Citrix Acquires Unidesk to Ease VDI Deployments

Citrix Systems has acquired Unidesk to ease XenApp, XenDesktop and VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) deployments. The deal surfaced today at Citrix Summit 2017, the company's major partner conference.

Unidesk invented so-called "application layering" technology, Citrix claims. Layering separates apps from the underlying operating system. As a result, apps can be managed once and delivered from any end user computing solution to any device, Citrix asserts.

Going forward, Citrix will layer Unidesk technology into XenApp and XenDesktop. The move should empower channel partners and MSPs to more easily deliver and manage apps and desktops in the cloud, on-premises and in hybrid deployment environments, the company says.

Citrix will continue to sell Unidesk as a standalone product for VMware Horizon and Microsoft virtual desktop deployment customers, the company added.

Hosted Desktops and Partner Profits

VDI, hosted desktops, and desktops as a service (DaaS) are growing opportunities. But they still introduce a range of pricing and profit margin challenges for channel partners -- especially since the partners don't actually control the intellectual property or software licensing models.

However, Citrix now has the right blend of technologies and pricing programs to help partners with their profit models, Channel Chief Craig Stilwell told ChannelE2E in a conference preview briefing last week.

Track all Citrix Summit 2017 news and analysis here.