Unveils new mobile client tools; consolidates India operations.

Virtual computing solutions leader Citrix, has unveiled new iterations of its XenDesktop tool that extends benefits of desktop virtualization to enterprise laptop users. Enhanced with two new technologies –Citrix XenClient and Citrix XenVault -- the tool allows enterprises to incorporate mobile laptop users into a unified enterprise desktop virtualization strategy.
The new solution is recognition that employees today do the majority of their work on the move --  on company-owned laptops. For these workers, the best solution is a virtual desktop that runs directly on their laptop. This approach gives IT all the central management and security benefits of server hosted virtual desktops, combined with all the flexibility and ability to be disconnected from the network that come with traditional, locally installed desktops. Because the desktops runs in a local VM at all times, users never have to go through the cumbersome time consuming process “checking-out” their virtual desktop by downloading it from a central server each time they leave the office.
XenClient is a client-side hypervisor that enables virtual desktops to run directly on client devices, 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. While XenClient can be run on any supported PC hardware, it is ideally suited to corporate-owned laptops. 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.
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 unauthorized users. 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.
The new XenClient and XenVault technologies will both ship in the new XenDesktop 4, Feature Pack 2 release, available at the end of September. XenClient is available at no additional charge for XenDesktop Enterprise and Platinum editions customers. XenDesktopExpress is available for free download, limited to 10 users http://www.citrix.com/site/SS/downloads/index.asp  

India operationsCitrix has moved its India research and development team to a new facility in Bangalore, --second in size only to that of the US R&D organization  -- and expanded its sales, opening to a new sales office in Mumbai to accommodate them. The new facility will handle all aspects of research including design, coding, functional testing, engineering, management.

“India has some of the best information technology talent in the world and the expansion of our R&D team here ensures we can take best advantage of this highly regarded expertise,” said Citrix CEO Mark Templeton, inaugurating the new facility on Sep 1.

Rakesh Singh, Vice President and Managing Director for Bangalore Research and Development said the local team was responsible for the development of key products for Citrix and that they were extremely proud of the leading edge products that were conceived, developed and ultimately brought to market due to Indian know-how.

Citrix has five R&D centres worldwide, with other facilities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan.
September 6 2010