Open-E, Inc. is one of the pioneering leaders and developers of IP-based storage management software. The Open-E® DSS V6™ and Open-E DSS V6 Lite™ line of products enjoy a reputation for best-in-class performance, flexibility, reliability, scalability and return-on-investment and are known for their robust architecture, ease-of-use and affordability. Open-E Data Storage Software (DSS) V6 has been verified for Citrix®XenServerTM (Version 5.6) and is now designated Citrix Ready, providing confidence in joint solution compatibility.

As a part of a special promotional offer from Open-E, two free of cost NFR (Not For Resale) versions of Open-E DSS V6 with unlimited TB of storage are now available for all Citrix professionals. This offer is valid until March 31, 2011. Citrix experts will have the opportunity to work with the powerful iSCSI SAN software and will be able to build shared storage for training and performing demos with Citrix XenServer Version 5.6. Open-E DSS V6 works effectively and offers secure access to storage and straightforward interface to iSCSI SAN.

For more information about Open-E DSS V6 please visit Open-E Data Storage Software V6 on the Open-E website.

How you can qualify for this promotional offer:

The accepted certificates for two free Open-E DSS V6 licenses are:

• CCA Citrix Certified Administrator
• CCAA Citrix Certified Advanced Administrator
• CCIA Citrix Certified Integration Architect

Certified professionals can receive the licenses by sending an e-mail with a copy of one of the above mentioned certificates to certification@open-e.com.

Learn more about Open-E DSS V6 verified for Citrix XenServer Version 5.6 through the resources listed below:

1. Citrix Ready Catalog – Product page and Profile page.
2. Video – Open-E DSS V6 iSCSI-Failover with Xen-Server (video of a recent Webinar about the use of Open-E DSS V6 iSCSI Failover with a XenServer, available in English and German)
3. How-to Ressource – “Open-E DSS V6: How to setup iSCSI Failover with XenServer“
4. Press Release – “Open-E DSS V6 is verified as Citrix Ready” (available in English and German)

Write to us at CitrixReady@citrix.com should you have any questions. And catch more partner updates from Open-E and others on Twitter. Leave your comments and feedback for Open-E DSS V6 here, have you tried this solution yet?

VMware responds with scripted PR

Yesterday I pointed out how VMware was inappropriately trying to infer that a quote showing substantial savings from a Gartner Server Based Computing (SBC) research report was somehow applicable to VMware View which offers no such solution. VMware responded with a scripted PR statement on the CRN site that is geared towards VARS and technology integrators in response to coverage from Kevin McLaughlin. Below are some highlights from the Kevin’s article which includes a response from VMware.

Reporter Quote
“VMware says the Gartner figures quoted in the press release referred to Wyse’s portfolio of thin, zero and cloud PC client solutions, which support both SBC and VDI.”

VMWare Quote
“It is appropriate for Wyse to choose to feature this when talking about their products,” the VMware spokesperson said in an e-mail. “VMware’s portion of the announcement featured customer momentum and results related to our portfolio of desktop and application virtualization technologies.”

Repeat offender

Before I respond to the quotes it’s worth pointing out that in 2009 an earlier version of the report was also called into question. VMworld – Misuse of Gartner’s TCO Numbers to Make the Case for View

Who is VMware trying to fool?

VMware is trying to wriggle its way out of responsibility for a press release on their corporate website and pin it on a partner with plausible deniability. Really VMware? Do VMware really except anybody to believe that a thin client TCO in combination with SBC where you have no solution can reasonably be merged into a quote in a single press release? It is rather insulting to assume that people are that dumb. It is therefore not appropriate under any stretch of the imagination. The fact that VMware is a repeat offender is also inexcusable.

Who did VMware pin the tail on in 2009 when similar facts were misrepresented? They also take a very similar tact when it comes to PCoIP. The reality is VMware have failed to take any responsibility for their continued pattern of outrageous fud with respect to TCO with VMware View. This kind of fud is designed to confuse and conflate customers, partners, the channel and integrators.

Fundamentally VMware is trying to defend an inaccurate press release. After a history of getting away with elastic facts, getting caught twice, the appropriate thing to do would be to retract the statement and claims of SBC having anything to do with VMware.

Update: VMware removes quote in updated press release.

On a flight to San Francisco, of course!

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working with our product teams to pull together the most compelling Summit content yet. Over 60 breakout sessions to complement our Keynote presentations will help you transform the way your customers value virtual computing, which means more sales for you!

From technical sessions like design principles for large-scale hosting and cloud infrastructure to sales sessions on how to drive greater account penetration through the explosion in mobile devices, we’ve got sessions to give you something new and valuable to talk about with your customers.

If you want to learn how to position and sell Citrix OpenCloud to enterprises, accelerate PoC testing and unseat the competition, or get the most from our alliances with Microsoft and Cisco, this is the best investment you can make to be ready to sell new deals when you get home. And, of course, we’ll show you all of the latest enhancements to desktop, application, and server virtualization.

The registration site is open now! Take a minute to sign up and secure your spot. The session catalog will go live soon so you can pick and choose the most valuable sales and technical sessions for your business. Remember the Hands-On Labs and TechEdge sessions too!

I look forward to seeing you in San Francisco. I’ll be at our Partner Transformation Center – next to registration, so stop by and say hi. We’ll show you how to get the most out of your Citrix Partner Network membership.

Don’t worry we can help you! Just get your new Citrix and Microsoft marketing templates on the Citrix Marketing Concierge Demand Gen site. In this seminar in a box you’ll find: email invitations, email reminders, scripted power points, welcome letters, surveys and much more. You just need to customize the materials with your information and send it out to your customers and propects. Putting an event together has never been easier… It’s ready to go and it’s Free! Check it out.

Check the new BYO or “Bring Your Own” device program templates on the Citrix Marketing Concierge Demand Gen site*. It’s time for your customers to think beyond the Desktop. You will find an email template which you’ll be able to customize with your own information and have it ready to blast in a second to your customers and prospects. Could it be easier than this? What are you waiting for?!

 *This site is only available to partners in the Americas

This document will help Citrix Ready Partners understand How to Activate License code and download the Citrix Ready Demo Licenses they are entitled to.

Please follow the steps below to download the License.

Step1: Login into MyCitrix – Choose a Toolbox – Select Partner Use License

Step2: From the Current Tool, Choose Partner Demo Licenses and click on Get Software

Step3: Choose the appropriate Citrix Product to download the Demo License.

Step4: For example choose XenDesktop, copy the Serial Number (License Access Code)

FYI -XenDesktop Platinum Edition includes XenApp Platinum/Enterprise Edition Demo License

Step5: Click on Choose a Toolbox – Activate System/Manage Assets

Step6: From the drop down, select Activate/Allocate and the paste the License Access Code and click on Continue

Step7: Select I Cannot find my reseller and click on continue.

Step8: Choose your contact information and click on submit.

Step9: Verify your contact information and click on Submit.

Step10: Click on Continue.

Step11: Enter the Quantity and enter the Hostname of the License Server and click Allocate.

Please refer FAQ for more information

Please refer to the Citrix Ready Program Benefits under the number of licenses allocated for all 3 Levels under Citrix Ready Program.

Step12: Confirm the allocation and click on Confirm.

Step13: Click to download the license file.

If you need any more information, Please don’t hesitate to write to citrixready@citrix.com

Workflow Studio 2.5 was released last week and is currently available for download to our customers on MyCitrix. You can get more information and find a link to the download page at http://www.citrix.com/wfs.

This release includes the following new features:

• Expanded platform support (Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2; SQL 2008; PowerShell 2.0; .NET 4.0)
• New activity libraries for Hyper-V and SQL
• Numerous improvements to existing activity libraries
• Expanded security roles
• Performance improvements
• Enhanced usability for workflow properties

The Evaluation Virtual Appliance has not been updated yet, but I will post an update when it is.

So a week has past since our last update and some things have changed and some “lessons” have been learned.

First change:
Our timeslot has changed due to some agenda conflict (apparently Rob and I can not be doing this session and host a Learning Lab at the same time ) So the new time slot is Wednesday @9:00 AM. Now I do understand this is early, it’s even before the grand opening keynote but he, the early bird catches the worm. In other words, if you want to see some nice demos and listen to Dutch guys show off the beauty of the vAlliance I am sure you will manage to find us.

Update on the build of the session:

Lessons learned 1:
Well, let’s just say that some things did not pane out as planned. For one apparently Windows 2008R2 does not like to run from eSATA disk. This meant I had to delete my XenClient install and install W2K8R2 natively on the local SSD instead of the planned external SATA disk (bummer). FYI it does show the external disk it will just refuse to install onto it. Perhaps if the internal disk would have been formatted with NTFS it would have but XenClient does not use NTFS natively so XenClient RC2 will have to wait for me until after Synergy (time lost: 4 hours).

Lessons learned 2:
When you plan to install MSSQL + SCVMM + SCCM + SCOM on 1 server be very carefull when installing IIS related features. We had to reinstall WSUS on the alternative ports due it conflicting with one of the other services running on the server (time lost: 4 hours).

Lessons learned 3:
When you think about cutting corners and re-using the Hyper-V vhd file with an updated Windows 2008 R2 install (aka just copying the vhd and assigning it when creating the new VM) make sure you run Sysprep and tick the box “Generalize”, this will give it a new SID and will ensure a succesfull install of SCVMM (time lost: 4 hours).

On a brighter note these last 3 days have taught me a few more things as well:

• QoS is a wonderfull thing when you want to listen to online radio when also updating your WSUS servers.
• Routers have a session limit so be careful what else is going across the wire
• Make sure you have downloaded all the correct ISO’s, sometimes the latest is not always the right one so always check the release notes of the products you will be installing (MSSQL R2 was not yet certified).

So where are we now? Well we are down to combining the multiple components, we have the System Center products working, we have XenApp working as well as XenDesktop so now it’s time to tie SCCM to App-V to XenApp, Edgesight into SCOM and anything else we would like to show off.

If you have suggestions or would like to see specific thing twitter me @andreasvw or Rob @robsanders or just leave a reply below. We will see what we can accomplish.

Citrix Support is focused on ensuring Customer and Partner satisfaction with our products.
One of our initiatives is to increase the ability of our Partners and Customers to leverage self-service avenues via our Knowledge Center.

Find below the Citrix Knowledge Center Top 10 for August 2010.

Top 10 Technical Articles

Top 10 Whitepapers

Top 10 Hotfixes

Top 10 Presentations

Top 10 Tools

David
Citrix Support on:
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There is a cry to the IT industry today to provide succinct information about Cloud Computing… especially among Small and Medium Businesses (SMB).  According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, over 52% of all small businesses are actually Small Office-Home Office or SOHO businesses.  The need for these companies to keep their operational costs down is tantamount to their success.  Because IT is a huge part of these businesses (everything from web site marketing to CRM applications) utilizing services online are a natural way for these companies to keep their costs down.

But in order for the small business owner to understand that online “Cloud” based services are available for reducing operational costs, they first have to know where to find them.  Awareness is key to the entire eco-system and making it easy for businesses to access these services can only happen if the SMB knows where to shop.  There are a variety of web sites that cater strictly to the SMB market, such as SMB Nation or the Small Business Administration in the U.S.  I recently saw a national TV ad for a site called the American Express Open Forum and was excited to check it out.  Unfortunately they are limiting the ability to post information to a “invited list only” at this point which radically reduces the idea of an “open” forum.

One additional way to find out more about available technology in this space is through the university systems both in the U.S. and abroad.  Many universities have teamed up with local (and sometimes worldwide) businesses to provide forums for emerging technologies.  The business school at Stanford for instance runs a program called the Social Innovation Review which educates the community about emerging business technologies.  Stanford, known for its tremendous ability to produce entrepreneurs is a great source for budding Cloud companies.  There are also technical colleges who are attempting to bridge the gap between small business and technology forerunners such as Cloud Hosting providers.  The business school within Georgia Institute of Technology has an Economic Development program to tie business and technology together.  Working with Industry the University of Cambridge also has a program dubbed the Cambridge Enterprise to develop community based influence of technology enhancements.

Search Engine Optimization is playing a huge part in these millions of businesses worldwide getting access to Cloud based hosted solutions.  Do a Google search on “Cloud Computing” and you will see a hit list of 31 million.  In the top 10 you can find salesforce.com and Amazon.  Which is ironic as what most SMBs are looking for has more to do with business productivity including email and some kind of web hosting than taking care of their sales leads or putting together VMs from Amazon.  Tweak the search to “hosted email” and Microsoft Exchange pops up all over the place.  Tweak the search again to “hosted applications” and you’ll receive back the most mixed up bag of information you’ve ever seen.

The SMB is not about technorati or the latest buzz words.  They just want to know how to get hosted applications that cost them less per month than setting up an IT group.  Citrix Service Providers meet the needs of these SMBs but must use the proper techniques to be found.  That is exposure through media mentioned in this BLOG as well as SEO nomenclature that will take you to the top of the Google Search Engines.  An SMB should be able to type in “Internet Applications”, “Hosted Applications” or “Windows Applications Online” and find you.  If they can’t, then Cloud computing for the SMB will remain a mystery.