Citrix Delivers XenServer 5.5 Upgrade

17 June 2009

Citrix XenServer 5.5 is a significant new upgrade that raises the bar once again for free, enterprise-class virtualization. This comes just 75 days after Citrix made full enterprise-class XenServer platform available for unlimited production deployment at no charge. Unlike basic hypervisors that have been free for years, XenServer sets an entirely new standard for free virtualization with powerful features such as centralized multi-node management, built-in storage and full live motion. In the short period of time since its release, more than 100,000 customers have downloaded XenServer from hundreds of download sites in over 50 countries worldwide with overwhelmingly positive feedback. The new XenServer 5.5 release, available for download today, provides these customers even more value by adding a wide range of new enterprise management capabilities at no additional charge.

“Making XenServer free was not a one-time publicity move. It was an integral part of our strategy to accelerate the rate of virtualization adoption and address the more than 75 percent of servers that still have not been virtualized today,” said Peter Levine, senior vice president and general manager, Virtualization Management Division, Citrix Systems. “The new XenServer 5.5 release is a clear demonstration that Citrix will continue investing heavily in making XenServer the most compelling open virtualization platform on the market today. The overwhelming download numbers we have seen in the last two months demonstrate that many customers are not happy with the growing cost and complexity of their existing virtualization solutions. By combining the free XenServer with the advanced management capabilities in Citrix Essentials, customers now have a proven alternative that meets all the requirements for enterprise-class virtualization at a fraction of the cost.”

The XenServer 5.5 release available for download today adds a wide range of new features that enable easier virtualization management and broader integration with enterprise systems. The latest version now includes features such as consolidated backup, enhanced conversion and search tools, Active Directory integration and expanded guest support for virtually every version of Windows and Linux operating systems. With the new 5.5 release, XenServer provides all the functionality that typically costs up to $5,000 per server with other leading virtualization products.

Also available is the new 5.5 release of Citrix Essentials for XenServer and Hyper-V, providing advanced virtualization management capabilities for customers using Citrix XenServer or Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V. Citrix Essentials 5.5 enhances both of these high-growth virtualization platforms by adding expanded storage integration, automated lab and stage management and dynamic workload balancing.

The new XenServer 5.5 release is immediately available for download at http://www.citrix.com/freexenserver, as well as hundreds of other download sites worldwide. Citrix Essentials 5.5 for XenServer and Hyper-V are also available immediately for purchase or a 30-day trial version at http://www.citrix.com/essentials. Suggested pricing for Citrix Essentials starts at $2,500 per server, regardless of the number of processors.