Citrix announces Desktop Broker for Presentation Server

As expected Citrix announced on this year iForum its entering in the Virtual Desktop Initiative (VDI) with the name of Dynamic Desktop Initiative:

A dynamic desktop is a Windows-based desktop that?s delivered over any network and optimized for office workers? tasks ? from simple to complex. The dynamic desktop includes a Windows-based access device, a network connection, a Windows desktop, desktop delivery infrastructure, and desktop experience management tools.

To kick-start the initiative, Citrix is releasing a new add-on feature for Citrix Presentation Server 4 called Desktop Broker.

This new feature provides logical groupings of desktops for easier management and delivery to users. Through transparent session brokering, Desktop Broker allows users to automatically connect to the dynamic desktop that?s best suited for them.

It enables seamless connection of users to desktops running on Windows Terminal Services, Microsoft Virtual Server, VMware Infrastructure, XenEnterprise or blade servers that reside in the data center. The Desktop Broker feature is Citrix?s initial desktop delivery offering and is fully compatible with Citrix?s end-to-end application delivery infrastructure solutions, including Citrix Presentation Server, Project ?Tarpon,? Citrix Netscaler, Citrix EdgeSight, Citrix Access Gateway and Citrix WANscaler.

Desktop Broker is available immediately to Citrix Presentation Server 4 customers with an active Subscription Advantage agreement. Customers can download a copy, from MyCitrix.com. All others interested in evaluating Desktop Broker can download a trial version beginning on Nov. 6, 2006. Citrix also plans to deliver a new, comprehensive dynamic desktop delivery product line and will announce additional details in the first quarter of 2007…

Update: CNR reports Citrix is working on another, more enhanced desktop broker called codename Trinity which will not require Microsoft Terminal Services (and possibly actual Citrix Presentation Server).