News

Citrix and Intel Forge Virtualization Pact

• By Rutrell Yasin
• 01/23/2009

Citrix will offer application and desktop virtualization solutions optimized for Intel Core 2 desktops and Centrino 2 laptops with Intel vPro technology.

Citrix's Xen-based desktop hypervisor will be tuned to work with Intel Virtualization technology and other features of Intel vPro. A hypervisor allows multiple operating systems to run on a host machine. This new client hypervisor will be made available to PC manufacturers and enterprises worldwide.

The combined technology will let information technology professionals dynamically stream a centrally managed corporate desktop, and all related applications, directly into a secure, isolated, client-based virtual machine, Citrix officials said.

Unlike server-based desktop virtualization technologies, this approach caches and executes desktop and application software directly on the PC client, enabling high-performance, rich graphics and full off-network mobility for laptop users, the officials said.

The combination of centralized desktop and application management should reduce the cost of managing systems for a mobile workforce while also strengthening security. For example, Intel vPro technology provides remote management and security capabilities. With vPro technology-enabled devices, IT managers can troubleshoot and potentially repair a PC even if its operating system or hard drive has been disabled.

The hypervisor and Intel technology will be packaged in an upcoming solution from Citrix code-named Project Independence, scheduled for the second half of 2009.