The future of Citrix client software: the Citrix App Receiver

Written on Oct 24 2007 15,252 views, 12 comments

by Brian Madden

At today's technical keynote from Citrix iForum The App Delivery Expo, presented by Citrix, Citrix revealed and demoed their new client strategy, called "The Citrix App Receiver."

The idea is straightforward. Today there are many different, unrelated, and sometimes conflicting software clients from Citrix, including:

• The ICA client, for connecting to Presentation Servers and Desktop Server XenDesktop Servers.
• The streaming client, for running applications locally on a Windows workstation streamed down from Citrix Presentation Servers.
• The Citrix EasyCall client, for invoking phone calls from your client device via the corporate phone network.
• The Citrix Access Gateway client, for connecting to CAGs in an SSL-VPN way.
• The Advanced Access Control endpoint analytics scanning engine, which is used to determine the capabilities of your client device and whether it is vulnerable to security problems.
• The WANscaler software client, for WAN acceleration between central offices and mobile users.
• The EdgeSight for Endpoints client, which runs on a workstation and sends usage and performance metrics to a central server.
• The Citrix Online GoToMeeting client, for participating in online meetings.
• The Citrix GoToAssist client, allowing users to summon support from their helpdesk.
• Third-party plugins across the board, that enable additional functionality to any one of these clients.

The idea moving forward is that Citrix will make one single client called "The Citrix App Receiver." The app receiver will be something like a framework client that can receive plug-ins to enable specific functionality. Each of these items that was previously a standalone client will snap-in to the App Receiver.

Citrix used the cable TV industry "set-top box" analogy, where you have a receiver that can receive programming, messages, program guides, etc., as a service. Citrix wants to do the same thing for applications with the App Receiver. 

Comments

Andy Eccles wrote Hmmmmmm.

on Wed, Oct 24 2007 1:59 PM

On the basis that this is similar to how the Access Management Console started: Take a zillion consoles and make one behemoth one (and now no-one likes it) then is it really a good idea?

Or put another way, it does sound like a very interesting idea. But can Citrix pull it off!?!?

Cheers
Andy

Allan Harder wrote Heard it here first

on Wed, Oct 24 2007 2:07 PM

This is an excellent idea. If it is developed with care and precision, this will really be a welcome technology. Congratulations to Citrix for showing that they are starting to show signs of anticipating what the admins/users of their products want. If I would have dreamed up the idea myself, I never would have thought Citrix would have the initiative to actually develop it. However, I don't have to worry about that as it seems they not only thought of it but are well on their way to delivering it. Did they mention any time frames for release of the App Receiver to the public at large?

Craig Miller wrote Sound like Symantec / Altiris

on Wed, Oct 24 2007 2:32 PM

Sounds alot like what Altiris has been doing. The Altiris Agent for a workstation can now be your Symantec Antivirus, Symantec Spyware, Symantec Firewall, Symantec VPN, HP System Management, Dell System Management, etc. (the list goes on and on). It's sort of the one stop shop, just add the plugins. Then you can manage all of these from one interface in the Altiris Notification Server.

Brian Madden wrote Re: Heard it here first

on Wed, Oct 24 2007 3:23 PM

They didn't mention time frames. However, they did demo it, so it's at least real code running somewhere. I'll go check it out in the Tech Lab later today.

Tim Mangan wrote Icon look familiar?

on Wed, Oct 24 2007 3:54 PM

Someone pointed out to me that the icon Citrix used for the Receiver looks a heck of a lot like the RTO logo just rotated 45 degrees. Ha!

Tony wrote Re: Sound like Symantec / Altiris

on Wed, Oct 24 2007 10:24 PM

I was thinking the same thing! A core client with sub-clients for different features.

Guest wrote XEN

on Thu, Oct 25 2007 7:46 AM

Where the Xen Client integration to simplify deployment of VDI ?

Guest wrote So now the client MSI will be 22.4 MB? ;)

on Thu, Oct 25 2007 8:23 AM

j/k

Daniel Panek wrote Re: So now the client MSI will be 22.4 MB? ;)

on Thu, Oct 25 2007 9:15 AM

The Program Files folder of a customized ICA client already measures around 30MB ;)

Jeff Crosswell wrote good idea but could complicate things a bit

on Thu, Oct 25 2007 1:25 PM

The Citrix client is so big now. This could easily spin out of control. If we could get a small client, like the ica32t.exe, to start with then add on features as needed, that would be great. Citrix needs a small baseline client for Citrix Presentation Server (No streaming). That is still there flagship product.

Guest wrote Cable TV a perfect analogy!!

on Fri, Oct 26 2007 2:05 PM

Did anyone else catch the irony? Another service where you only use about 2% of what you pay for!

Seriously, my summary of iForum=good ideas, interesting vision, no details... I'll cut them some slack since they finalized the Xen deal the day before. Maybe this is why they bumped the next conference up to May but in my opinion they should give everyone at this conference 1/2 off the one in May.

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