Citrix Systems is releasing the latest version of its XenServer platform, less than a month after rival VMware began shipping its vSphere 4.0 offering.
XenServer 5.5 heightens Citrix’s competition with VMware, offering a host of new features, including consolidated backup, enhanced conversion and search tools, integration with Active Directory, and greater guest support for Microsoft’s Windows and Linux operating systems. It also comes as a free download.
VMware announced its vSphere 4.0 offering April 21, and started shipping it May 21.
In addition, Citrix officials also announced June 16 the 5.5 release of Citrix Essentials for XenServer and Microsoft’s Hyper-V virtualization technology for improved management capabilities for businesses using XenServer or Microsoft’s Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V. Citrix Essentials 5.5 offers expanded storage integration, automated lab and stage management, and dynamic workload balancing. Pricing for Citrix Essentials starts at $2,500 per server.
Click here to get a look at VMware’s vSphere 4.0.
Citrix announced XenServer 5.5 in February, and according to Peter Levine, senior vice president and general manager of Citrix’s Virtualization Management Division, the number of early downloads of the technology is an indication that businesses are looking for less costly and less complex virtualization options.
“Making XenServer free was not a one-time publicity move,” Levine said in a statement. “It was an integral part of our strategy to accelerate the rate of virtualization adoption and address the more than 75 percent of servers that still have not been virtualized today.”
XenServer 5.5 can be downloaded here.
Citrix also is launching the XenServer Central community Website, a tool for XenServer users that will feature up-to-date product information, access to the Citrix Knowledge Center and Web-based support forums. The site, which will go live June 19, can be found here.
In addition to the XenServer news, Citrix also announced June 16 that it is teaming up with Arista Networks to offer cloud computing networking technologies for larger enterprises and cloud service providers.
Part of that will include integrating Citrix’s NetScaler VPX virtual appliance with Arista’s 7000 Series switch.