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Citrix fires back at VMware, launches Workspace Suite

Citrix launched a bevy of new products at its Synergy conference in Los Angeles, but the connective tissue between all of them is that the VMware rivalry is heating up.
Written by Larry Dignan, Contributor

Citrix on Monday launched new enterprise mobility management tools, updated its product line, and took direct aim at VMware, which is trying to poach the company's customers.

At its Synergy conference in Los Angeles, Citrix developed its storylines around mobile workspaces and virtual applications on any device. The company then rolled up its virtual workspace and collaboration tools into one suite dubbed Workspace Suite and offered VMware Horizon and View customers at 50 percent off promotion to switch. 

Last month, VMware adopted a similar approach to Citrix with the launch of its Horizon 6 software

The quick tour of Citrix's new efforts goes like this:

  • Citrix launched XenMobile 9, which is an enterprise mobility management suite for apps, data, and devices. XenMobile is also in direct competition with VMware's AirWatch. XenMobile 9 secures data in motion, authenticates faster, and includes new work productivity tools. Xen Mobile also supports Windows 8.1 desktops and Windows Phone 8. Matt Morgan, vice president of product marketing at Citrix, said that the laptops are often forgotten in the mobile device management equation. Mobile productivity tools were also added.
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  • XenApp and XenDesktop were updated and Citrix's Receiver software is HTML 5 compliant so it can work on all devices as well as the Chrome OS from Google. The latest XenApp and XenDesktop, also under fire from VMware's Horizon suite, which will be available in the second quarter. "At Synergy we will be showing the capabilities and previewing the future direction," said Morgan.
  • HP and Nvidia have partnered with Citrix to develop a virtual workstation that can handle 3D applications.
  • ShareFile, Citrix's collaboration and file-sharing software, now plugs into various enterprise content management systems and integrates with cloud services such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft's Azure. ShareFile also leaves encryption key ownership with customers and allows access to various cloud connections to Dropbox, Google Drive, Box and Microsoft OneDrive.
  • The company also enhanced NetScaler with features to better deliver web content and mobile protocols.
  • Workspace Suite is another effort to roll up Citrix's various virtual desktop, mobile device management, and collaboration tools into one package. The target here is VMware's AirWatch and Horizon suites.
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The connective tissue between all of those aforementioned product moves is that the rivalry between Citrix and VMware is heating up. Citrix is also putting its money behind the effort. The company is offering a 50 percent off promotion to VMware Horizon and View customers through Dec. 31. BlackBerry Enterprise customers get 25 percent off Citrix's latest wares, but VMware is the obvious target.

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