Citrix Excalibur Tech Preview

As many of you might know Citrix are kind of melting all there product in one, a Cloud product. The project name is Avalon, with two releases until next year named Excalibur (what we will speak about in this blog post) and Merlin coming later next year.

First, I spoke with many customers and other partner, and Citrix one more time did confuse everyone with all those names… Avalon, Excalibur, Merlin, Thor etc etc Almost 90% of the people I spoke with though Avalon, Excalibur and Merlin are three different products. Maybe I’m wrong but as far s I can see thing, Avalon is the code name for the final project then Excalibur and Merlin are just timeline version release until the final release and then a final product name. I must admit this one is a bit confusing everyone… This is like Citrix wants to show the big picture but just give a tiny pieces of the puzzle.

Citrix Avalon Excalibur Tech Preview is available for download here : [link]

Project Avalon Excalibur Technology Preview is our next-generation, unified desktop and app virtualization technology that is reinventing the delivery of Windows apps and desktops for mobility in the cloud-era.  The availability of this tech preview will allow Citrix customers and partners to have a first-hand look at a new unified FlexCast infrastructure combining VDI and Hosted Shared desktops and apps from a single platform.

New features include:

• Simplified, unified, and expanded FlexCast 2.0 architecture
  New unified FlexCast 2.0 architecture combines simplified and integrated provisioning and personalization tools for both desktops and apps, delivered from either a desktop-based or server-based operating system.
• Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8
  Host Windows 8 VDI desktops or VM hosted applications in addition to Windows Server 2012 server-based desktops and applications. This tech preview also supports Windows 2008R2/SP1 and Windows 7.
• SuperCodec for Optimized Graphics
  New enhancements to HDX using Deep Compression Codec technology double the visual performance of desktops and apps to mobile devices dynamically adapting for device type, form factor and network connection while still leveraging the processing power of modern tablets and smartphones
• Storefront for apps & data
  Create centralized enterprise app stores to deliver desktops, applications, and other resources to users on any device, anywhere with the Citrix StoreFront.
• Intelligent configuration tools
  New intelligent configuration tools for deploying desktops and apps that proactively check configuration errors in real time while streamlining the provisioning of profile management and storefront settings.
• Delegated Administration
  Enterprise-class administration model includes role-based access, custom roles with configurable permissions, and fine-grained, object-based control.
• Advanced Configuration Logging
  Capture site configuration changes and administrative activities within a single tool, Desktop Studio.  Use Desktop Studio to diagnose and troubleshoot problems after configuration changes are made, assist change management, track configurations, and report administration activity.
• Personal vDisk Improvements
  Improve scalability with performance enhancements designed to optimize resource utilization, deliver updates faster with the newly enhanced personal vDisk update process, and experience how an improved architecture increases the number of apps compatible with personal vDisk technology.

You will find available for download, the Project Avalon Excalibur Tech Preview zip file download which contain link to documentations, a license file, one ISO file of Avalon Excalibur Tech Prev and another ISO file of PVS Avalon Tech Prev. (more…)