News from Citrix Synergy
I'm blogging the Citrix Synergy keynote in real time. I'll be adding to things that strike me as interesting to this post as announcements are made.

I’m blogging the Citrix Synergy keynote in real time. I’ll be adding to things that strike me as interesting to this post as announcements are made. Unfortunately, I didn’t think about making a crazy cool AJAX out of band update, so you’ll have to refresh your browser. You can follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/JasonConger as well for snippets.
XenClient
In beta for a while, XenClient is now released to the public. The vision of a client hypervisor is moving toward offline VDI. Citrix will use a technology called Synchronizer to keep the virtual desktop on the XenClient client machine synchronized with a remote copy in the data center. Another cool feature is the ability to send a “kill pill” to the XenClient VM. I think this is a very significant announcement. One word of caution, there is a limited subset of workstations that XenClient supports.
HDX Nitro
There are a lot of announcements surrounding HDX. HDX “Nitro” includes several sub technologies:
- Project Mach 3 will give you 3x performance
- Project Laser is for printing performance
- Project Zoom is application pre-launch for instant connection
- Project Mercury is for WAN acceleration
Check out more on HDX Nitro at http://hdx.citrix.com/nitro
Dazzle
Dazzle was shown at the last 2 Synergy conferences. I like the idea of where Dazzle wants to go – user self-service, but it still lacks some functionality. Workflow approval has been shown as a demo, but still doesn’t exist yet. I also think some of the excessive eye candy animations need to go. Check it out for yourself here: http://www.citrix.com/tv/#search/dazzle
Twitter updates from the event:
- RT @joeshonk #CitrixSynergy Quote of the Conference "Snack on iPhone bit" - Mark Templeton. This phrase is going to stick. < Please no!
- RT @bsonposh @JasonConger you missed the fun last night! Yes I did - I'm still at DFW airport.
- A different kind of Synergy spotted this morning at DFW. #Citrix? http://twitpic.com/1nyqtt
- On the way home from #CitrixSynergy. Flight diverted to Denver. Now at DFW for the night(canceled flight). 2 months ago DFW was home.
- #VMware's vocabulary on this #GeekSpeak panel session is "I agree." #CitrixSynergy
- I meant to say the @bsonposh solution to this whole client hypervisor thingy is #PowerShell. #CitrixSynergy
- I'm sitting next to @bsonposh at #GeekSpeak. His solution to this whole client hypervisor thingy is PoweShell. #CitrixSynergy
- #VMware just agreed that everything #Citrix (and @GabeKnuth) says about client hypervisors is correct at #GeekSpeak.
- "#GeekSpeak @ShawnBass @JasonConger, so...where'd you guys eat dinner last night?" /via @GabeKnuth < better question is where you at?
- Quick poll. What makes you more sleepy - this talk or tryptophan?
- "There's very little to comment on during this couch talk. #CitrixSynergy" /via @ShawnBass < hence the slow down on the Twitter feed.
- I've seen a few of the comfy chair discussions before and they #fail. This one is living up to expectations.
- Zing! Dell burns Gens for not knowing server virt numbers. LOL #CitrixSynergy @ShawnBass < IDC was talking shipping virt servers last year.
- IDC @fgens and Michael Dell are hanging out on some comfy chairs now on stage. #CitrixSynergy
- Michael Dell says Network Virtualization is next. #CitrixSynergy
- EqualLogic will have load balancing between spinning disks and SSD - cool! #CitrixSynergy
- "#CitrixSynergy Michale Dell showing Street with Citrix Receiver" /via @BarryFlanagan < was it street or streak?
- Dell Streak available next moth via O2, then AT&T later this summer. #CitrixSynergy
- Time for Michael Dell. #CitrixSynergy
- RT @ShawnBass: Wonder how VMware's big investment in Terremark affects their "alliance" with Citrix <- things that make you go hmm
- "#CitrixSynergy VIdeo time...four cloud partners reading from cue cards" /via @GabeKnuth <- nah, they're definitely using teleprompters
- Videos of Citrix cloud providers now playing. #CitrixSynergy
- To keep the food theme going - it is now time for Cloudy with a chance of meatballs. #CitrixSynergy
- It's Terminal Service, no it's Presentation Virtualization, no it's RDS, no it's Session Virtualization. #CitrixSynergy
- MSFT (Brad Anderson) if coming to the stage. #CitrixSynergy
- Amazon EC2 (num 1 cloud provider) uses #Xen. Rackspace (num 2 cloud provider) uses #XenServer. #CitrixSynergy
- Rackspace announces it will standardize on #XenServer instead of just #Xen. #CitrixSynergy
- Project Midnight Ride sees the light of day. #XenServer 5.6 is released. #CitrixSynergy
- NetScaler VPX for Hyper-V runs as a Windows Service- cool! #CitrixSynergy
- PayGrow burst - like SPLA for bandwidth. #CitrixSynergy
- "just arrived at keynote, what did I miss in 140 characters??" /via @stevegreenberg <<http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23CitrixSynergy
- Yesterday's keynote was work.shift. Is today going to be datacenter.shift (private/public/hybrid cloud)? #CitrixSynergy
- Frank Gens has some good content, but someone at IDC needs to check out Presentation Zen (http://www.presentationzen.com/) #CitrixSynergy
- FYI Zettabyte = 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zettabyte #CitrixSynergy
- Gens says Hybrid clouds will dominate. I agree, but is Hybrid a precursor to wide adoption of public cloud for the future? #CitrixSynergy
- Cloud computing = *aaS (something as a Service) - which looks a lot like #SOA. #CitrixSynergy
- Frank Gens is actually pretty informative. You can follow him on twitter too - @fgens. #CitrixSynergy
- Game changers - Mobility, Cloud Computing, Information Avalanche. #CitrixSynergy
- Virtual/Service Oriented is the new wave of IT service deliver. #CitrixSynergy
- Frank says Internet/Web is the next IT game changer. #CitrixSynergy
- IDC prediction - plane vs. mountain goat - who ya got?
- Frank is going to talk game changers. #CitrixSynergy
- Awards are done at #CitrixSynergy. Now time for IDC (Frank Gens).
- Kaviza wins business efficiency award. Cost, complexity, and user experience. #CitrixSynergy
- Looks like work shifting is Smooth Roaming.next. #CitrixSynergy
- Off to #GeekSpeak for a session with @bsonposh. #CitrixSynergy
- Mark T looks like a cardiologist on stage with his iPad (app is showing human heart). #CitrixSynergy
- Bummer on the lack of mobility announcements in the keynote (other than the truck). #CitrixSynergy
- Citrix needs to show how easy (or hard) it is to add backend workflows behind Dazzle /via @cswolf <- doubt the workflow is easy.
- I wonder if Dazzle still has the star field view? #CitrixSynergy
- Encrypted data plug-in demo time. #CitrixSynergy
- I would like Dazzle.next to support Windows Workflow Foundation. #CitrixSynergy
- "#CitrixSynergy HDX Nitro - sounds like an American Gladiator http://bit.ly/b67cn2" /via @GabeKnuth <- Mach 3 sounds like a razor.
- "I think all Citrix CTPs should receive a Xenclient laptop" /via @stevegreenberg <- and an iPad too.
- XenClient started on Xen - Xen.org has a booth in the Exhibit Hall. #CitrixSynergy
- XenClient has direct access to graphics. #CitrixSynergy
- The making of XenClient video - I actually want to see this video. #CitrixSynergy
- Kill pill for XenClient killed the projector too. #CitrixSynergy
- Peter Blum = good at demos. Peter Blum =/= good at gaming. #CitrixSynergy
- Yay - XenClient demo! #CitrixSynergy
- There are a lot of references to food here. Snack, layer cake, dinner - I'm getting hungry. #CitrixSynergy
- Trend toward laptops is enormous. Sounds like @ShawnBass talking. #CitrixSynergy
- Mark T is talking layers - still waiting on something new. #CitrixSynergy
- IBM video = work shifting mentioned, growth, success, risk, buzz... #CitrixSynergy
- Fujitsu video = 140,000 desktops on #XenDesktop - #CitrixSynergy
- CSC video - lots of buzzwords. No real content. #CitrixSynergy
- CSC, Fujitsu, and IBM video time. #CitrixSynergy
- Still waiting on product announcements. So far it is recap (except GTM on iPad and soon to iPhone) #CitrixSynergy.
- #GoToMeeting on the #iPad is getting some press in the keynote. #CitrixSynergy
- I keep hearing the work snack used with small form factors. Snack is just one of those words I don't like. #CitrixSynergy
- Large screen = create; small screen = alert me; medium screen = entertain. #CitrixSynergy
- First tweet from space was made from a #XenDesktop.
- 2010 Citrix Innovation winner is Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal (FollowMePC) #CitrixSynergy
- Mark T is on stage at #CitrixSynergy. Screenshot of a taxi decked out with Citrix adverts.
- SoftwareFX Power Gadgets can play a key part in adding value to mobility.
- I'm very excited about the mobility vision. Hopefully it will get some press at the #CitrixSynergy keynote.
- I'm live blogging the #CitrixSynergy keynote here: http://www.jasonconger.com/post/News-from-Citrix-Synergy.aspx
- Getting ready for #CitrixSynergy keynote.
- RT @SimonBramfitt @ShawnBass delivered excellent analysis of the shortcomings of xendesktop < not just XD but all #VDI
- I guess the vedict on #XenDesktop 4 from @ShawnBass session is that #XD is *almost* there. DDC is Still fragile. #CitrixSynergy
- #RIA (Rich Internet Applications #Flash/#Silverlight) = challenge to #VDI. #CitrixSynergy
- #XenDesktop is very agnostic (Hypervisor, connection, OS [at least Windows OS], platform). #CitrixSynergy
- Is #XenDesktop 4 safe from the brutal honesty that is @ShawnBass? We shall see at #GeekSpeak #CitrixSynergy.
- PaaS = Platform as a Service like Microsoft #Azure or Google #Gears
- I'm in the #GeekSpeak cloud session. IaaS and SaaS is dicussed, but PaaS is neglected like a red headed stepchild. #CitrixSynergy
- "@JasonConger What's wrong with NIC?" /via @joeshonk <- NIC card = Network Interface Card Card.
- @rickd4real #CitrixCTP (Citrix Citrix Tech Pro) makes me cringe. Like saying NIC card.
- Just landed in SFO. Saw this on the way to baggage claim. http://twitpic.com/1mklwm
- Heading to #CitrixSynergy. Come check out @bsonposh and me on Wed. for XenApp fringe benefits at Geek Speak Live