Symantec's pcAnywhere Now Does Linux

Symantec on Monday unveiled the first update to its pcAnywhere remote control software in over a year, adding a Linux host and beefing up security.

pcAnywhere 11.5, said Mike Baldwin, a senior product manager at Symantec, now includes a Linux host. "One of the goals for this release was more cross-platform support," he said.

The Linux host software runs on the machine that users want to access or control remotely. Remote systems running the Windows- or Java-based clients can then connect with and access the Linux machine via a variety of routes, including TCP/IP.

In a related enhancement of pcAnywhere, users can now also access or control a Windows or Linux host from Windows Pocket PC or Pocket PC Phone Edition devices via any TCP/IP connection. Special software included with the Pocket PC client makes it easy to zoom in on a section of the host desktop using the PDA's smaller screen, said Baldwin.

pcAnywhere 11.5 also now supports 256-bit AES encryption -- Symantec has submitted the module for certification by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for use in the Federal government -- and automatically encrypts all log-on data, added Baldwin.

The software has also been tweaked to improve its speed in connecting with a host, as well as displaying its desktop on the remote PC. "We always focus on performance every time we push out a new product," said Baldwin. "This is the fastest pcAnywhere ever." pcAnywhere 11.5 is scheduled to ship early next month. Single-seat pricing at retail will be $199.95, with 5-, 10-, and 15-user packs available for $799.95, $1,599.95, and $3.998.95, respectively.