There have been nearly 10,000 runs of the (free) XenApp Upgrade Calculator, which launched in 1Q08. Customers and partners alike have found it valuable in making cost comparisons between applying a Subscription Advantage (SA) budget and upgrading editions of XenApp. Since the first year of SA is included in all XenApp edition upgrades, upgrading at SA renewal frequently makes financial sense.  Here is what a couple of partners have said about the current calculator:

• "I hear customers ask all of the time... "What would be the cost difference between upgrading my existing solution and just getting the latest?" Citrix made it happen again, nice tool!"
  (Citrix Platinum Partner)

• "Time Saver!! When the customer wants to know what the cost savings are compared to the upgrade, here is the tool for it. Way to go Citrix!"
  (Citrix Platinum Partner)

 The next version of the XenApp Upgrade Calculator is imminently available. Some of the new functionality includes:

• Country pricing
• Volume discounts
• Feedback
• Download of XenApp Evaluation Virtual Appliance

Stay tuned for the announcement on this blog and let us know what you think about either the current calculator or the next version.

WOW....it's almost been a year since we launched the Platinum Edition of Presentation Server!  What has made this new top-level edition of Presentation Server so popular?  Well, several reasons I think:

1.  Complete end-to-end application delivery solution all-in-one offering.  No need to buy each of the piece parts separately and hope that you can get them to work together.  Now it's all from one vendor, Citrix, and they WILL work together else "one throat to choke".

2.  All of the cool new features!  Application Performance Monitoring, SmartAuditor, SmartAccess, Single Sign-On, Application Streaming, and EasyCall.

3.  The price it right!  It only takes interest in one or two of the new features to justify the ROI.  Most of the new features are available to expand your existing Enterprise or Advanced environment, but for the cost, you are better off upgrading to Platinum.  Take a look at the math.

4.  Existing customers are using Subscription Advantage renewal budget for upgrades.  See blog on "Presentation Server Upgrade Calculator" by Sridhar Mullapudi.  By adding a few additional dollars to the already planned Subscription Advantage renewal budget, customers are upgrading to Platinum and getting all of the additional value.

5.  The anticipation of what the future might bring.  Besides all of the value that Platinum currently has, what other cool technologies might Citrix add to the Platinum edition in the future - the possiblities are endless!  Remember, it only takes an active subscription advantage to be eligilbe for anything that gets added - so stay tuned!

As the Product Manager for Presentation Server Platinum, let me know what you think.   Have you moved to Platinum?  If so, what drove you there?  If not, are you planning to?  Why or why not?  Also let me know what technologies you'd like to see in this edition in the future. 

Are you planning to renew your Subscription Advantage for Presentation Server licenses in the near future? Check out this calculator that tells you the dollars saved to upgrade to a higher Presentation Server edition using your Subscription Advantage budget. Remember that all upgraded editions of Presentation Server include the first year of Subscription Advantage.

You just need to give 3 pieces of information to get the savings - the number of licenses you plan to renew, your current edition and your desired edition.