News
Compaq Licenses ICA for HPCs
- By Scott Bekker
- October 09, 1998
Compaq Computer Corp. has joined the growing number of hardware vendors licensing Citrix Systems Inc.’s Independent Computing Architecture (ICA). Under terms of the agreement, Citrix granted Compaq the right to embed the ICA technology into Compaq’s new C-Series family of handheld PCs (HPC).
ICA is a protocol for server-based computing, such as Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server, that enables the deployment of Windows-based applications across an enterprise. Citrix claims that ICA works regardless of client hardware, operating platform, network connection or available bandwidth.
Compaq’s licensing of ICA for HPCs essentially will enable HPCs to more effectively make use of server-based applications, a current shortcoming of most handheld computing devices. "To maximize productivity while on the road, mobile customers need to constantly access information running on their company’s network," says Annie Bacon, director of handheld products, Compaq.
Users of Compaq’s C-Series, with ICA in place, will be able to access Windows-based personal productivity and line-of-business application executing from Citrix WinFrame of MetaFrame servers.
Other vendors licensing ICA include IBM Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Sun Microsystems.
Beginning in November, Compaq customers will be able to download, free of charge, the ICA client from Compaq’s Web site: www.compaq.com. –Thomas Sullivan, Staff Reporter/Reviews Editor
About the Author
Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.