of features, refer to the Parallels RAS 19.4 release notes.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

1. What is the release date for 19.4?

The general availability date for Parallels RAS 19.4 is April 30, 2024.

2. What do I need to do to install the latest version of Parallels RAS?

IT managers can access the latest version of Parallels RAS through the management console two weeks after GA by going to Parallels RAS Console > Administration > Settings > Check now > Update and following the instructions from there. To access the new version immediately, managers can go to public downloads or through My Parallels Account.

3. Is there any supporting information to help me learn more about these features?

Yes, the best place for more information is in our 19.4 release notes.

Ready to explore what’s new in Parallels RAS 19.4? Get started here!

The post Enhancing Parallels RAS: Explore what’s new in version 19.4 appeared first on Server and Cloud Blog.

Organizations are evolving their workforce’s needs. That’s why 80% of companies are planning to adopt a hybrid work model.

For example, Alludo is remote-first, where employees can choose their primary workplace.

When my fellow Alludians need to, we can use alternative workspaces. For example, we can work in a regional Alludo office or a flexible ‘hotel-style’ workspace.

This hybrid work approach allows employees to choose their best working environment.

84% of Alludo employees reported that this flexible working arrangement improved work-life balance.

98% said remote work was more productive than when there was an office-based culture.

The number of remote workers will rise over the next five years, so hybrid work models will also grow.

Let’s explore hybrid work models and how Desktop as a Service (DaaS) solutions can play a critical role.

Enable hybrid work models by adapting DaaS. Talk to us about securing your remote employees with Parallels DaaS. 

Understanding hybrid work models

Hybrid work models are different from the traditional 9-to-5 office-based work.

Rather than be glued to their desks, employees can work from various locations, such as their homes, a coffee shop, or the office itself.

The hybrid work approach enables companies to support diverse work styles. Hybrid work improves employee satisfaction and productivity. It represents a fundamental change in how work is conceptualized and executed.   Hybrid work breaks down the barriers of time and space that once confined productivity.

Hybrid work models also provide a powerful tool for attracting and retaining top talent.   Candidates choose flexibility and work-life balance when evaluating job opportunities.

They are looking for companies that show they understand and value their need for flexibility, making them more attractive employers.  Nearly 70% of companies agree that adopting a hybrid model improves recruitment and retention of employees.

Source: Survey of Business Uncertainty conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Stanford University, and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. 

By adopting hybrid work models, organizations can better serve the needs of their employees.   The need for autonomy and flexibility to perform their best work allows companies to remain competitive and successful in today’s marketplace.

Challenges of hybrid work

Hybrid work models are becoming popular due to their many benefits.  Still, this model also presents several challenges, especially in technology and collaboration.

One of the most significant challenges is ensuring that remote and in-office employees have equal access to the tools, resources, and applications required to perform their jobs efficiently.

Access is usually standardized across all employees in a traditional office setting.

However, it can be challenging to maintain equality in a hybrid work environment, leading to inefficiencies and frustration.

To overcome this challenge, companies should invest in technological solutions that enable easy access to essential tools and resources, regardless of location.

By adopting cloud-based platforms and collaboration tools, employees can easily access these resources from any device with an internet connection.

Another significant challenge of hybrid work is maintaining security, compliance, and data integrity across different work environments.

With employees accessing sensitive information from various locations and devices, organizations face increased cybersecurity risks, including data breaches, malware attacks, and insider threats.

To mitigate these risks, organizations must implement comprehensive security measures that protect remote and in-office environments.

Some measures may include deploying endpoint security solutions, implementing multi-factor authentication, and conducting regular security training and awareness programs for employees.

Additionally, organizations must ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS, to protect sensitive data and avoid regulatory penalties.

The final challenge that a hybrid work model can bring is fostering collaboration across distances.

Collaboration is essential for the success of any organization.

Still, it can be challenging to maintain in a hybrid work environment where employees are physically dispersed, and spontaneous interactions and face-to-face communication are not directly available to remote employees.

Companies must leverage technological solutions to overcome this and facilitate seamless communication and collaboration among distributed teams.

These solutions may include video conferencing platforms, instant messaging tools, and project management software that enable real-time communication and collaboration regardless of location.

Fostering a collaborative culture through regular team meetings, virtual social events, and collaborative projects can help strengthen bonds and drive collective success.

Leveraging DaaS for seamless integration

Desktop as a Service solutions offer a compelling solution to the challenges posed by hybrid work models.

By delivering virtual desktops and applications over the Internet, DaaS ensures that employees can access their work environment from anywhere, using any device.

Companies can benefit from the flexibility to seamlessly integrate remote and in-office work environments, enabling employees to work efficiently and collaboratively regardless of location.

1. Flexibility

DaaS provides high flexibility for employees, enabling them to work from anywhere with an internet connection.

Using DaaS removes the need for employees to worry about whether the technological infrastructure is in place wherever they may be working.

2. Consistency

DaaS ensures employees have the consistency essential to productivity and continuity when working in hybrid environments. It enables employees to access their desktops and applications the same way, regardless of whether they are in the office or working remotely.

3. Collaboration

DaaS facilitates seamless collaboration among remote and in-office teams by providing a centralized platform for accessing shared files, applications, and resources.

A centralized platform ensures employees can access the files they need quickly and easily, wherever they may be working from.

4. Security

One of the most significant benefits of DaaS is its robust security features. DaaS solutions offer a range of security features, including data encryption, multi-factor authentication, and centralized access controls, to protect sensitive information across hybrid work environments.

With DaaS, businesses can be confident that their data is secure, even when employees work remotely.

5. Scalability

DaaS solutions are highly scalable, allowing organizations to quickly adapt to changing workforce needs.

Scalability is essential in hybrid work environments, where businesses must scale their infrastructure up or down quickly and efficiently to meet demand.

With DaaS, businesses can quickly add or remove users as needed without worrying about the technical infrastructure required to support them.

Hybrid work models are becoming increasingly common as companies adapt to changing workforce needs.

DaaS solutions are proving to be essential in enabling the seamless integration between remote and in-office work environments, allowing companies to offer their employees the flexibility to work remotely and collaborate effectively, leading to success in a dynamic work environment.

The future of work is still evolving, and DaaS is expected to play a crucial role in driving innovation and productivity in hybrid work environments.

Parallels DaaS is your secure platform that supports hybrid work

Whether your employees are working from the office or remotely, Parallels® DaaS offers seamless access to virtual applications and desktop environments.

Its cloud-hosted control plane enables secure remote access to your business applications, desktops, and data from any internet-connected device.

The solution’s quick and easy onboarding process allows for immediate access to applications and desktops from any device, eliminating the complexity surrounding user onboarding and managing users and applications.   This makes it easier for even small businesses to deliver and use enterprise-grade IT solutions.

Thanks to its unique architecture, with access points closer to where data and users reside, Parallels DaaS promises the best performance for end-users, with transparent operations for administrators.

So, if you’re looking for a solution that can help you embrace hybrid work and enable your employees to work productively from anywhere, check out Parallels DaaS.

The post How DaaS is helping improve hybrid work models appeared first on Server and Cloud Blog.

Secure Service Edge (SSE) emerges as a proactive approach to safeguard digital assets while enabling seamless connectivity and productivity.

A recent study posted on Gartner’s Peer Community showed the top three challenges for the future of cybersecurity attack sophistication (56%), greater resources for cyber-attacks (44%), and hybrid work models (43%). In addition, the same group of more than 300 IT/engineering/infosec leaders reported the three emerging cloud security tools they’re most excited about are cloud-native application protection platforms (CNAPP) (39%), SSE (38%), and SaaS management platforms (SMP) (37%).

Another Gartner study calls out the business priorities for Zero Trust, with protecting customer data (63%) topping the list.

Evolution of Secure Service Edge

The traditional network perimeter, once a stalwart defense against cyber threats, has become obsolete in the face of modern challenges such as cloud computing, mobility, and the proliferation of internet-connected devices.

As organizations embrace digital transformation and adopt cloud-based services, the concept of a secure perimeter shifts from a static boundary to a dynamic, distributed model that extends to wherever users and data reside.

This shift in perspective gives rise to the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) framework, which converges networking and security capabilities into a unified architecture.

SASE combines the scalability and flexibility of cloud-native architectures with the security and performance required to protect modern digital environments.

SASE, in its simplest form, is a combination of software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) and SSE, as shown in the figure below.

Central to the SASE model is the concept of SSE, which is based on Zero Trust network access (ZTNA), secure web gateways (SWG), cloud access security brokers (CASB), firewall as a service (FWaaS), and remote browser isolation (RBI).

At the heart of the SSE paradigm lies RBI, a ground-breaking technology that promises to revolutionize how organizations defend against web-based threats.

But to appreciate the significance of RBI within the broader context of SSE, it’s essential to understand the journey that led to its emergence and the transformative impact it holds for cybersecurity professionals and businesses alike.

Built ground up on Zero Trust architecture, which means, it assumes that no entity, whether inside or outside the network, should be trusted by default, emphasizing continuous verification and least privilege access.

SASE = SSE + SD-WAN

Remote browser isolation: Foundation of Secure Service Edge

At the core of the SSE architecture is remote browser isolation (RBI), a revolutionary technology that decouples web browsing activity from endpoint devices, effectively isolating potential threats in a secure, remote, and sandboxed environment.

Unlike traditional web security approaches that rely on detecting and blocking malicious content at the endpoint or network perimeter, RBI ensures that web content is executed and rendered in a disposable container outside the corporate network, preventing malware from ever reaching the endpoint.

Key principles of RBI include:

Isolation: RBI creates a secure air-gap barrier between users’ web browsers and potentially malicious content, preventing direct access to corporate resources and sensitive data.

Zero Trust: By treating all web content as untrusted and isolating it in a remote environment, RBI aligns with the Zero Trust model, minimizing the attack surface and mitigating the risk of web-based threats.

Scalability: RBI offers virtually unlimited scalability, allowing organizations to support growing user populations and fluctuating demand without sacrificing performance or security.

Seamless user experience: Despite the robust security measures in place, RBI ensures a seamless and responsive browsing experience for end users, eliminating the need for cumbersome security controls that impede productivity.

The impact of RBI on cybersecurity: 

The adoption of RBI as a foundational component of the Secure Service Edge has profound implications for cybersecurity practitioners and organizations seeking to fortify their defenses against web-based threats. It shifts the focus from reactive threat detection to proactive threat prevention.

RBI empowers organizations to:

• Enhance security posture: RBI reduces the risk of web-based attacks such as phishing, ransomware, and drive-by downloads by isolating potentially malicious content away from endpoints and critical assets.

• Improve compliance: With RBI’s ability to enforce granular access controls and prevent unauthorized data exfiltration, organizations can achieve and maintain compliance with regulatory requirements such as GDPR, HIPAA etc.

• Enable secure remote work: As remote work becomes increasingly prevalent, RBI enables organizations to extend robust web security protections to distributed workforces, ensuring consistent protection regardless of users’ locations or devices.

• Optimize resource utilization: By offloading resource-intensive web browsing activities to remote isolation environments, organizations can optimize endpoint performance and reduce the strain on network infrastructure.

The future is brightly secured

As organizations navigate the complex cybersecurity landscape and embrace the principles of Secure Service Edge, remote browser isolation emerges as a cornerstone technology that empowers them to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing threat landscape. By embracing RBI as a proactive defense against web-based threats, organizations can strengthen their security posture, enhance user productivity, and maintain compliance in an increasingly interconnected and dynamic digital world. RBI serves as a one-stop solution for any organization that has an appetite for, and the attack surface, encompassing access, network, and end-point security.

We at Parallels, are constantly striving to collaborate and enable our partners and customers on their journey to a secure future.  As a commitment to this vision, we are excited to introduce our own in-house offering, Parallels Browser Isolation (PBI)! 

Parallels Browser Isolation provides a secure way to access web applications, including Software as a Service (SaaS) and other cloud-based applications, right from your favorite web browser on your laptop or desktop.

Parallels Browser Isolation stands as a beacon of innovation and resilience, guiding organizations towards a future where security and productivity are not mutually exclusive, but rather complementary pillars of success.

This bolsters the Parallels pedigree as a leader in cross-platform solutions spanning, desktop-server-cloud capabilities, all seamlessly integrated. Our solutions provide a seamless plug-and-play experience, combining different Parallels suite of products into one holistic platform, enabling access to on-premises or cloud-based apps and desktops via any device, any browser, or any operating system.

The post Evolution of Secure Service Edge and the chronicles of browser isolation appeared first on Server and Cloud Blog.