Citrix XenDesktop goes GA in May 2008

Some industry experts were baffled to see Citrix dish out 500M for XenSource and they kept comparing XenSource’s technology to VMware ESX Server. However, what they missed is the combined ability of Citrix and XenSource to build and deliver a product for the desktop which is now branded Citrix XenDesktop. While the server virtualization market is still red hot, the opportunity for desktop virtualization should not be ignored.

Citrix XenDesktop public beta has been available since October 2007 and today Citrix announced that XenDesktop will become generally available at its Citrix Synergy 2008 event in May. Citrix will be co-marketing its virtual desktop solutions with Microsoft. Citrix is well known for working closely with Microsoft to deliver Microsoft Office applications using Citrix XenApp and now they will join forces to deliver XenDesktop, Windows Server 2008, Vista and System Center.

Citrix differentiates themselves from the other VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) players by having the capability to deliver a single desktop image to many end-users and also by delivering the desktop image independent of the applications. XenDesktop delivers the desktop image and Citrix XenApp delivers the applications independently from one another.

I have found that current server virtualization adopters are more likely to evaluate and deploy desktop virtualization. The reason I mention this is that the jump from server virtualization to desktop virtualization is happening, but it is typically managed by completely different teams within IT. The jump into desktop virtualization from application virtualization is not as big of a leap and it is often managed by the same team and this is where Citrix has had success in the data center.

Desktop Virtualization Acquisitions

Hold on to your hat, the desktop virtualization market is heating up and all the major vendors are gearing up. In the last 12 months the following acquisitions have already taken place showing us that they are rigging their gear and dropping their lines in the water ready to reel in the next trophy catch.

• April 2007, VMware acquires Propero
• August 2007, Citrix acquires XenSource
• September 2007, VMware acquires Dunes
• January 2008, VMware acquires Thinstall and Foedus
• February 2008, Sun acquires innotek
• March 2008, Microsoft acquires Kidaro
• April 2008, Symantec acquires AppStream

….and there are a pile of startups: Pano Logic, NComputing, MokaFive, Stoneware…..

What’s all the hype?

The efficiencies and benefits of server virtualization are impacting hundreds and even thousands of servers in some cases, but the potential impact of desktop virtualization is in the tens of thousands. It is true that server virtualization is still in its infancy and I see desktop virtualization primarily being deployed in highly regulated environments for its security advantages. However, with Web 2.0, SOA and SaaS becoming popular architectures, the desktop environment as we know it today will be undergoing considerable changes in the coming years. The fun part is seeing who the winners will be in this fishing tournament!

NetApp in the Netherlands

Last week I spent a few days in the Netherlands speaking at NetApp Innovations 2008 in Rotterdam. The well run event attracted over 400 customers and about 200 plus partners. The focus of the event was to give users a well documented blue print of how virtualization is or will be impacting their environment and how NetApp solutions help enable the benefits of virtualization.

I love going to Europe! It has so much more culture than we have in the US and I always look forward to learning more each time I take a trip. The first question I get whenever I travel to Europe is always without exception related to politics….and now for sport they like to make fun of the weak dollar…..thanks ;-) It makes me realize how uneducated we are as Americans about our political system. The Europeans know more than we do!?!?

Together with Lauren Whitehouse, an Analyst here at ESG, I recently recorded a podcast describing some of the unique benefits of NetApp as they relate to data protection and backup in a virtualized environment. It’s pretty short and worth a listen if you are interested to see how NetApp is differentiating themselves.

ESG_Podcast_NetApp_and_VMware.mp3

Desktop Virtualization in the Telcos

The Telco industry is beginning to implement desktop virtualization internally for departmental deployments and call centers, but their eyes are set on a much larger opportunity. First, they plan to use internal desktop virtualization to understand the technology and discover how it can work in a corporate environment and then will look for ways to offer desktops and applications as a service to their customer base. In a recent ESG survey, 51% of the Telco and Media companies said that they were currently evaluating desktop virtualization solution.

My in-laws will never buy a computer and probably never send an e-mail.  This is primarily due to the complexity of the PC and the fact that I don’t want to become their personal IT support technician. While it would be nice to share pictures of the grandchildren with them, it’s not worth the hassle and learning curve they would have to go through.

However if the local cable provider offered a service (such as desktop virtualization, although they would never call it that, nor should they) that masked the desktop operating system and delivered applications on demand to the home, giving users a menu of services that met their requirements, my in-laws could “purchase” an e-mail application and maybe even a web browsing application so they could keep in touch with the old country (they are from Italy). The complexity of the PC user experience would be masked by the benefits of desktop virtualization and they would be able to always see the new pictures of the grandchildren.

This is a simple example, but you can see where the opportunity lies. Think about the opportunity in the education industry and the play it can have in small companies that make up the majority of businesses in the world. Desktop virtualization is absolutely introducing new ways of computing.

In order for all this to make sense, it has to be economically viable. It seems that everyone I know complains about their telephone and cable bills. When these new services are offered, the benefits have to be clear and the cost affordable for the masses.