Citrix has reacted to criticisms from IT departments of the
user-based licensing of itsXenDesktop 4product and introduced more flexibility
into its payment options.
The virtualised desktop product was launched a fortnight ago
with the promise of helping to extend the fledgling virtual desktop
infrastructure market, but with licensing charged on a per-user
basis and not by the device, it caused headaches for some
users.
"Feedback from numerous surveys and one-to-one conversations
found that some customers needed additional flexibility to license
virtual desktops based on devices, rather than users," wrote Sumit
Dhawan, vice-president for Citrix XenDesktop in a
blog
post.
"Amidst all the positive responses, however, it also became
clear that we missed a few important things on the licensing and
packaging front in our initial announcement," he said.
The supplier has announced that following the criticisms it will
be offering flexible licensing based on the user or the device
both, at the same price.
Ewen Anderson, managing director at consultancy Centralis, said
that the change of heart from Citrix was a relief for those selling
the product.
"It is great to see them respond to customer pressure. Whether
this was mis-designed or just mis-communicated, the end result is
that customers get access to highly beneficial new technology
without having to swallow a new licensing module," he said.
A version of this story appeared on
MicroScope.
