Citrix Systems Inc., system software
developers for server-based computing technology, Tuesday created an Internet business unit to expand its role in
the rapidly developing application service provider market.
The Citrix iBusiness unit will deliver solutions based on existing Citrix
server-based computing products and technologies, as well as evolving
Web-based technologies.
Building on the company’s base of ASP partners, the new unit will recruit
and provide Citrix products to ASPs who deploy and manage a wide range of
client/server and web-based applications. The unit will also focus on the
delivery of new Citrix technologies and products aimed at the emerging Web
applications market. Future server-based products will support a thin,
interactive user interface for Web-based applications deployable on any
device across any network.
“Over the last year, we’ve seen a growing number of general-purpose and
industry-specific business processes being outsourced. ASPs have emerged as
the critical channel for the deployment and management of the applications
behind these outsourced business processes,” said Mark Templeton, Citrix
president and chief executive officer.
The unit will be led by vice president and general manager, Chris Phoenix,
former general manager of APM Ltd/Digitivity Inc., a Java application
deployment company acquired by Citrix in 1998.
“Citrix has delivered the infrastructure at the heart of many of those
implementations, and the formation of the iBusiness unit, under Chris’
leadership, is our response to customer and partner demand for Citrix to
focus on and pick up speed in this growing market,” added Templeton.
“The infrastructure requirements for applications delivered by an ASP are
remarkably similar to the requirements for application deployment and
management within many of our large enterprise customers,” Phoenix said.
“Our customers want to select best of breed applications and to take
advantage of multiple application architectures, including two- and
three-tier client/server applications, Web-based applications, or a
combination.”
In upcoming weeks, the company expects to announce formal programs and
certification for its ASP partners as well as product and technology
directions to support ASP market demands.
Citrix is currently known for its Windows-based thin-client technology and
solutions for companies deploying SAP-class applications over wide-area
networks.