Virtualisation to the laptop

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) programme.

Desktop virtualisation is rapidly growing in popularity as a more secure, flexible way to deliver Windows desktops to business users in any location. With this new release, companies of all sizes can now deploy a single desktop virtualisation solution that seamlessly supports both desk-based and laptop users in just about any scenario. With laptop users representing half of the workforce in many companies, today’s announcement represents a major milestone that significantly expands the reach of desktop virtualisation to millions of new users.

Most mobile employees today do the majority of their work 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 (VDI), combined with all the flexibility and ability to be disconnected from the network that come with traditional, locally installed desktops. And 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. These new capabilities are all enabled by the new XenClient technology, a groundbreaking client-side hypervisor developed in close collaboration with Intel and optimised for the Intel Core vPro technology.

In many companies, there is also a growing trend toward user-owned laptops that are not controlled by IT. This trend frequently involves contractors who bring their own device to a project, as well as employees who bring their own laptop to work as part of a BYOC programme. In these scenarios, users do not want IT installing software on their personal laptops, nor does IT want to take on the cost and hassle of managing personal devices. IT’s primary goal in these scenarios is to ensure these workers are productive, and that any corporate data on their personal laptops is secure at all times. For user-owned devices, the simplest solution is to deliver the corporate applications these users need as an on-demand service, while ensuring that any data created by those corporate apps is automatically encrypted. This capability is enabled through the new XenVault technology.