Tacit, Softricity Extend Apps

Call it the WAN do-si-do, where the partners work to accelerate application performance across the wide area.

Tacit Networks said Monday it has certified Softricity Desktop application virtualization software work with Tacits Ishared application acceleration, thereby enabling remote users to run Windows applications without loading them on their desktop or laptop PCs. The software loads an application's registry settings, DLLs, .ini files, and other components the application needs the first time the user requests it. The code is cached on the client PC for subsequent requests.

This makes it easier on administrators, who only have to load and manage the application once, although users must learn to live with a delay of a few seconds when they open an application.

By itself, Softricity loses a lot of its appeal on remote sites. “We required a lot of scripting and a third-party tool to work remotely,” says Softricity founder and marketing VP David Greschler.

That’s where Tacit comes in. Tacit’s iShared WAFS appliance will run Softricity software as one of its services and let remote users access applications on the data center server.Paul Theisen, director of IS at The Tech Group, started using Softricity software more than two years ago and gives it high grades for helping him manage applications for 500 users spread across the manufacturing company’s 12 sites. But he admits most of the simplicity comes in the company’s Scottsdale, Ariz., headquarters. The Tech Group’s remote sites load Softricity software manually rather than use their own scripts.

“It’s doable, but not quick,” Theisen says of Softricity in branch offices. And if a Softricity cache file gets corrupted, it has to be re-streamed from the server, adding more delay. “I don’t want to be a Softricity administrator. I want my staff to manage applications, and not have to administer anything under the hood."

Theisen likes the idea of using Tacit’s appliances to extend Softricity’s reach to remote sites. Now he has to decide if it’s worth spending $7,500 for each Tacit remote appliance on top of the $200 per user license for Softricity software.

Tacit’s strategy is to turn 400 Softricity customers into Tacit customers. The startup forged similar deals over the past few months with WAN optimization vendor Packeteer and antivirus software vendor Solidcore. (See Packeteer Gives Tacit Approval and Solidcore, Tacit Ink OEM Deal .) Tacit also received Microsoft’s blessing as the most Windows-friendly WAFS product, and Brocade is a 10 percent investor in Tacit and sells its products through an OEM deal. (See Microsoft Gives Tacit Approval and Brocade Invests in Tacit.)

— Dave Raffo, Senior Editor, Byte and SwitchOrganizations mentioned in this article: