Ericom Software, a global provider of application access and virtualization systems, and Cloud Sherpas, a Google Apps cloud service provider, announced that Quality Distribution has chosen Ericom’s HTML5-based application and desktop virtualization software (PowerTerm WebConnect and AccessNow) to enable successful implementation of Google Chromebooks and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), throughout its organization.
The Google and Ericom system, implemented by Cloud Sherpas, comprises an application access and collaboration infrastructure for QDI’s thousands of employees from more than 125 locations across North America with access to both Google Apps and legacy Windows applications and desktops, on their Chromebook or personal choice of mobile or tablet device (iPad / iPhone, Android, RIM Blackberry and Playbook), without heavy IT involvement.
Ericom PowerTerm WebConnect and AccessNow provide QDI’s employees with easy access to Windows applications and desktops, including Office 2007 (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word), logistics applications (TMW PowerSuite, Rand McNally MileMaker, Xata Turnpike and other proprietary applications) and Internet Explorer, as well as to Google Apps, all through the Chrome browser and any other HTML5-compatible browser.
“Working with Cloud Sherpas and Ericom is allowing us to achieve everything we set out to accomplish with Chromebooks, including greater mobility and easy access for our employees to all the applications they need – both Google and Windows-based,” said Cliff Dixon, vice president of IT at Quality. “Ericom was the first company to provide an HTML5 remote access solution, which finally made Chromebooks a viable option. Many QDI documents were created in Microsoft Word, Excel and other proprietary document formats that have not been moved to Google Docs.”
As a true RDP zero client, AccessNow does not require Java, Flash, Silverlight, ActiveX or any other underlying technology on end-user devices.
“Ericom AccessNow is allowing our drivers to continue working on the legacy Windows applications they’ve grown used to, while also working with Google Docs, whether they’re connecting from a Chromebook, iPad, Blackberry or other device,” Dixon said. “Cloud Sherpas has provided us a Chrome extension to AccessNow which allows our employees to open a new browser tab and launch a session that automatically loads a Microsoft file received via Gmail.”
