Recently, I have heard many talk about how to deliver better application experience over WAN to branch users with flat or shrinking IT budgets?

Is delivering a better IT experience to branch or mobile users truly "priceless"? Or do you really need to demonstrate ROI?

It usually takes a lot longer than a year for something to become a 'cliche'. But the current global economic recession has created one of the quickest 'cliches' - 'Flat is the new Growth!' - flat revenues, and flat IT budgets alike.

Faced with flat or shrinking IT budgets, many organizations are clearly and rigorously prioritizing the highest ROI projects, focusing on doing more with less. Increasingly, the following lexicon has taken on a new level of significance and has become part of the IT budgeting process - time-to-ROI, payback time, hard or direct ROI, soft or indirect ROI and so on.

WAN Optimization is one of the very few technologies where IT spend is actually growing while spend on many other technologies is shrinking. In earlier blogs, I blogged about how good the user experience can be with the right WAN optimization solution. But if you are an IT decision maker, you are looking for hard dollar ROI to justify those investments.

We recently published a web-based ROI calculator, designed to show our customers the great savings opportunities available with Citrix Branch Repeater for XenApp and XenDesktop customers. Why don't you try out the calculator and let us know your feedback? We are looking to updating this tool soon based on your feedback.

You may cut and paste the URL in your browser: http://www.citrix.com/English/ps2/products/feature.asp?contentID=1858204.

I look forward to your comments or feedback.

Happy ROI!,

Sai

Mac users out there have long been asking for and waiting for a rich and secure remote access experience with Access Gateway solutions. Now the wait is over. Mac users can now download the Access Gateway plug-in for Mac from MyCitrix.

Access Gateway team has made available Mac OX X plug-in for Access Gateway 4.6 Standard Edition and Access Gateway 9.1 Enterprise Edition:

- The user experience of the plug-in conforms to the native Mac experience, providing rich user experience.

- Mac users can securely connect to their remote applications, leveraging pre- and post-authentication endpoint scans to confirm to their corporate security policies. For stronger security, when the remote Mac user logs off,  the plug-in also destroys any session data (cache, cookies, etc) on the client.

- With globalization features, the plug-in brings this new experience to English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese users.

If you are a Mac user, I encourage you to go to the downloads section on MyCitrix and select Citrix Access Gateway from the drop-down menu of 'Search Downloads by Product", then find "Access Gateway Plug-in for Mac OS X, Version 1.0.2.23" under the Clients section.

If you are using this new plug-in, please share your experience with me and what you would like to see next.

Sai

What if you could deliver online (published) apps through XenApp 6 times faster to your branch office workers? Or increase XenApp ICA print throughput by 38 times?

Well, now you can accelerate ICA with Branch Repeater and XenApp. Find out the benefits for yourselves by downloading Turbocharge applications to your branch offices CTX122321 whitepaper. 
Please share with us your experiences, results and thoughts.

Sai

Other relevant blogs: http://community.citrix.com/blogs/citrite/saia/

Are you a XenApp customer or partner wondering how to further accelerate the delivery of XenApp to branch office workers? And yet not upgrade your WAN bandwidth? And save a ton on OPEX for WAN services? Well, you can now check out the success story about how Neogen used Branch Repeater to:

• Accelerate XenApp ICA performance by 400 percent at branch offices
• Reduce IT help desk calls by 15 percent
• Raise throughput on existing bandwidth by six times
• Achieve 35 percent savings in operational expenses for WAN services

Happy accelerating!

Sai

Ever got frustrated with how long it takes to email a large report or presentation after incorporating your manager's feedback? Or found yourself in a plane wishing the email downloaded faster when the flight attendant asks you to turn off your 3G-equipped laptop? Or wished for a solution that could deliver email 50 times faster?

Did you know our WAN optimization solution, Citrix Branch Repeater, delivers superior user experience and application performance not only for branch office users but also for remote and teleworkers?

No one feels the need for speed more than a remote user or a teleworker with a low-bandwidth or a high- latency network connection. These users typically use an SSL VPN, such as Citrix Access Gateway, to connect to their corporate network and access email, intranet portals, other applications and data. When your IT augments secure remote access (Access Gateway) infrastructure with Branch Repeater, you can benefit from both secure and accelerated remote access.

Well, now we have two reports that demonstrate ways to use Branch Repeater to augment your Access Gateway infrastructure and the resulting benefits of accelerating secure remote access.

You can download the Turbocharge Access Gateway Performance Report - CTX121034 from the Citrix Knowledge Center. The report explores the benefits of using Access Gateway and Repeater plug-ins for Citrix Receiver together:
• 50x faster Microsoft Outlook and Exchange (MAPI) workflows
• 50x faster Microsoft SharePoint (HTTP) workflows
• 30x faster Windows File Shares (CIFS) workflows

I think you will want to try out the benefits of turbocharged remote access. Check out the Turbocharge Access Gateway Deployment Guide and Reference Architecture - CTX121035 if you want to conduct a POC (proof of concept) or a demo to convince your IT or other decision makers. You will be your end-users hero for providing them with an accelerated yet secure remote access.

I am glad to share with you all the news about our Citrix Branch Repeater 5.5. Building on our momentum with XenApp optimization (via the ICA acceleration feature) released earlier this year, we announced today the availability of our newest Citrix Branch Repeater 5.5. Among the many benefits this release delivers, check out the following key highlights:

•  Microsoft Exchange (MAPI) optimization accelerates Exchange email for branch and mobile users by up to 50X while reducing bandwidth consumption. You also get these benefits if you are streaming Microsoft Outlook with XenApp or Microsoft App-V because streamed Outlook application behaves just like a native application from a network perspective - a streamed Outlook will talk MAPI to the Exchange server in the datacenter.  Here is a sneak peek of email acceleration benefits from an upcoming performance whitepaper (available soon): 
   
  
  
   
• Branch Repeater with Windows Server 2008  enables consolidation of essential branch services with Microsoft's most advanced server operating system - Windows Server 2008. Customers now have a choice of deploying Branch Repeater appliances built on either Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008. As before, we continue to offer the non-Windows version of Branch Repeater as well.

• • Of the many powerful capabilities in the Windows Server 2008 operating system, the Read-Only Domain Controller (RODC) feature is one I would like to highlight.  RODC allows you to securely deploy Domain Controller in a branch office for faster Windows authentication and login times. This also helps improve the security posture of IT infrastructure in branch offices.
• With the availability of Repeater Plug-in for Citrix Receiver Branch Repeater now provides WAN acceleration benefits for the already easy-to-use Receiver software client. Receiver provides a consistent and intuitive user experience, and simplifies client distribution and updates. For instance, if you want a single client that provides secure access, SSL VPN client and WAN optimization benefits, then Citrix Receiver is a great way to simplify the client distribution and improve the user experience. This now truly provides simple, fast and secure access to applications from anywhere, whether you are working remotely or in a branch office. I encourage you to try it out and share your experiences with us. 
  

Stay tuned for a series of blog posts that explore some of the features in detail.

I encourage you to check out the newest Branch Repeater 5.5 and share your experiences with me at sai.allavarpu@citrix.com.

Sai

We are all guilty from time to time.....go on and admit it. It's not just our kids that are eating all of those chicken nuggets! They would never be confused with a gourmet meal, but they do have some advantages over chicken cordon bleu from a fancy French restaurant. They are tasty and small but filling, and sometimes they hit the spot. You can buy them at the drive-thru, pay for them with your loose change, and eat them while you drive. They are easy to access, easy to consume, and get right to the point.

Product training rarely hit the bullseye when it comes to giving you just what you need, when you need it. Companies so often shoot for chicken cordon bleu and it becomes information overload when you're just looking for specific information on a single topic.  I think we have hit the mark with the new XenApp Fundamentals training videos. They are free of charge and readily available on the Citrix SMB Portal. There are four "How-To" videos that range in length from 5 to 15 minutes. The videos cover topics like, how to configure a Xenapp Fundamentals server, or just how to setup licensing, remote access, or security. The topics were chosen based on their popularity in the Citrix Support Knowledgebase.

Take a minute and check out the new portal; it's a great resource for easy to find, and easy to use white papers, technical training and sales and marketing tools, focused on XenApp Fundamentals. I'm sure it will hit the spot.

Follow us on Twitter @CitrixSMB

Check out the newest Branch Repeater customer case study posted on citrix.com at http://citrix.com/English/aboutCitrix/caseStudies/caseStudy.asp?storyID=1855157
 Lately I have been discussing with partners and customers about how enterprises pursuing M&A strategy or with distributed branch offices often face the kind of challenges that Consolidated Graphics faced. Enterprises with far flung offices and locations are now looking at ways to reduce the cost of delivering applications to branch offices while improving user experience and productivity. Check out the case study to see how Consolidated Graphics:

• • Enabled datacenter consolidation for cost savings
  • Simplified IT administration
  • Doubled throughput on existing T1 lines, avoiding need for network upgrades
  • Improved the user experience at branches

Happy reading!

Sai
Twitter:@SaiAllavarpu

Citrix Branch Repeater: http://www.citrix.com/English/ps2/products/product.asp?contentID=1350184

Hopefully by now you will have noticed that the Access Essentials name has changed to XenApp Fundamentals, so the big question is - why didn't we just call it XenApp Essentials ?

It might not surprise you that I've been asked this a LOT over the last couple of months.  The answer however is a little more surprising - it is all down to going global!  Whilst the global economy is the worst that we've experienced since the birth of modern computing, it's  a well kept secret that SMB customers are still spending on IT.  It was recently noted by Forrester that  "SMB IT spending will grow 3.2% in 2009 (vs. a decline of 3% overall)".
That's why we are defying the recession and expanding our markets with XenApp Fundamentals.  By taking XenApp Fundamentals to China, we are localising a Citrix product in Chinese for the first time, and quite simply Fundamentals translated better than Essentials! 

Coming back to the point of SMBs defying the recession, it's a theory I've had for a while (well, actually borrowed from Darwin) and one which was recently validated by a partner so I thought it was worth sharing.  There are over 50 million SMBs worldwide, and in times like these one of Darwin's strongest theories comes into play - survival of the fittest.  SMBs that grasp the opportunity, and use technology to gain a competitive edge, are the ones that will win.  Those that drastically cut costs in an attempt to maintain profitability are unlikely to survive as customer service generally suffers.

Many of our XenApp Fundamentals customers demonstrate the fundamental   - (pun intended )  impact that delivering real-time application access to anyone, anywhere can have.  For example, Trevor Jones, a thriving accountancy firm in the UK, increased its billable hours by 33% by enabling greater employee productivity. Another SMB, a recruitment company, increased its connectivity by 40% even though they already had a VPN, which had a significant impact on their customer service. The stats sound great don't they, but put simply, SMB customers can actually gain strength and market share by using technology that enables its people to work more productively.

So back to that partner who confirmed my theory - they had a customer that purchased XenApp Fundamentals and it had such a positive impact on their business, they were able to gain a significant competitive advantage. They went on to use the solution as part of their expansion strategy by delivering their existing systems to their newly acquired competitors. It is no surprise, they've quickly outgrown the 75 user limit and are now upgrading to XenApp Enterprise!

So there you have it, the secret is out. SMBs are where it's at, especially those who have the  vision to see this downturn through.  My other secret is that we have recently launched a new Citrix SMB partner portal (well, it's not so much of a secret now that 400 of you are already using it). Here you'll find everything you need to sell XenApp Fundamentals, including some fantastic new technical training and marketing campaigns.  Check it out at www.citrix.com/partners/smb   and if you have a XenApp Fundamentals customer you would like to shout about, let's do it! Just let us know !!!

Follow XenApp Fundamentals on twitter @ http://twitter.com/CitrixSMB \\

I have two very exciting announcement to make here: 1) Access Essentials 3.0 for Windows Server 2008 reached RTM, and 2) the launch of Access Essentials at Microsoft Virtual Launch Event for Essential Server Solutions on Nov 12.

Citrix Access Essentials 3.0 for Windows Server 2008 has achieved Release To Manufacturing (RTM). This is a major milestone for this remote access solution targeted at small businesses. Earlier this year, I posted about a number of features/enhancements that will be available in this release on Windows Server 2008, including support for Windows Server 2008, SpeedScreen technologies, as well as integration with Microsoft's new mid-size business offering - Windows  Essentials Business Servers (EBS). I want to focus on our integration with EBS - see a screenshot below. Notice Citrix Servers, Sessions, Applications and Licenses tab - they enable IT generalists to manage their day-to-day Access Essentials operations (add/remove users to applications deliver by CAE, shadow users to help expedite helpdesk support, and more) right from the Essential Business Server management console. 

This integration is especially critical for mid-size businesses, where you have maybe 1 or 2 IT generalists covering a wide range of IT task. That means IT generalists at small and mid-size organization will have a single, seamless management experience for application delivery (via CAE), and their email, system, security (via EBS).

For small to mid-size business looking for a secure, remote access solution, I would encourage you to sign up for the Microsoft Virtual Launch Event for Essential Server Solutions on November 12! The Access Essentials team will be on-hand, virtually, to answer your questions. Register now for Windows Essentials Server Solutions Virtual Launch Event!

In the last couple of months, there have been a number of blogs added on this site covering the progress of Project Delaware -- the next release of XenApp (new name for Presentation Server) for Windows Server 2008. At the same time, another team of talented engineers has also been working on the next release of Citrix Access Essentials (CAE), codename Project Eden. Like its bigger XenApp sibling, Access Essentials projects are also named after rivers; however, in our case, Access Essentials projects are named after rivers "across the pond" - that is, in the U.K.  Project Eden has three main objectives:

1. Support Windows Server 2008 - Microsoft has introduced a number of enhancements in Windows Server 2008, including improved management, security and printing. As the adoption of Windows Server 2008 ramps up for the small to mid-size business (usually more rapidly because they have more flexibility to change), let's make sure customers can continue to leverage AE on this new OS platform. 
2. Integrate with Microsoft's new mid-size business offering, Essential Business Server (EBS) or codename "Centro". If you follow the SMB space, undoubtedly you've heard of "Centro" or Essential Business Server. You've probably also seen Citrix mentioned in one of the many EBS industry write-ups or the Citrix logo on a Microsoft EBS' blog post.
3. Deliver features to improve usability and enhance end-user experience. As an example, CAE 2.0 introduced SpeedScreen technology of Browser and Image Acceleration. Project Eden will deliver the additional SpeedScreen technology currently available in XenApp product for CAE customers.

Obviously there are more features and details not mentioned here, but, as you can see already, there are many exciting things going on with Access Essentials. So, even though the last CAE blog was posted some time ago, don't despair. You can expect to see more CAE coverage in the up-coming months! As the new Product Manager of CAE, I am very excited about this product and its future! If you are currently a CAE customer, I would love to hear about your experience with CAE. You can reach me by clicking on my name/profile above. If you are new to CAE, you can learn more about it here.