Microsoft is even working on improving Windows app development for running apps in the cloud.īoth Microsoft and Citrix will share tools to transition businesses from on-premises servers to Azure and work on a roadmap for flexible working that will include joint offerings of Citrix Workspace, Azure, Microsoft 365, and more. Windows Virtual Desktop usage has grown more than three times in recent months, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has prioritized work on both Microsoft Teams and Windows Virtual Desktops recently. Microsoft has been investing heavily in Windows Virtual Desktops recently, ever since the pandemic forced many businesses to shift to working from home. It’s a deal designed to speed up Citrix customers to move to the cloud and virtual desktops.
Microsoft is partnering with Citrix to use the company’s Citrix Workspace portal as its “preferred digital workspace solution,” and Citrix is using Microsoft Azure as its preferred cloud platform. In a blog announcing the LTSR 1912 release, Citrix product manager Aayush Agarwal noted that it marks a key milestone for Citrix Workspace app.Microsoft and Citrix have been working together closely for decades, but that partnership is going a step further today. The rollout of ThinOS 9.0 also comes a week following the release of the latest Citrix Workspace app update, Long Term Service Release (LTSR) 1912 for Windows. In addition to providing AES 256-bit encryption, ThinOS is designed to offer added protection to the underlying operating system, application and data by caching and credentials reside in RAM. Unlike the Linux and Windows operating systems for Wyse devices, ThinOS is a secure operating system preferred by health care providers, financial-services firms and government agencies that handle sensitive and confidential information. ThinOS is one of three operating systems Dell offers for Wyse thin clients - the other two are the more extensible Linux and Windows OSes that allow for third-party applications and drivers.
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In addition to incorporating Citrix Receiver, Workspace app incorporates related plugins from Citrix including NetScaler, XenMobile Secure Hub, a driver mapper to ShareFile, a secure browser, single sign-on to SaaS apps and data-loss prevention, among other features. “I don’t know of any that are not planning to move to Citrix Workspace app from the classic Citrix Receiver environment,” he said. Migrations from the traditional Citrix Receiver to the modern Citrix Workspace app are increasing rapidly, according to Waibel. Waibel, a 31-year veteran of Wyse, which Dell acquired in 2012, noted that Citrix is one of its oldest partners and estimated roughly half of Wyse thin clients now run ThinOS operate in Citrix environments. To be sure, ThinOS is a broker for Citrix, VMware Horizon, Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS) and Amazon WorkSpaces environments. Waibel indicated that future ThinOS updates will address added functionality and/or support to those platforms and others as well, though he declined to elaborate. Likewise, Citrix Workspace app support in ThinOS 9.0 came before providing native support for Microsoft’s new Windows Virtual Desktop, though Dell Wyse rival Igel has an exclusive window with Microsoft in working with WVD. It’s noteworthy that Citrix Workspace app, the cloud-native, virtual end-user computing environment released in 2018 that incorporates Citrix Receiver and other components, took precedence in ThinOS 9.0 over enhancing Dell Technologies’ own VMware Horizon Cloud and Workspace ONE. “We’ve seen a lot of renewed interest with individuals who are looking for solutions that they can basically send home to their customers to basically provide access to their existing virtual workspace environments.”
“It is off of the scale,” said Fred Waibel, fixed client project manager at Wyse, referring to the recent surge in demand. The release comes at an opportune time for Citrix and Dell partners that have found themselves suddenly needing to offer improved capabilities for the mounting number of their shared customers working at home due to extended quarantines stemming from COVID-19. Dell Wyse says its thin clients used in secure VDI environments by such industries as government, health care and finance can now offer the Citrix Workspace app a much-needed, more reliable user experience and performance boost with the release of ThinOS 9.0.Ī new version of the proprietary secure operating system is available starting today.