Comparing Guacamole Box to its Predecessor, Apache-Guacamole

Robert Abbott, D.O., 8/1/2022

Guacamole Box’s chief software engineer was a cofounder of Apache-Guacamole. Given that the latter is open source a question we have been asked is, “what does Guacamole Box do that Apache-Guacamole cannot?” It’s a good question, especially given that Apache-Guacamole is free! The programs share key advantages--both are web based remote desktop providers that provide tunneled encrypted connectivity. Both use server side shell scripts, do not require client-side installation, and are compatible with Windows, Linux, and Macintosh.

A look at the differences is revealing however. Apache-Guacamole setup is laborious and requires Linux expertise. The Apache-Guacamole script must be run on each individual component of a network’s central infrastructure and requires reconfiguration with each alteration in network hardware; it does not negate the need for a hypervisor or additional network hardware. Guacamole Box setup is much lighter--only those network resources that will serve as client destinations need to be enabled with the script. As the network grows or shrinks there is no requirement to reconfigure or repeat the setup script, or to reconfigure internal ports. 

In the arena of network security Guacamole Box continues to pull ahead. Whereas Apache-Guacamole has 256-bit encryption, Guacamole Box can be customized to over 15000-bit encryption--over a magnitude of order higher! Additionally, with Guacamole Box there is no need to open ports to establish a network.

Finally there is the problem of users’ and IT professionals’ experiences. Guacamole Box users enjoy video card pass through as well as easy integration with Google Workspace and other productivity software. IT professionals can reduce network upkeep with Guacamole Box and avail themselves to in-house tech support, whereas third party tech support is required for setup and troubleshooting Apache-Guacamole. 

For small IT providers with Linux expertise who can stomach the overhead involved with Apache-Guacamole, the software may be a good fit. However, for larger firms or IT providers aiming to streamline services, Guacamole Box is the future of remote desktop connectivity and is well worth the price.