In an experiment in cooperation with some collegues @ VMWare and CAPGemini we developed a virtualized, portable MS Groove environment that can be started from a USB device. We had to call in support from VMWare because ThinApp wouldn’t start Groove. After making a bug report VMWare took it up seriously and supplied me with a version that does work! We are definately moving forward here; Groove without any additional infrastructural needs or traditional installation, running without administrative credentials and from a portable device is now very real. (will it work on Windows 7? More work to be done…)
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On the 9th and 10th of june 2009, I visited the Citrix iForum Benelux 2009:
iForum is the event where virtualisation, networking and application delivery meet.
The 9th of june offered two workshops of which I attend the one hosted by CDG: ‘Optimizing your datacenter with Citrix and Novell Platespin’. Products covered where Novell Platespin Recon and Migrate, CItrix XenApp, XenServer, XenDesktop and Provisioning Server. The workshop featured a nice package of demo’s on screen. I think a Provisioning Server brings some very nice features to the Citrix productline. The main worry of every Citrix admin (how do I keep my XenApp servers identical? ) isn’t much of a challenge anymore with provisioning server, which streams a single read-only vDisk to every XenApp server via PXE. A major downside is obviously the load on the network at boot time.
After the workshop I checked into my hotel and prepared for an interesing evening programm fully loaded with “networkiwork related consumptions… Accompanied by a live performance of the greatest rock band The Netherlands have ever produced: Golden Earring (still going strong despite of being in their sixties).
The 10th of june was the “real” conference day; lots of workshops to choose from. With a very interesing opening keynote by Mark Templeton (CEO Citrix), introduced (in Double Dutch, quite understandable for native dutch speakers) by Rob van der Hoeven (Area Vice President Benelux). Mark Templeton presented his vision on tomorrows workspace and the direction Citrix is heading to provide solutions to the challenges of the (near) future. Introducing Dazzle as an iTunes-like portal where enduser can “shop” their own applicationset which can also incorporate 3rd party webapplications etc. Citrix Reciever for iPhone (windows mobile coming soon) bringing the amount of citrix clients down to (the power of) 1. Futhermore, introducing XenClient: a hypervisor solution for the desktop allowing endusers to switch easily between their own private OS and the controlled environment of the corporate desktop also availble for MAC. This promises to be a very interesting product indeed, especially because of its pricing: FREE Also free of charge is the use of XenServer, which is now the preferred platform for hosting XenApp and incorporated some interesting features like XenMotion (vMotion) at no additional costs… Since results of virualized XenApp environments on other (vmware) products varied, XenServer is definately the way to go!
My workshop program for the day:
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Keynote: Mark Templeton, CEO & President of Citrix Systems Inc. & Rob van der Hoeven, Area Vice President Citrix Systems Benelux
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Meet the Experts – Ask the hard questions! by Thomas Zell, Derek Thorslund, Simon Frost, Rob Sanders and Jan-Frans Lemmens
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LUNCH
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Closing keynote
All in all is has been a very interesting two days with lots to think about.
Mark Templeton announced Citrix Synergy is going to be extended to Europe and split into Synergy Autumn and Spring. So please all pre-register for
Synergy Autumn 2010 and keep an eye on the
Citrix iForum site and I’ll meet you there!
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