About Userful Corporation: multiseat linux virtual desktop shared computing cloud management

About Userful Corporation

Connecting the world through sustainable desktop computing.

Userful is the trusted provider of cloud managed virtual desktops with over 800,000 seats of its solutions sold, and millions of daily users in over 100 countries. The foremost expert in Linux shared computing, Userful has more than 10 years experience in MultiSeat. Userful is headquartered in Calgary, Canada, with offices in Latin America as well as South Asia, and partners around the world.

The Solution That Powers The World's Largest Virtual Desktop Deployments

By deploying 523,400 Userful MultiSeat™ computer stations in over 50,000 schools, the Brazilian Ministry of Education saved 60% in up-front costs, and 80% in annual power savings!

Why Userful Cloud Management?

Easy, low-cost, secure, and turnkey: customize, control, and monitor thousands of computer stations from a simple administration website for less than $1 per seat per day (includes hardware, software, and support)

Why Userful MultiSeat Virtual Desktops?

Upfront cost savings in hardware: expand from 5 stations per computer installation to 10 stations for roughly the same amount of money
Significant electricity savings: pay for the computers in power savings alone in 4 years or less, and reduce environmental heat and noise at the same time
Reduced infrastructure costs: fewer cables and fewer electrical outlets
Reinvest: expand computer installations with the PC's recovered as a result of a MultiSeat computing upgrade
Plug-and-play: add an extra computer station in minutes
High performance: ten users can for instance all surf the Internet, send e-mail, write a document, watch full-screen video, or explore Google Earth in 3D at the same time while enjoying smooth frame rates
Zero downtime: in the event that a host PCs fails, simply move (hot-swap) the USB cable to one of the other computers in the room and resume working
Environmentally responsible: reduce electricity use and e-waste

Why Linux Based Cloud Computing?

Proven solution: to date the seven largest shared computing installs (and all installs over 100,000 seats) have been on Linux
Easily transition from Windows to Linux: choose Windows or Linux as your host station OS, and launch Windows temporarily from within one or more Linux desktop sessions, turning those stations temporarily into Windows desktops
Cost savings: no operating system licensing fees, 1000’s of applications for free
Security and safety: reduced risk of viruses, spyware, and malware
Performance and stability: 92% of the top 500 supercomputers globally run Linux
Economic independence and freedom from vendor lock-in: creates local IT jobs, and reduces dependency on foreign software products -- more money stays in the local economy and less is spent on license fees to foreign countries
Supported by the largest and most credible companies in the world: HP, Google, IBM, Oracle, Nokia, Novell, and more.

Userful Products

Userful MultiSeat Linux 2011™ is a complete classroom computer software bundle that turns 1 Linux computer into 10 high performance independent computer stations by simply attaching extra monitors, keyboards and mice. It includes the Edubuntu operating system for schools, classroom computer management tools, and dozens of education specific applications in a single install. It enables schools to quickly deploy large numbers of computer stations for a very low cost, whether in the classroom, computer lab, or school library. It is easy to set up, use and maintain, and provides teachers with the tools they need to give their students a high quality computer-based education. Userful MultiSeat™ is also available as a stand alone package to multi-user enable other Linux distributions.

Userful Desktop™ is a complete public computing solution that enables anyone to manage, monitor, and multiply their PCs. It takes the headache out of public computing by providing a safe, secure, and virus-free setting for clients that includes over 40 applications supporting over 30 languages. A simple remote management web-site makes it easy to control and customize PCs - saving time and money. In a recent survey Userful Desktop customers reported saving an average of 54% on desktop computer acquisition and operating costs over their previous solutions.

Trial versions of all Userful products are available for download.

Computer Access for Everyone

Userful firmly believes that every person deserves computer access. Userful’s ability to turn 1 computer into 10 has made it feasible for schools in developing regions to give their students the computer access they need. It started with 2,205 Userful desktops in 105 South African schools, and recently Userful made a world record with the largest ever desktop virtualization deployment -- over 500,000 multiseat stations in Brazilian schools.