SAN FRANCISCO--The industry has moved closer to a new era of virtual computing with the unveiling of a new "bare metal" client-based hypervisor that allows users to run multiple virtual machines on a single laptop, according to Citrix Systems.
First announced in January last year, the Citrix XenClient sits directly on the user's device rather than the server and is optimized for Intel vPro-based systems, leveraging the chipmaker's vPro remote management technology.
This "bare metal" hypervisor architecture provides better performance and security on the client-device, and will help usher desktop virtualization into mainstream adoption, said Citrix President and CEO Mark Templeton during his keynote at the annual Citrix Synergy summit here Wednesday.
With XenClient, users will be able to run multiple virtual machines--for example, one configured to run stress tests and another to contain personal apps and settings--directly on their computer. This will allow IT administrators the ability to ensure critical corporate apps and data are managed in secured desktop environment, while still offering users the flexibility to install personal apps in a separate virtual machine on the same desktop.
A free trial and evaluation kit of the client hypervisor, dubbed XenClient Express, is currently available as a download and Citrix is hoping this will entice companies to try out desktop virtualization in small deployments. The actual XenClient offering will be released only in the second half of this year together with the next release of XenDesktop, according to Citrix executives who said pricing details were not available as yet because the company's primary objective for now is to drive a wider distribution of the product.
The new offering includes Synchronizer for XenClient, which allows users to work offline and syncs the virtual machines when users are able to connect to the network. There is also Receiver for XenClient, a software client that enables users to create and manage their virtual desktops and apps via a range of devices including PCs and the Apple iPad and iPhone.
XenClient has been tested and certified to run on Hewlett-Packard and Dell Computer vPro-based systems, though in theory it should work on other vPro systems, according to Sai Allavarpu, Citrix's senior director of product marketing of delivery networks product group. The company is looking to extend the hardware support to include other PC vendors.
Allavarpu told ZDNet Asia there are currently no plans to extend XenClient availability to include AMD systems.
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