News

Rapport Technologies software release moves beyond thin client

December 26, 2002

CARROLLTON, Texas -- Rapport Technologies in January plans to introduce a new version of its remote systems management software that expands the company's focus beyond the thin-client market to a bevy of other devices.

Formed earlier this year when thin-client vendor Wyse Technology spun off its management software business, Rapport has sold its software -- which currently manages only thin-client devices -- through Wyse and Hewlett-Packard, and those vendors' channel partners.

With the release of Rapport 4.0, the vendor is transforming itself into a company that also manages enterprise devices including Windows-based and Palm-based PDAs, mobile phones, set-top boxes, point-of-sale units, kiosks and other products using Flash RAM.

Paul Ghostine, chief executive of Emergent OnLine, a solution provider in Reston, Va., said this could by a key opportunity for Rapport and its partners as customers struggle with managing multiple computing platforms.

"Their existing customer base is a captive audience that's already using Rapport to manage thin clients. It's an easy sell to go to those clients and expand the platform to manage all of their devices," Ghostine said.

The vendor is also seeking to bolster its partner ranks with solution providers that have expertise working with those devices, said Max Toy, Rapport president.

Using software agents on each managed device that communicate back to software installed on a central server, Rapport 4.0 provides software distribution, asset management and historic and realtime diagnostics capabilities.

The software uses local data repositories on different subnets throughout an enterprise, so data can be transferred to users from the closest server.

Rapport 4.0 encrypts data as it moves between the device and the server and has remote disabling capabilities. It currently can provide data to network management tools from HP and IBM Tivoli to allow centralized management.

Pricing for Rapport 4.0, available in workgroup and enterprise editions, ranges from $30 to $50 per seat.