What you need to know
- Amazon Web Services now supports streaming Linux apps through AppStream 2.0.
- Until recently, AppStream 2.0 exclusively supported Windows desktops and applications.
- AppStream 2.0 allows people to stream apps and desktops to the web or a Windows client.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) can now stream Linux applications through AppStream. With AppStream 2.0, people can stream GUI applications or a desktop to the web or through a client. Until the addition of Linux app support, AppStream was exclusively for Windows.
Amazon has an AppStream 2.0 client available on Windows. The service also works on any HTML5 capable browser.
"You can now stream Linux applications and desktops to your users, and greatly lower the total streaming cost by migrating Matlab, Eclipse, Firefox, PuTTY, and other similar applications from Windows to Linux on Amazon AppStream 2.0," explains Amazon (opens in new tab).
AppStream 2.0 allows users to stream apps at an hourly rate. Fees are charged per second, and the service doesn't require a per-user fee. Amazon highlights that with Linux app streaming, organizations can provide developers with remote Linux dev environments with tools such as Python and Docker. Users can also access CAD applications that require high performance GPU Linux desktops from anywhere. In the education sector, AppStream can be used to set up a cloud-based Linux learning environment for students.
"You can now stream Linux-compatible apps to your users in the same simple way you currently stream Windows apps, at a lower hourly rate, charged per second, and with no per user fee," states Amazon.
Linux support in AppStream 2.0 is available in all AWS regions in which AppStream 2.0 is available. The support page for Amazon AppStream 2.0 (opens in new tab) breaks down availability and pricing.
