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Rumor: Citrix to buy Softricity?

Written on Aug 12 2003

Filed under: Citrix, Application Streaming, Rumors, Industry Buzz

9,589 views, 13 comments

by Brian Madden

Let's face it... Citrix needs a way to differentiate themselves from Microsoft. Microsoft's RDP protocol is now just as good as ICA. Microsoft has RDP clients for Windows and Mac, and you can get third-party RDP clients for Java and Linux. Citrix's big advantage is load-balancing, application publishing, and seamless windows. However, there are now other companies offering these features at less cost than Citrix. (Tarantella New Moon Canaveral iQ, DAT Panther, and maybe even Microsoft's new Bear Paw?)

So, what's Citrix to do? We know the future of the Win32 application delivery model is limited (even if it's 5 to 10 years, it's still limited). Citrix tried to become a portal company by buying Sequoia, but that didn't really change anything and their products are almost completely gone. Citrix does have some cool fringe products (Password Manager OEM'd from Passlogix and Conferencing Manager), but it's not like these products are going to define the company.

Companies like Appsense, Softricity (and maybe triCerat to some extent) make tools that "help" Citrix. But let's face it, they really make tools that "help people not use Citrix."

To compete, Citrix is really focusing on packaging their solution into a simple and secure way to manage application access (the "On Demand Enterprise") in your environment. Softricity's ingenious SoftGrid application delivery and publishing model could be just the thing that Citrix needs to spice up their lineup…

Comments

Guest wrote please please Citrix, buy Softricity...

on 12-12-2004 1:22 PM

This message was originally posted by Brian Lilley on May 3, 2004
my organisation needs the stuff softricity says it can do... but the costs are prohibitive!

Application virtualization would be just the stop-gap for the next ten years.

Guest wrote What a great idea Citrix to buy softricity

on 12-12-2004 1:22 PM

This message was originally posted by an anonymous visitor on May 14, 2004
Application virtualisation combined with the power of citrix and it's partners would revolutionalise utility computing - Bring it on!

Guest wrote Another Idea

on 12-12-2004 1:31 PM

This message was originally posted by Keith D on August 13, 2004
I find the idea of Softricity buying someone like a TriCerat an interesting proposition. Think of it. Anyway, whatever it takes to get the pricing down on Softricity is good with me. We can't all be Fortune 500 companies.

Guest wrote Leverage

on 12-12-2004 1:31 PM

This message was originally posted by CTX_Engineer on August 19, 2004
I met the Softricity guys over a year ago, and was fortunate enough
to see the SoftGrid product up-close-n-personal from its early days.
I've also seen what sequencing applications can to do improve a
fairly large Citrix implementation...

From almost the first time Server-based Computing engineers SEE the
SoftGrid product, the question immediately pops up: "Well heck man,
with SoftGrid, why do I even *need* Citrix??" (You may or may not know
that a sequenced app can be streamed directly to the desktop...).

SoftGrid is much more than just a "tool" for Citrix; it is a direct
THREAT to Citrix, because the next version will do anything and everything
Citrix can do, and more. If Mark T was smart, he'd buy SoftGrid immediately,
and attempt to capture the Virtual Application market.

But here's the deal: Softricity holds the cards, and I doubt if Citrix
development has a Killer Product in its dev cycle. So perhaps Softricity
doesn't WANT to sell yet... Perhaps Scott and his crew want, themselves,
to be king of the Virtual Application space... Brian's right: With
TS 2003 squeezing from one side, and SoftGrid squeezing from the other,
the Florida-based Citrix camp might be "pulp" at some point in the near
future...

V MD wrote What if Citrix developed Softricity competitor

on 01-20-2005 4:49 PM

So if Citrix developed a Sotricity competitor is Softricity toast? They are dependent on the Metaframe or Windows Terminal Servers and if Citrix offered a product customers would rather buy application virtualization from Citrix. Correct? What do you guys think?

I.J. de Mes wrote RE: What if Citrix developed Softricity competitor

on 01-21-2005 5:27 AM

Hi there,

it's actually quiet funny you mention it, because I am playing a little bit the tech preview of MPS4.0 and this contains AIE (Application Isolation Environments). Not much documentation can be found about this item. For what I have seen it could be an alternative for Softgrid.

\\ijdemes

V MD wrote Re: RE: What if Citrix developed Softricity competitor

on 01-25-2005 10:36 AM

What is MPS4.0 that contains AIE (Application Isolation Environments)?

Guest wrote not gonna happen

on 04-21-2005 7:35 PM

Let's look at the history.
- Softricity got itself into serious trouble by hiring a few Citrix salespeople. Rumor has it that the offers were made at their desks while they still worked for Citrix.
- Softricity lost its premier partnership with Citrix, partly as a result of the former.
- Citrix offers a suite of apps and can, given its size and resources, engineer its own solution. Softricity is a company of about 60-80 people and offers one solution that can operate in two modes.
Conclusion: Citrix will likely develop its own solution rather than purchase or absorb Softricity.

Guest wrote Re: not gonna happen

on 05-13-2005 12:33 PM

You obviously do not know any of the history of this market, the comment about Citrix having the resources to develop anything it likes is laughable. Do 'Project Vertigo', 'Edge Server', VideoFrame or Extranet ring any bells?

Something being possible is not the same as being probable.

Jose D. Crespo wrote Microsoft Acquires Softricity Application Virtualization Company

on 05-22-2006 6:59 PM

May 22, 2006, Today Microsoft announced they will buy application virtualization software provider Softricity. Softricity are the pioneers of the on-demand virtual application computing model for application management and deployment. For those of you new Softricity, their SoftGrid solution changes the paradigm of how applications are run and managed, through true virtualization of the application. Their solution allows for applications to be completely insulated from the operating system and from each otherâ€¦

Ouch!

Brian Madden wrote RE: Microsoft Acquires Softricity Application Virtualization Company

on 05-22-2006 7:54 PM

Why do you say ouch to this?

Brian

Jose D. Crespo wrote RE: Microsoft Acquires Softricity Application Virtualization Company

on 05-22-2006 8:07 PM

It's just an expresion... Some people thought (or wished) that Citrix was going into that direction (of buying Softricity) and all of a sudden boom! Microsoft bought it! We're going to see some interesting months ahead...

Guest wrote as time goes by

on 08-07-2006 12:34 PM

it gets quite funny to read all of this again :)

Guest wrote Re: as time goes by

on 01-11-2008 5:39 PM

Very funny. It's no wonder Citrix is the most boring IT company in the world. The people who work there just don't want to change. They want to rest on the customer base they built up during the 1990s. Citrix is rapidly becoming obsolete and irrelavent. I don't think they will go away any time soon because they have so many bureaucracies as customers, but they will never be the company they were under Ed Iacobucci.

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