At the Citrix iForum 2005 user conference in Edinburgh
today, the server based computing supplier said it was working to
speed up applications delivered over Citrix-based networks, and to
build better security through encryption into its
products.
In his keynote speech, Citrix chief executive Mark Templeton
outlined Citrix’s server-based computing model. This is where
applications are stored and processed centrally, and end users
access them through the network via terminals, tablet PCs and other
handheld and mobile devices.
Templeton said, “When we return to the data centre year after
year, it’s like going on an archaeological dig. We at Citrix
believe the only way to break the cycle is to move to a service
[server-based] architecture.”
In April, Citrix launched Citrix Access Suite 4.0, which is now
available and incorporates Presentation Server 4.0 for deploying
applications to end users; Citrix Access Gateway 4.0 which is an
SSL VPN encryption appliance; and Password Manager 4.0, a single
sign-on solution.
Templeton added that the company will make some announcements in
the next couple of months about tools that will give better network
visibility and “end-to-end control” to the IT manager.
Citrix also discussed plans to integrate technology through the
acquisition of application acceleration company, NetScaler
announced last week, into the core Citrix Access suite.
NetScaler produces technology to speed up applications by up to
five times, according to its chief executive B.V. Jagadeesh. Its
software is used by companies including Merryl Lynch, the Royal
Bank of Scotland, Shell, Maersk, Ford and Wal-Mart.
NetScaler will carry out application load balancing, and also
integrate with Citrix’s presentation server, carrying out SSL
encryption processing, which traditionally ties up the processing
power of Citrix servers. As a result, this will speed up
Citrix-based applications, and IT departments won’t need to add
more servers, said Jagadeesh.
The sorts of applications NetScaler could accelerate include
“printing applications, email, and web applications, which will
reduce your total cost of operations,” he said.