This release drastically streamlines management and allows delivery of applications and desktops to users anywhere, on any device. Now VDI desktops, hosted shared desktops, and application publishing from Windows XP-Windows 8.1/Windows Server 2008 R2-2012 R2 are now under a single architecture controlled by the Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA). With fewer components to manage, environments are more stable and less prone to issues.įigure 2 shows the new, simplified world of XenDesktop 7. Deployment is now easier with less service dependency. This means that setting up a server for shared hosted desktops and published applications can now be done with a single XenDesktop agent, whereas it previously required a full installation of XenApp on every server with multiple dependencies. With XD 7, the legacy IMA architecture from XenApp has been retired and replaced by FMA (Flexcast Management Architecture), the core design of XenDesktop. And with the available XenDesktop Studio and Director, day-to-day management in this environment has been greatly improved. Citrix Profile Management and EdgeSight monitor are now built in, and configurations that needed to be done manually before are now automated. XD 7 has made huge improvements in terms of simplicity, so the transition thus far has been very smooth, and managing desktops and applications is a breeze. Zumasys runs on Citrix, so I’ve actually been working on our own XenDesktop 7 upgrade, and I’ve had a first-hand look at all of the cool features that Version 7 has to offer. But what gets me excited about XenDesktop 7 is what it represents for the industry-a re-envisioning of desktop and application mobilization for the cloud era. Version 7 gives you the ability to deliver all types of virtual desktops and applications under one roof, and with no more confusing product names.

With their newest release of XenDesktop, Citrix is set to make a big leap forward in the industry.

Xendesktop 7 server vdi