The document provides a competitive analysis of DesktopDirect, a remote desktop computing solution, compared to alternatives like GoToMyPC, LogMeIn, and VPN. Some key advantages of DesktopDirect are that it has no third-party software or hosting, allows up to 10,000 simultaneous sessions, and provides a familiar desktop environment for users compared to traditional VPN solutions. Downsides of competitors include additional licensing costs per device, proprietary software installs, and security risks from third-party authentication and management of remote connections.

1. DesktopDirect Competitive Analysis and Value Proposition
Introduction
In the past couple of years we have seen a steady increase in the need for Remote Access. There are
several factors behind that increase:
• Planning for Business Continuity events in which most (or all) employees cannot get into the
office. These events can range from extreme (such as an H1N1 outbreak) to day-to-day (such as
a snow storm).
• Improved Productivity - allowing people to get more work done by allowing them additional
flexible working hours. Examples for this use include working on the occasional evening (or
weekend day) or being able to work while waiting at home for a contractor.
• Reduce overall costs by allowing employees to work remotely and saving on the costs associated
with their daily stay in the office (space, utilities, etc’…).
A multitude of solutions are available on the market today that help companies create remote access
solutions for their user communities. However with the number of users growing exponentially these
solutions fall short in several key fronts:
• Inability to scale in a cost effective way.
• Security risks (due to overexposed networks) are increased exponentially as well.
• Administration complexity
• Significantly higher training costs
• Increased bandwidth needs
• More…
In our opinion, Remote Desktop Computing solutions offer the best all around methodology. When a
user connects to the internal PC that they are used to working on everyday from a remote location, their
applications and icons are the same, the mapped drives for file sharing and saving are the same and the
same drive letter and most importantly they are familiar with their desktop look and feel. These
desktops can be physical or virtual pc’s depending on the companies infrastructure and type of user that
needs access. All communications are fully encrypted with the best commercial encryption available
(including 256 bits of AES). In addition, one of our appliances can support up to 10,000 simultaneous
remote desktop sessions. Traditional VPN remote access, usually involves training the users about
another method of doing their job. With remote desktop computing you are able to work seamlessly
even when you cannot get to the office.

2. DesktopDirect
Our hardened security appliance offers a fully managed and secure remote desktop computing solution
that is completely under the corporation’s control. No third party software or services are involved.
You simply install our appliance inside the company’s firewall, build the database of who has access to
internal physical or virtual desktops from a remote location and browse the internet to connect and
work.
Competition
There are two types of DesktopDirect alternative solutions: managed service providers who offer
remote desktop access (such as GoToMyPC and LogMeIn) and using RDP (or VNC) over traditional VPN
connections.
GoToMyPC and LogMeIn are built on the concept of proprietary software installs, subscription services
and hosted solutions. The security concern of using these consumer based remote desktop solutions is
paramount. Authentication, Accounting and Authorization is done by a third party and that alone poses
a significant challenge to those responsible for security. The DesktopDirect appliance is fully hardened
and remote desktop access is provided using Microsoft’s RDP allowing your organization to build your
own service which you own and manage yourself.
VPN connectivity is the oldest and most mature of the remote access solutions and it has its place. For
mobile employees, VPN access is definitely the ideal solution. However, for those users who have a
desk or are semi mobile employees expected to take laptops home it usually falls short. Providing
desktop access with VPN defeats the purpose of “remote desktop access”. This method of remote
access should ease management and administration time and eventually cut costs. But by utilizing VPN
access to accomplish this it does just the opposite. These VPN users need to have a laptop which adds
cost to the equation and these laptops need to be scanned prior to entering the network. Therefore, for
the people trying to work from out of the office either without their laptop or from home or a non
corporate asset it makes being productive next to impossible.

3. Remote Desktop Computing Comparisons
DesktopDirect GoToMyPC LogMeIn VPN Appliances
Hardware Secure hardened No hardware - No hardware - Secure hardened
appliance operates Hosted and Hosted and appliance operates VPN
DesktopDirect solution managed service managed service access
by GoToMyPC by LogMeIn
Software Utilizes the built in RDP A proprietary A proprietary A proprietary client has to
software client that is client has to be client has to be be installed on remote
installed in all versions installed on installed on machine. In addition,
of Windows XP Pro, internal PC and a internal PC and a machine will most likely
Vista and Windows 7, viewer also viewer also needs be a company owned
iPhone and iPad. needs to be to be downloaded asset such as a laptop.
downloaded on on remote
remote machine machine
Licensing Licensed on a A software A software license Licensed on a concurrent
concurrent user basis license has to be has to be basis
purchased for purchased for
every PC that every PC that
could be could be
connected to connected to
How is it used User logs into Website User logs into User logs into User logs into Website
hosted on an appliance website hosted website hosted at hosted on an appliance
installed inside the at GoToMyPC LogMeIn and installed inside the
company’s firewall and manages all manages all company’s firewall.
connections to connections to Remote computer needs
internal PCs internal PCs to be scanned to
recognize corporate asset
and then VPN session is
created. RDP session can
then be initiated from
here.
Authentication User name and A user name and A user name and User name and password
password is same as password is password in is generally same as
internal PC credentials needed for needed for internal domain
and single sign on can GoToMyPC web LogMeIn web credentials.
be turned on or off login and an login and an
additional user additional user
name and name and
password is password is
needed for needed for
internal PC internal PC

4. Training User needs to User needs to User needs to User needs to understand
understand how to understand how understand how how VPN access works,
browse, log in and click to install to install LogMeIn browse, log in, click a link,
a web link and one GoToMyPC software client on open up an RDP session
user name and software client internal PC, the and manage multiple
password on internal PC, LogMeIn viewer passwords
the GoToMyPC on the remote
viewer on the computer and
remote two user names
computer and and passwords
two user names
and passwords
Business ABC 10 Day cost ABC Additional Additional Additional licensing needs
Continuity effective license can be licensing needs licensing needs to to be purchased to
purchased as to be purchased be purchased for prepare for a burst in the
insurance to burst the for all PC’s that all PC’s that would amount of users. In
DesktopDirect would need to be need to be addition, if a user cannot
appliance to a certain connected to in connected to in get to the office they
number of users to the event of a the event of a BCP must remember to take
prepare for a BCP BCP event event home their laptop. On
event top of this, if a user is not
a laptop user and needs a
corporate asset to
connect to VPN they will
be unable to work.
Value • 3 simple steps away from desktop
Proposition of • Hardware appliance managed by the organization
DesktopDirect • Single user name and password
• Cross browser support
• Concurrent licensing
• No proprietary software clients
• Full control over security attributes of RDP
• Copy Paste, Print Redirection, Drive Redirection, USB, etc turned off by default
• Proxied connection to desktop for added security
• Automatic registration of Physical desktops tagging user name to host name to MAC
address
• Built in Wake On LAN technology
• Extremely scalable and mature platform
• Integrates with Terminal Server for Desktop session publishing
• Manual configuration of virtual desktops
• Automatic configuration of VM View and Citrix Xen coming before end of the year
• Cost effective platform for normal desktop access and planning for business
continuity