Citrix Releases XenDesktop

Citrix Systems has announced a new release of Citrix XenDesktop that extends the benefits of desktop virtualisation to millions of enterprise laptop users with the addition of two new technologies: Citrix XenClient and Citrix XenVault. Together, these two technologies make it easy for IT to incorporate mobile laptop users into a unified enterprise desktop virtualisation strategy with unparalleled security and simplicity – including corporate-owned laptops managed by IT, as well as user-owned devices brought in by contractors or employees in a BYOC (bring your own computer) program.

“This new release of XenDesktop represents an important next step to realising the benefits that desktop virtualisation can deliver across all users in the enterprise, including the growing number of mobile workers using laptops as their primary device. The new XenClient and XenVault technologies extend IT’s ability to manage each desktop component separately, making desktop management far more secure, scalable and cost effective,” said Gordon Payne, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Desktop Division, Citrix.

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With the addition of the new XenClient and XenVault features, XenDesktop extends its lead as the most comprehensive and flexible desktop virtualisation solution on the market.

Key Facts and Highlights (XenClient):

• Enables Virtual Desktops ‘To Go’ – XenClient is a client-side hypervisor that enables virtual desktops to run directly on client devices. It provides all the security and central management of VDI, while allowing users to seamlessly work online or disconnected without any cumbersome check-in or check-out requirements, just as they would with a traditional locally installed desktop.

• Control for IT, Flexibility for Users – XenClient makes it easy for IT to deliver a secure, centrally managed corporate desktop environment to laptop users without compromising user experience. They can even set up a second personal virtual desktop on the same laptop, giving users full freedom, without compromising corporate security.

• Centralised Backup and Recovery – When disconnected from the network, XenClient operates just like a traditional installed desktop. As soon as users connect to the network, it automatically synchronises any changes with the datacenter, ensuring full centralised backup of all corporate laptops.

• Portable and Persistent Desktop Images – By separating the operating system from the underlying hardware, desktop images can now be created, secured, deployed and moved across any supported hardware, greatly reducing the maintenance burden on IT and simplifying disaster recovery for laptop users.

• Expanded Hardware and Device Support – XenClient now also includes several new capabilities that were not supported in the initial beta release. These include multiple usability and security enhancements, new synchronisation features, and expanded support for hardware platforms, wireless adapters and USB-based devices such as webcams, iPads, iPhones, Androids, BlackBerrys and Windows Mobile devices.

• Optimised for Intel vPro – The XenClient hypervisor was designed jointly with Intel to work seamlessly with the underlying hardware. Intel Core vPro processors are designed to provide the best experience for end-users and IT through use of Intel hardware-assisted virtualisation, management and security technologies.

Key Facts and Highlights (XenVault):

• Protects and Isolates User Data – The new XenVault technology automatically and transparently saves any user data created by corporate apps into an encrypted folder, ensuring that it is protected at all times from unauthorised users.

• Ideal for Contractors and BYOC – Because XenVault supports both virtual and physical desktops, it is an ideal solution for contractors and employee-owned laptops where users don’t want IT installing software on their personal laptops. When a contract is over, an employee terminates, or the laptop is lost or stolen, corporate data remains secure, and can even be wiped remotely.

• Supports XenApp and App-V – XenVault automatically encrypts data created by any corporate app that is delivered by Citrix XenApp (or the XenApp feature of XenDesktop) or Microsoft App-V.