When I think about today's news that Citrix is including HDX WAN optimization in XenDesktop Platinum edition powered by Branch Repeater VPX technology, the first thing I thought of are the Verizon commercials. (large US mobile service provider who feature a technician constantly testing network quality, seemingly every square foot , speaking into his phone, "Can you hear me now?") Verizon's claim to fame is that they have a CDMA network that reaches far into urban and rural markets so that if you spend a lot of time on the road, or live in a rural community, you are very likely to either choose a small regional carrier and pay roaming charges or just go with Verizon. The "Can you hear me now?" commercials had a recent resurgence when Verizon introduced the iPhone to its network last week breaking the AT&T exclusivity on iPhone service in the US. So with Verizon offering the iPhone, Apple will now reach a new customer base that they didn't have access to.
Including HDX WAN optimization technology in XenDesktop Platinum is very likely to have a similar effect. More customers, able to reach the most remote field offices and mobile devices with apps and desktops, with a dramatically improved user experience. And for those existing Citrix XenApp customers, it is one more reason to "trade-up" your existing licenses to XenDesktop Platinum.
Citrix customers have built out their infrastructure to centralize, virtualize, and then deliver business applications and desktops over Wide Area Networks to their users. For these enterprise customers, there just isn't a better way to deliver desktops and apps. They have too many disparate PCs deployed to successfully use their golden images or PC management systems as an application deployment mechanism. They often don't want the data out in remote sites anyway, and now, with the rise of alternative client devices like tablets (i.e. iPad, Galaxy) and smartphones (iPhone, Windows Mobile, Android, Blackberry), they are delighted to find that they had invested in a cross platform application delivery infrastructure solution that they can just "plug-in"to the latest devices entering the workplace with Citrix Receiver.
To make it all work, however, you have to have network. If you can only get adequate performance in less than half of your branch offices, you don't have a solution. So, it is deep in the DNA of Citrix to make the absolute most of available network resources, resulting in HDX WAN optimization powered by Branch Repeater VPX. The Branch Repeater has two functions; 1) Accelerate performance (minimize the impact of latency), and 2) Save bandwidth (reduce the amount of traffic that actually travels over the WAN). What this really means is that:
1) If all you can reasonably get in your field office in Timbuctu, half way around the world and 300 milliseconds away from your datacenter, is a T1 line, you can get to the applications you need.
2) Even if you aren't constrained by the network, you save money by consuming less while continuing to add additional applications, desktops, and users without upgrading expensive network capacity.
3) Regardless of network, users will get better performance.
Up till now, customers had to test and evaluate the network and application or desktop performance to determine if they needed to acquire Branch Repeater technology. Now, all XenDesktop Platinum customers have to do is turn it on.
For existing Citrix XenApp customers who have not yet taken advantage of the Trade-up to XenDesktop Program, this might be just the reason to make the move. The Trade-up to XenDesktop program provides XenApp customers with the most cost-effective, low risk path to leverage their XenApp investment and move to the industry standard in desktop virtualization - XenDesktop. Trade-up now includes three permanent programs (Trade-up, Trade-up PLUS and Trade-up MAX) and a new 2011 promotion (Trade-up RESTART) that can save customers more than 70% on XenDesktop
posted by Kevin Strohmeyer
Citrix
