ALES Uses Parallels RAS to Provide Instant Remote Access
About Arte Lavoro e Servizi S.p.A. (ALES)
- The in-house company of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities (MiBAC), ALES, is committed to supporting activities for the conservation and enhancement of Italian cultural heritage.
- Their team works to improve the conditions of use for Italian archaeological, artistic, architectural, landscape and archival heritage.
- Established in 1997.
The Challenge
Arte Lavoro e Servizi S.p.A. (ALES) needed a simple and easily accessible platform to facilitate safe instantaneous access to applications for over 1,500 employees and contractors in their area. Users counted on ALES to host applications and software deployed with virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and Remote Desktop Session Hosts (RDSH).
The ALES IT team wanted a solution that would accommodate the diverse array of devices their staff used. However, as a public organization with a tight budget, ALES needed to make sure the solution they chose was cost-effective. They decided to head to the market to explore their options.
The Solution
ALES compared the top virtualization solutions before deciding to implement Parallels® Remote Application Server (RAS). Parallels RAS is a streamlined remote working solution that provides secure access to virtual desktops and applications. The solution supports multiple application types (web, local, desktop, files) and integrates well with their staff’s existing devices.
Parallels RAS enables ALES to support employee PCs, Mac and mobile devices. ALES can now seamlessly deliver internet browsers, Microsoft Office and its unique assortment of custom/in-house applications.
While many capabilities are utilized, a staff favorite is High Availability Load Balancing (HALB), which provides load balancing for the Parallels RAS Secure Client Gateways. The IT team has also been impressed by the Parallels RAS reporting and monitoring capabilities, and the simplified yet effective Client Manager. Application and desktop publishing are straightforward with Parallels RAS—all components are pushed out and managed via a single console from a one-time quick installation.
“The project is the result of a detailed analysis of all the solutions on the market that could best meet the company’s needs. The IT team worked for about a year on the design with the collaboration of a working group that contributed to the final result. Parallels RAS was recommended by our technology partners, IET S.p.A., who support us with IT strategies. Thanks in part to their support we were able to implement a best-in-class solution that connected perfectly with our IT infrastructure, for a fraction of the price of alternatives. Ultimately, the speed of implementation and the simplicity of the configuration really impressed us and allowed us to achieve the business goals identified.”
The Results
With assistance from the Parallels RAS support team, a proof of concept (POC) was created, and subsequently, the entire platform was ready to go live in record time (only three days!). Since enabling Parallels RAS, ALES has been able to implement a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy. Beyond the increased employee device flexibility, Parallels RAS has helped ALES extend its hardware life cycle and lower its total cost of ownership.
Parallels RAS is simple to use and manage and has proven to be an excellent product, quick to set up and extremely intuitive. ALES IT partners have found in Parallels RAS an easy-to-implement tool with the same essential characteristics as other top products with a more cost-effective pricing strategy.
About Parallels
Parallels is a global leader in cross-platform solutions, enabling businesses and individuals to access and use the applications and files they need on any device or operating system. Parallels helps customers leverage the best technology available, whether it’s Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android or the cloud.
The company’s solution portfolio includes the award-winning Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS), an all-in-one application delivery and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solution that enables users to work remotely from anywhere, on any device, at any time.
