Sun Ray Software offers two modes of operation:
Regular mode - Delivers a desktop based on the platform that is installed on the Sun Ray server. For instance, if the Sun Ray Software is installed on Oracle Linux, users get an Oracle Linux desktop. Users authenticate on this platform and traditionally execute applications located on the platform.
Kiosk mode - Delivers an almost unlimited variety of desktops or applications to users, even though the actual desktop or application may be running elsewhere. Kiosk mode bypasses the normal authentication methods of the Sun Ray server platform and runs anything that the administrator defines. By creating customized session types, a kiosk session can be anything from a full screen instance of a Firefox web browser to a full screen Windows 7 desktop running in a virtual machine.
By default, Sun Ray Software provides the following pre-defined session types that you can configure for users.
Sun Ray Connector for Windows OS - Provides a windows desktop through the Windows connector.
VMware View Manager Session - Provides a Windows virtual machine through the VMware View connector.
Sun Java Desktop System 3 - Provides a locked-down Oracle Solaris 10 desktop environment that can run other applications (Oracle Solaris 10 Sun Ray server only).
Common Desktop Environment (Obsolete) - Provides a locked-down Oracle Solaris 10 desktop environment that can run other applications (Oracle Solaris 10 Sun Ray server only).
Kiosk mode can also provide unauthenticated access for settings such as public kiosks, where users cannot be expected to provide authentication credentials.