Citrix just announced the general availability of Citrix XenDesktop 5. This version is the follow-up of the latest version available until now XenDesktop 4.1 Service Pack 1 which was released in August this year. virtualization.info already reported on the new features in October this year, mentioning release was expected in H4 of this year.
The following new features are included:
- Desktop Studio console, providing administrators deployment and management tasks in the console.
- Desktop Director, which guides the help desk with search, troubleshooting and resolution capabilities.
- Machine Creation Service, an integrated provisioning service which can be leveraged by the Quick Deploy functionality, enabling creation or updating of hundreds of VM’s in seconds.
- High Definition User Experience (HDX), which provides a a set of capabilities that delivers a “high definition” desktop virtualization user experience to end users for any application, device or network.
- Adaptive Orchestration, which dynamically tunes HDX based on server and network load, and client capabilities
- FlexCast technology, which enables the IT department to deliver every type of virtual desktop (Apps, Local VM, streamed VHD, hosted VDI or hosted shared) – each specifically tailored to meet the performance, security and flexibility requirements of each individual user.
- Citrix Receiver,a unified access portal for applications stored inside virtual desktops, terminal server silos, private and public Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) clouds. The Receiver is available in many flavours, like Java, Linux, Mac, Mobile Devices, Windows, Windows CE, Dazzle, Merchandising Server and XenVault plugin. But also via the offline plug-in which is installed by default on XenApp Servers and the online plug-in used to access hosted applications from the desktop or web interface.
- Citrix Open Cloud Access, delivers enterprise network-delivered federated identity management, which IT can use to provision and authorize users for SaaS applications. Open Cloud Acces can also be used to establish trusted relationships from security providers such as OpenID or even FaceBook.
Citrix XenDesktop 5 is available for download from MyCitrix, or the XenDesktop 5 Express Edition here.