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    Citrix Pushes Desktop Virtualization in the Cloud

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    Ten Factors to Consider When Moving to the Cloud

    One of the benefits of cloud computing is that a lot of internal IT organizations are starting to appreciate is how much simpler deploying and managing desktop virtualization can become.

    Recognizing that capability, Citrix released updates to XenDesktop and XenApp that enable IT organizations to use Amazon Web Services (AWS) or any cloud platform that supports the Citrix Cloud by Apache CloudStack to manage desktop virtualization.

    In the age of mobile computing, Kevin Strohmeyer, director of product marketing at Citrix, says IT organizations can’t be certain how many desktops they will need to support or how much they will consume in terms of IT resources. In both instances, Citrix is leveraging its Flexcast architecture to provide IT organizations with a single console through which they can manage deployments, complete with end user personalization in the cloud to give users access to desktop services on demand.

    While desktop virtualization has not yet been widely adopted, the rise of mobile computing is starting to force the issue. IT organizations clearly want to maintain some level of control. But the days when they could mandate which devices are allowed to access corporate applications are pretty much over. Now IT organizations need a way to centrally manage desktop and mobile computing devices in such a way that the type of device or who actually owns it doesn’t matter.

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    Putting in place all the tools needed to make that happen is still a little more complex than it should be. But cloud computing affords an opportunity to at least reduce the cost of acquiring the infrastructure needed to support desktop virtualization. Of course, the degree to which desktop virtualization should run on premise or in the cloud will vary by organization. But chances are that most organizations will find themselves using both deployment models, depending on the nature and frequency of access any particular application requires.

    Mike Vizard
    Mike Vizard
    Michael Vizard is a seasoned IT journalist, with nearly 30 years of experience writing and editing about enterprise IT issues. He is a contributor to publications including Programmableweb, IT Business Edge, CIOinsight and UBM Tech. He formerly was editorial director for Ziff-Davis Enterprise, where he launched the company’s custom content division, and has also served as editor in chief for CRN and InfoWorld. He also has held editorial positions at PC Week, Computerworld and Digital Review.

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