The deal is all about increasing simplicity of operations inside of IT, and making it easier to deploy Citrix solutions, for both customers and partners.
Citrix has announced that it has completed its acquisition of Waltham, MA-based Sanbolic, which makes software-defined storage used in workload-oriented storage virtualization technologies. The deal moves Citrix further towards the converged infrastructure space, and by simplifying storage requirements, removes what has been a thorn in the side of VDI deployments. The simplification will also be a boon to Citrix partners.
“A lot of attention in the way applications are being consumed now lies in the storage infrastructure, not just for Citrix but for VMware and Microsoft as well,” said Mark Bowker, Senior Analyst at the Enterprise Strategy Group. “Most Citrix deployments require multiple servers that need their own resources, which has added complexity to storage in the past. While they had some interesting options for XenServer, it only impacted where it was deployed. Sanbolic’s technology will let them deploy storage across all environments, because it allows everything to be deployed on a common infrastructure. Citrix running on a more efficient storage subsystem is a good thing.”
Sanbolic’s technology lets customers software-define storage to optimize the delivery of application-specific workloads across multiple locations and clouds, from any media type, to improve storage load balancing and application availability and simplify provisioning and management
“This indicates that Citrix is heading down the path of converged infrastructure,” Bowker said. “This is all about increasing simplicity of operations inside of IT, and making it easier to deploy Citrix solutions.”
Citrix indicated that the acquisition will enable them to develop a new range of hyper-converged solutions for its XenDesktop, XenApp and XenMobile products, that it says will dramatically improve the economics and reduce the complexity of Windows application delivery and VDI deployments. Moreover, this will happen while also allowing customers to use their existing storage, networking and compute infrastructure, whether on premise or in the cloud.
“You can also expect Citrix to announce partnerships with existing hardware partners of theirs in non-x86 technology, like ARM solutions, where this could run,” Bowker said.
The Sanbolic team will join the Citrix organization, and Sanbolic CEO Momchil Michailov will become VP of Storage Technologies at Citrix.
“His appointment, and the creation of a structure to lead their storage initiatives internally, indicates that Citrix recognizes this area’s importance, and that they don’t want to be left behind,” Bowker said.
The acquisition and its consequences is also very good news for Citrix partners because it simplifies things for them, Bowker indicated.
“It will give partners the option of focusing on desktop and application delivery as well as all the infrastructure that goes around it,” Bowker said. “Citrix will be able to give them a solution where storage answer is provided.”
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
