Virtualization solutions maker Ericom announced that the University of Connecticut is piloting its AccessNow flagship offering – a purely HTML5-based virtualization client for VMware View customers. The university has already tested the product successfully, and will roll out AccessNow to its students and faculty in the coming months.

Ericom AccessNow for VMware View runs wholly within a HTML5 compatible Web browser, requiring no software installation on the end-user device. It enables seamless access to VMware View virtual desktops and is an ideal solution for organizations that need to provide access to virtual desktops from a myriad of end-point devices.

The university will use AccessNow to offer users located both on- and off-campus more convenient access to academic resources.  According to Ericom, its offering is optimized for every browser with HTML and WebSocket support. That includes IE, Firefox, Chrome and Chrome OS. Further, the company also said that the offering is optimized for all of the devices it supports, from PCs to notebooks to tablets such as the iPad.

A browser-based virtualization client makes a VDI cheaper and simpler for users in particular, which is how Ericom managed to get so much attention from the rest of the industry. As the number and diversity of end-points increases, this will become especially significant for Ericom’s growth.

The education sector is a major target for most virtualization companies. Take Pano Logic for example.  They’re a newcomer that offers a VDI-in-a-stick product, and was selected by the Staunton, Virginia public library to reduce maintenance costs. Pano Logic Zero Client Computing now replaces the library’s desktops.  Shortly after the release of the case study, the company announced it has expanded its list of over 250 partners with the addition of full-service IT firm Zonics.