Citrix builds iTunes-like store for apps

Citrix has unveiled Dazzle, an enterprise application storefront for customers who use Citrix Delivery Center, XenApp and XenDesktop.

Dazzle is a lightweight application for Windows PCs and Macs that allows users to search through, select and buy business software products. The search can be based on the application's name, description or type, or by an IT department-defined category.

The software and service was announced on Tuesday at Citrix's Synergy 2009 event in Las Vegas. According to the software maker, Dazzle will offer an intuitive interface similar to that provided by consumer application storefronts such as iTunes.

In the statement, Citrix chief executive Mark Templeton said that consumers were used to application stores, but felt disappointed when the same functionality was not offered to them at work.

"Every day, employees are presented with an amazing array of exciting apps and services on the web that spark their imagination and put them in full control of their experience," Templeton said. "Then they come to work, and their IT experience is mandated by a bland 'general issue' sameness that threatens to drive every ounce of productivity and innovation out of them. The hidden reality, of course, is that by giving employees the choice they so desperately want, IT actually saves a ton of money and gains even more control over the things that really matter."

The storefront is integrated with another new product announced on Tuesday: Citrix Receiver. This is a software client that makes it possible to access corporate applications and virtual desktops from a variety of devices, ranging from PCs and Macs to smartphones such as the iPhone.

Citrix said that Receiver would be of benefit to Windows application developers, as it eliminates the need to build, test and support software clients for each device and operating system.

According to Citrix, IT departments can use its Merchandising Server management system to set up a list of recommended applications in Dazzle for their users. Applications can be free or paid-for, and can even be set up to expire after a particular project.

Application types that can be found through Dazzle include online and offline Windows applications, web-based applications published through XenApp and software-as-a-service applications such as Citrix GoToMeeting and Salesforce.com.

Aside from applications, Dazzle users can also use the service to get online and offline virtual desktops from XenDesktop and other virtual desktop providers. They can also access enterprise content, including documents, videos and SharePoint intranet sites, and virtual-machine compute capacity.

While Citrix Merchandising Server is already available, Dazzle — which will be offered to active subscription customers for free — will only become available as a technology preview later this year.

Also at Synergy 2009, Citrix announced a new Enterprise License Agreement (ELA) programme for its customers, and said it would provide a "straightforward online process" for buying any combination of eligible Citrix Delivery Center products and services at a single price.