20 May 2002 - Citrix Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTXS), a global leader in virtual workplace software and services, today announced the release of Citrix® MetaFrame XP™ for Windows®, Feature Release 2. Designed to add maximum value to Microsoft Windows 2000, Feature Release 2 expands the capabilities of both administrators and users with new features that give organisations greater control over application deployment and management, deliver complete user mobility, provide increased performance, and improve collaboration and productivity.
“MetaFrame Feature Release 2 includes new management, security, and user-support features that significantly enhance the value of the product, and will help ensure MetaFrame’s continued success,” said Dwight Davis, vice president and practice director for Summit Strategies, Inc., a market research and consulting firm. “MetaFrame’s ability to centrally manage both client/server and Web-enabled applications provides plenty of opportunities for the MetaFrame product family to increase its penetration in existing accounts, and to capture new customers. With this new feature release, Citrix continues to add compelling functionality beyond the base Terminal Services capabilities provided by Microsoft’s Windows 2000.”
In addition, MetaFrame XP, Feature Release 2 integrates three critical components to securely access applications via the Internet - Citrix Secure Gateway, NFuse® Classic 1.7 and Enterprise Services for NFuse.
“Managing, distributing and deploying applications to more than 300 retail stores is a daunting task. Citrix keeps us competitive by eliminating time-consuming administrative chores, which allows our staff to focus on revenue-generating activities,” said Brian Hole, supervisor of customer technology services for Les Schwab Tire Centers. “Using MetaFrame reduces our bandwidth requirements and plays a large role in allowing our employees to access information from remote locations. We’ve begun testing Feature Release 2 and expect the management and user benefits to further boost our productivity and maximise our IT investments.” MetaFrame XP, Feature Release 2 provides unparalleled manageability and scale, total Net leverage, ultimate flexibility and end-to-end security.
Unparalleled Manageability
An enterprise technology environment is constantly changing as companies are tasked with managing systems in the midst of mergers and acquisitions, technology transitions and unplanned events, which interfere with business continuity. Feature Release 2 includes advancements in System Monitoring and Analysis, including the recording of long-term server farm metrics and built-in reporting features, to help administrators analyse server and application usage trends. Additionally, administrators can produce billing reports based on definable costs, such as CPU usage or connection time, allowing organisations to more easily bill third-party users or distribute IT costs across business units. This type of flexibility creates a more agile and resilient enterprise with a virtual infrastructure that readily adapts to change.
Ultimate Flexibility
As businesses increasingly become mobile and globalisation drives businesses to require greater flexibility, MetaFrame XP Feature Release 2 rises to the challenge by adding functionality to increase user productivity. For example, with the User Collaboration feature, users in different locations are able to simultaneously work on the same document and jointly collaborate on content. Feature Release 2 also improves the user experience and creates better bridges between server-hosted and local applications with its new Content Redirection functionality. With this feature, users may access information regardless of whether it resides on the server or on the user’s local desktop. In addition, administrators have greater control to optimally leverage server and client device resources. As a result, users gain a more productive mobile experience.
Total Net Leverage
Feature Release 2 integrates NFuse Classic 1.7, which provides enhanced Web-based access to Windows applications. New features give administrators the flexibility to control MetaFrame® servers from any location. In addition, NFuse Classic 1.7 uses Windows workstation credentials to automatically authenticate NFuse Classic users and allows users to easily update expired passwords via the NFuse Classic session. NFuse Classic 1.7 also tightly integrates with NFuse Elite, the company’s forthcoming access portal product. The combination of these components delivers true enterprise reach and bridges the Windows and Web worlds - making it simpler for users and administrators to do their jobs.
End-to-End Security
As security concerns grow - especially when using the Internet - companies are looking for ways to reduce the risk of exposing sensitive data when sent via networks. To allow customers to securely leverage the Internet as their main computing infrastructure, Feature Release 2 includes Citrix Secure Gateway, a new MetaFrame component which secures all MetaFrame traffic traveling across the network, whether private or public Internet, via the industry-standard Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol. Additionally, a new customisable Java™ ICA® Client enables access to MetaFrame servers from any Web browser. This enables users at unconfigured desktops, such as an Internet café, to access their applications within the security confines of a MetaFrame session.
Feature Release 2 also supports smart card authentication technologies - providing an additional method of security authentication.
“Market uncertainty has forced enterprises to conserve spending and maximise their existing IT investments. Citrix has responded to this market condition by providing our customers with significant feature enhancements that don’t require architectural upgrades,” said Larry Ritter, general manager, client/server products for Citrix. “We’ve always focused on enabling access to applications and information regardless of location, device or connection. Our customers are facing more challenges in these areas than ever before as they begin to use the Web as an application platform, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to offer solutions.”
Availability
The English version of MetaFrame XP for Windows, Feature Release 2 is available immediately. Versions in Japanese, German, French and Spanish are planned for later this year. Current Subscription Advantage members are entitled to this Feature Release and all of its components at no cost. Non-members can purchase a Subscription Advantage membership that would entitle them to Feature Release 2. Customers should contact one of the more than 7,000 members of the Citrix Solutions Network™ (CSN) to obtain further information and visit the Citrix Web site at www.citrix.com <http://www.citrix.com>. For more information about MetaFrame XP, with Feature Release 2, visit http://www.citrix.com/metaframexp_fr2.
About Citrix MetaFrame
Citrix MetaFrame application server software is helping organisations deliver a virtual workplace to users everywhere - on any device or network connection - by providing secure, reliable, cost-effective access to the same applications and information available at the office. Citrix MetaFrame extends the functionality of Microsoft Windows 2000 Terminal Services and Windows NT® Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition, as well as UNIX® operating systems including Sun Solaris™, IBM AIX® and HP-UX®. It provides key benefits including centralised, server-based management, rapid scalability, Web enablement of existing applications using Citrix NFuse portal software, and flexible access to applications via the full Net - LANs, WANs, Internet, intranets and wireless.
About Citrix
Citrix Systems, Inc. is a global leader in virtual workplace software and services that provide access to applications, information, processes and people on any device, over any network, anywhere, anytime. Citrix makes today’s digital office completely virtual - instead of having to go to your office, the office follows you. Working with the world’s top industry, integration and consulting partners, Citrix delivers enterprise-ready solutions to business challenges including application deployment, remote office connectivity, workforce mobility and business continuity. More than 120,000 companies worldwide use Citrix Solutions for the Virtual Workplace to give users more mobility, give IT organisations more flexibility and reduce the cost of computing.Citrix offers two families of products that enable virtual access to information: Application Server software, including MetaFrame XP, MetaFrame for Windows and MetaFrame for UNIX; and Access Portal software, including NFuse Elite and NFuse Classic. The company markets its products through a well-established indirect channel comprising more than 7,000 resellers, integrators and consultants. In fiscal 2001, the company had net revenues of $591.6 million. Citrix is traded on the Nasdaq Stock MarketSM under the symbol CTXS, and is part of the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index. Citrix is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. For more information, please visit the Citrix Web site at http://www.citrix.com.