citrix-ready*This post originally appeared on the AppSense blog prior to the rebrand in January 2017, when AppSense, LANDESK, Shavlik, Wavelink, and HEAT Software merged under the new name Ivanti.

AppSense is delighted to partner with Citrix on the forthcoming updates of XenApp and XenDesktop. Our long relationship, including founder membership in Citrix Ready and Citrix Ready partner of the year in 2010, is built on delivering exceptional value to Citrix customers. When used in conjunction with XenApp and XenDesktop, the AppSense DesktopNow suite delivers:

  • Increased user density per server
  • Seamless, personalized roaming between physical desktops, virtual desktops and virtual sessions (Terminal Server/RDSH)
  • Secure, policy-defined lockdown of the user environment
  • Control of users admin rights, thru Windows privilege management
  • Faster logons
  • A complete alternative to roaming profiles
  • Granular control of application performance to deliver an optimized experience for all user types

Together with our many joint customers and partners, we welcome the enhancements in the 7.5 release of both products, and we are excited to see how the enhanced functionality and programs dovetail with AppSense’s DesktopNow strategy:

  1. Unification of both XenApp and XenDesktop on a single architecture, easing the movement of users between multiple classes of physical and virtual platforms.  In unison with Citrix’s FlexCast vision, AppSense enables users to roam between all types of virtual and physical desktops, with consistent security and a personalized experience. With Citrix now easing IT’s workload in deploying and managing a mix of virtual desktop and virtual application environments, we expect to see further adoption of a mix of virtualization technologies that optimizes the cost and performance profile for every user.
  2. Support for hosted desktop services from private and personal cloud (DaaS) – as part of our revised partner program we have recently introduced Service Provider licensing and pricing.  New features in Environment Manager and Management Center support pooled virtual desktop deployments, and infrastructure shared by multiple clients of a Service Provider.
  3. The Low Cost Converged Infrastructure program is clear validation of the explosion of the pooled VDI market, where use of “local” storage offers massive cost and performance advantages. AppSense has supported these environments for some time, and will be further enhancing our support for non-persistent or rapid-cloned desktops in the near future, enabling even greater choice of desktop virtualization infrastructure and cost optimization.
  4. New partner initiatives, at the same time as AppSense has revised its own partner programs It’s great to see Citrix endorsing the trends of cloud-hosted Windows desktops and pooled or “non-persistent” desktops powered by low-cost local storage. The face of VDI and desktop virtualization in all its flavors has evolved and the TCO equation has changed in favor of virtualization for many use cases. Of course, when a user still absolutely needs a local device that works offline and online, AppSense will take care of them too, with the same level of control and optimization as a virtual environment.

We look forward to seeing our partnership reach new levels in 2014!

Jon Rolls

VP Product Management, AppSense