| "body"> | | | | applications to a desktop and address application |
| For the past few weeks I’ve been organizing | | | | conflicts by utilizing their “Application Isolation |
| my thoughts about Softricity’s February 6, 2006 | | | | Environment” technology found in their flagship |
| announcement on how they will be working with the | | | | product, Presentation Server 4.0 (which, if you read my |
| Microsoft Manageability Team to offer application | | | | “To Install or Not” paper, I believe is not true |
| virtualization and streaming within Microsoft Systems | | | | application virtualization). As Project Tarpon is still in |
| Management Server (SMS). What did the | | | | alpha, and no official beta and/or technical previews |
| announcement really say? What does this mean for | | | | have been made available to us/me, I am not able to |
| Microsoft? What does this mean for Citrix’s | | | | go into how Citrix products compares and competes |
| Project Tarpon and Altiris’s Software | | | | with Microsoft SMS other than what is already detailed |
| Virtualization Solution? Most importantly, what does this | | | | in my To Install or Not paper. |
| mean for you? | | | | But you do have to question what will happen when |
| What Is This Announcement all about? | | | | they start to compete with SMS. There’s no |
| First off, let me explain the basics of this very | | | | doubt the best thing going for Citrix is their channel. |
| important announcement. To summarize, Softricity has | | | | They have one of the biggest and most loyal resellers |
| partnered with Microsoft to offer a product that | | | | in the industry. Just look what they did with Citrix |
| integrates Softricity SoftGrid - including application | | | | Access Gateway. Acquired from Net6, Citrix was |
| virtualization, on-demand streaming and self-provisioning | | | | able to use their vast channel to take the SSL VPN |
| – right into Microsoft Systems Management | | | | market by storm. However, it is going to be interesting |
| Server (SMS). This means that any SMS customer | | | | to watch what happens when Project Tarpon finally |
| can now virtualize their applications and use them | | | | ships and they start competing with Microsoft. Citrix |
| throughout their existing SMS application deployment. | | | | might find that succeeding in a market Microsoft |
| They can push out virtualized applications using | | | | currently dominates may be a little bit more difficult |
| SMS’ delivery push methods, stream them | | | | than even they can muster. We will have to wait and |
| on-demand using Softricity’s pull methods, and | | | | see. |
| they can use SMS’s metering and asset | | | | For more information on Citrix Application Streaming |
| management tools to discover and track both MSIs | | | | (Project Tarpon) please visit: |
| and virtualized applications. | | | | [ |
| Softricity is offering two version of the product. | | | | What does this mean for Altiris? |
| SoftGrid for SMS Universal allows you to do all the | | | | Unlike Citrix, Altiris currently has a beta version of |
| things you can do with SoftGrid (virtualization and | | | | software virtualization solution on the market with plans |
| streaming) from within SMS. SoftGrid for SMS VX | | | | to integrate it into their broader application deployment |
| (virtual extensions) just lets you virtualize – and | | | | solution. Altiris currently holds 6% of the enterprise and |
| uses the SMS push delivery to get the virtualized | | | | 10% of SMB application deployment market, and has |
| applications to end-users. | | | | solutions for almost every facet of server and |
| With this solution, there is no longer a need for a | | | | application deployment and management (they are |
| SoftGrid Management Console and, with their VX | | | | Microsoft’s number one competitor in the |
| version (virtualization only, no streaming), the SoftGrid | | | | systems management space). This has always given |
| Server. The only requirement is for applications to be | | | | Altiris a leg up on any new area of application |
| virtualized through Softricity’s Sequencer. This | | | | deployment they want to dive into, but with the |
| process is very similar to most traditional packaging | | | | Softricity / Microsoft agreement, Altiris has found that |
| tools, so basically it means that if you have an SMS | | | | their rival in traditional application deployment, Microsoft, |
| deployment, you don’t have to change much in | | | | will be marketing against them. Thus Altiris has |
| your process to get the benefits of virtualization and | | | | become an even more direct competitor to Microsoft |
| streaming. | | | | SMS. As Microsoft is very competitive in the |
| What does this mean for Softricity? | | | | enterprise space and because SMS is almost given |
| This is huge for Softricity! What the announcement | | | | away to Microsoft enterprise customers, it seems to |
| amounts to is a message to the market that Microsoft | | | | me that Softricity has the upper hand in gaining even |
| has picked its partner for virtualization and streaming. In | | | | more market share in the application virtualization |
| addition to the technical benefits of this announcement, | | | | market. |
| it is important to understand that Microsoft is working | | | | For more information on Altiris Software Virtualization |
| with Softricity to sell this solution to their SMS user | | | | please visit: |
| base. The reason for this is that it benefits both parties | | | | What does this mean for you? |
| as well as the end-user. Softricity benefits by being | | | | So what does this mean to you? Without going in to |
| selected as the go-to player for virtualization and | | | | too much detail about the problems we face around |
| streaming – and the ability to enter a market | | | | deploying and managing applications, I will just say that |
| where Microsoft currently holds 40% of the enterprise | | | | we have always had a problem with application |
| and 30% of SMB application seats. Microsoft gains | | | | deployments due to the nature of distributed network |
| because they can now say they solve many of the | | | | computing. We are required to perform asset |
| underling issues that have caused problems and held | | | | inventory and software license metering due to license |
| up SMS deployments. In my humble opinion, this | | | | agreements and industry compliance regulations which |
| announcement is ground breaking as you are now | | | | can be done using any of the numerous products |
| able to manage your application deployment, upgrades, | | | | available today. With the new Microsoft / Softricity |
| removal, licensing compliance, and asset inventory | | | | partnership there is the opportunity to standardize on |
| needs with one solution. | | | | the industry leader, Microsoft System Management |
| What does this mean for Microsoft? | | | | Sever (SMS), while overcoming application conflicts |
| Much of the complaining about SMS, whether by users | | | | with the Softricity SoftGrid for Microsoft SMS. |
| or the press, can be boiled down to one thing: the | | | | Of course, this is only one part of the unified solution to |
| problem of application conflicts. For more information | | | | the application management and deployment challenge. |
| on this issue with SMS and other EDS solutions, please | | | | Microsoft SMS coupled with Softricity SoftGrid for |
| read my To Install or Not paper. | | | | SMS, Terminal Services / Citrix, and RES PowerFuse |
| Now with SoftGrid for Microsoft SMS, there is the | | | | (as discussed in The Quest for Unified Management) |
| opportunity for SMS to eliminate many of the issues | | | | guarantees excellent application response time and |
| that has held up its adoption. Most of the cons detailed | | | | functionality for end-users by allowing them to |
| in my “To Install or Not” paper (conflicts, | | | | compute via workstations, laptops and terminal |
| testing, etc.) are negated by deploying those | | | | servers, while the backend system and application |
| applications through application virtualization via | | | | administration, licensing, asset control is controlled |
| SoftGrid. Simply put, this means Microsoft has | | | | through two easy-to-use tools. |
| addressed SMS’s short-comings, enabling to be | | | | Additional Resources: |
| the most complete solution for application deployment | | | | View the Official Softricity announcement webinar. |
| on the market today. | | | | Presented by Softricity’s Don Potts, Microsoft |
| What does this mean for Citrix? | | | | Alliance Manager and Jeff Fisher, Director of Business |
| Since Microsoft has now partnered with Softricity, the | | | | Development. |
| question then becomes where this leaves | | | | View the Application Streaming for Desktop Apps |
| Citrix’s Project Tarpon and Altiris’s | | | | section of the iForum 2005 General Session Keynote. |
| Software Virtualization Solution? Let’s talk about | | | | Presented by: Mark Templeton, Citrix president and |
| Citrix Project Tarpon first. | | | | CEO. |
| Citrix’s Project Tarpon was first announced at | | | | [ |
| Citrix iForum 2005. Citrix describes it as a | | | | Listen to the Altiris Software Virtualization Solution |
| “streaming” solution. It is basically | | | | Podcast. Presented by Steve Morton, Altiris’s |
| Citrix’s entry into the software distribution and | | | | VP of Product Marketing and Scott Jones, Software |
| systems management market, designed to distribute | | | | Virtualization Solution Product Manager. |