The NetScaler MPX launched just last week launched 14000 FIPS appliance, at the event Citrix Security in Washington, D . C.;! w has a great event and a great way to introduce the new platform! We also have a happy beta customer of a large financial companies talking about this new platform: ". The new 14000 FIPS working great and like everything about them and the capacity is wonderful"

some quick background, Federal information Processing Standard (FIPS), a computer-security standard of the US government is used to accredit cryptographic models. NetScaler FIPS solution drives customers worldwide for over 10 years. FIPS compliance is required for government, healthcare and many financial companies who care about security, especially in the US, Australia and Germany, as well as maintaining compliance with industry regulations such as Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), international trade with arms Regulations (ITAR), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and many more. There are different requirements FIPS but at the rate applicable to an ADC platform and the one that the customer for more details on the different levels of FIPS most is the FIPS 140-2 Level 2. Link Request here 140- 2 and the differences for each.

as we in recent blog posts, as my last discussed, focusing Citrix effective security to become easier through the use of NetScaler to achieve and maintain. The NetScaler FIPS platform offer is considerable demand in the Federal vertical market. The NetScaler differentiation is in its ability without changing the hardware or software to PayGrow.

What's PayGrow? The NetScaler FIPS platform has the ability to demand, without the need for additional hardware platform with NetScaler Pay-As-You-Grow licensing (with more encrypted throughput increase network resiliency) to PayGrow. This means that the same basic unit can be easily upgraded to a higher capacity model or multi-tenant model to application delivery support for more applications and business units, and at the end to appliance sprawl by consolidating multiple NetScaler instances to simplify on a single hardware platform. In today's environment, there are many devices several ADC instances on a number of different hardware platforms and the new NetScaler FIPS platform helps eliminate this complexity while FIPS compliance solution provides. This capability would NetScaler SDX to make the first FIPS platform in a multi-tenant form factor.

The NetScaler FIPS platform with a FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified HSM module is designed with industry-leading performance. In addition to the platform FIPS compliant and ensuring the safety commissioned as by NIST, there are key data center and cloud architecture calls to be that NetScaler solve more effectively helps:

• address in the traffic peaks quickly and cost with on-demand elasticity, which is mentioned with PayGrow above
• Reduces TCO in the data center by ADC consolidation of at least 50% than the competition, as discussed above with factor multi-tenant SDX form in the future
• cloud-ready allows your data center for greater agility, flexibility and cost-effectiveness

Whether the customer a cloud strategy revolves around public cloud services, private cloud in their own data center or a hybrid approach, data centers must be developed to help with new levels of flexibility for them to take advantage of the agility, elasticity and economics of cloud computing.

ADC platform they choose, in this transformation is often pivotally. NetScaler with its various form factors such as MPX (hardware appliance), SDX (multi-tenant unit) VPX (virtual appliance, which can have any hypervisor for each cloud) and the new CPX (container-based ADC) provides organizations with to choose the flexibility of NetScaler platform that meets their performance and scalability for their data center requirements.

now added to the NetScaler14000 FIPS family to the various NetScaler platform choices, not only have customers the flexibility to purchase these new MPX 14000 FIPS platform FIPS Level 2 but also non-FIPS devices such as MPX, SDX and VPX with third integrations with Thales and SafeNet, the various FIPS 140-2 level 2 or 3 have deals available.

For more details of this new NetScaler MPX 14000 FIPS platform and all other platforms can be found here.

You may have noticed that the brand will not appear in EdgeSight XenApp and XenDesktop 7.9, the latest version of Citrix industry leading virtualization platforms. Why is this the case? Read on and learn more.

A brief history of EdgeSight

Back in 06, Citrix acquired Reflectent Software and its EdgeSight monitoring solution. provided over the years EdgeSight administrators valuable data on the performance and availability of their delivery infrastructure. The newest and latest version, EdgeSight 5.4, is still used in many XenApp 6.5 installations around the world, and is (for further details see Citrix Lifecycle Matrix) remain for some time to make.

Screenshot of the Web-based console in EdgeSight 5.4

was the "classic" EdgeSight for XenApp 6.x mentioned above, XenDesktop 5.x and previous product versions. With the release of the 7.x series of XenApp and XenDesktop, we introduced the concept of EdgeSight similar functions in the Web-based Citrix Director Console and refers to them as EdgeSight and (see XenDesktop 7: Director and EdgeSight explains Blog for more details ).

Screenshot of the Web-based Director Console in XenDesktop 7.6 EdgeSight branding

Why the EdgeSight Name retirement?

XenApp and XenDesktop 7.9, we continue to expand to the extended monitoring functions of the Director; However, the EdgeSight naming / branding has retired. You will no longer see the Director Console References to EdgeSight. In the future, we will simply refer to the full set of features as Director Platinum. We believe that this change will help to clarify the two platform offerings. For Director Platinum anything listed below (and more) are available in the Platinum Edition for XenApp and XenDesktop.

• Proactive notification and alerting
• OS Use Reporting
• Alerts of Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM)
• NetScaler HDX Insight

I encourage all customers who are not already Platinum and 7.9 all we have to try to offer either XenApp or XenDesktop (https://www.citrix.com/products /xenapp-xendesktop/get-started.html). Apart from these monitoring functions, Platinum has so much more than in our offer sketched newest Platinum Edition whitepaper.

For more information on the latest version of Director, please session SYN216 Synergy 2016.

Today, access to the Internet is to prevent in nearly any working environment a fundamental requirement. But for enterprise IT, this presents a problem.

More than one million new malware threats are triggered every day. Firewalling, content scanning, antivirus, intrusion detection, URL safe lists and regular software patching you can help the risk of attack to alleviate. But as new threats appear, it may take some time before software vendors become aware they exist. So you can never guarantee 100% protection.

Similarly search engines have the same problem, new malware detection, that is, they do not keep pace with the number of unsafe websites. And it's only a matter of time before an employee visits a site that could damage or potentially spy on your company's IT infrastructure.

So what is the solution?

When your users search in a company on the Internet on a Citrix XenApp / XenDesktop environment, then you have main options three a separate secure access to the Internet for the implementation of

option 1 :. Virtual Browsing through an insulated Citrix environment

to tighten security, create a separate XenApp / XenDesktop environment within a DMZ, which serves for access outside your internal network as a dedicated Internet browsing Farm , In this way, the entire external world is running out of the reach of the enterprise network, so malicious code can not be executed internally.

This solution numerous benefits, such as central administration your offers security and a contained environment , the malware infections from your core systems isolated. It also gives you room for stricter firewall rules as you need open ports less. And you may want to restrict browser functionality, can because you no longer need certain functions for the execution of internal business applications

Option 2 :. Browsing feature on individual endpoints

Alternatively you can implement a secure browsing environment locally at each individual workstation. If users have access to a powerful machine and network, this option may be the best in terms of Power . Also, if you properly segment LAN, you can be able to malware infections only a small part of the internal network, thereby avoiding wider infection in your data center.

On the other hand, this option [is decentralized control your safety, making it difficult and time consuming to maintain especially if your endpoints different operating systems and technologies. It also increases the Attack Service , because there are multiple endpoints compared to a centralized system

protect option. 3 Dedicated Internet-only workstations

This may be the safest option, even more so when these machines are physically disconnected from the rest of your LAN. But laying on separate machines purely for Internet access will require both additional office space and additional costs.

Not only that, but it could also hurt productivity. If employees need to surf the Internet, they have every time to log on to another machine and must also wait while someone else might use.

How to use Citrix as an additional layer between the workstation and the external Internet connection.

Each option its pros and cons clearly that you can read in detail in our comprehensive guide. But if you opt for a quick summary about the logistics of Citrix browsing farm solution then the following are the main points that you need to consider

Find the challenges in the isolation of Internet surfing of internal core data and applications .:

• to a secure browsing farm with optimal user experience structure, based on XenApp / XenDesktop.
• Browsing Farm Sizing
• Browsing Farm hardening (both browser and server)
• Transparent user experience (holding cookies, favorites, history, etc.)
• Flash blocker for maximum performance and safety (not always possible)
• Enabling file downloads and delivery
• monitor and optimize the company's browsing activity
• anonymous corporate Browsing enable user information leak
• SSO (Single Sign on) support
to prevent
• Safe surfing on a website.
• compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Minimal effort required the organization Browsing implement policy.
• to use as a transparent / easy for the end user as possible.

Citrix Secure Browsing Solution Overview

a DMZ Citrix Internet browsing Farm for surfing outside the corporate network, a number of business organizations that the ultimate way Malware defeat was web surfing isolate. Consequently, these organizations a separate XenApp / XenDesktop environment built on its DMZ to safely access the Internet.

is carried out in this way all external content outside the corporate network, so that malicious code can not be executed internally. The only traffic your network from the DMZ is input screen updates, printing or clipboard items. The last two can be disabled or configured to reduce the risk of harmful content that can damage internal desktops, cause privacy breaches of desktops, internal applications, databases and sensitive data.

By visiting traffic in a Citrix environment to isolate in the DMZ, you get the best of both worlds:

• A central area is the easiest to secure and manage
• separation :. Each may contain malware infection on the DMZ, where your core business applications not occur. Read the full guide

About SmartX Safe Browsing

SmartXSB acts as a Web proxy between business users and the virtual IT environment. It can be carried out either internally or in the cloud. SmartXSB controls and isolated each execution web content an advanced rules engine. The rules engine determines where web content is performed anonymously and the browser being used, based on user rights, the situation and the desired Web page. www.smartxsb.com

The Citrix Ready Partner SmartX with Citrix has been working for Secure Browsing create enabling secured for the company's end-user by surfing outside of the corporate network surfing the Internet while the best user experience on virtualized warranty Surroundings. Read more about Smart-X Professional Services Ltd on the Citrix Ready marketplace

About the Citrix Ready Program:

Citrix Ready identifies recommended solutions that enhance the Citrix Delivery Center infrastructure, are trustworthy. have marked all products in Citrix Ready verification testing completed, so that confidence in joint solution compatibility. Based on its industry leading alliances and partner eco-system, Citrix Ready presents select trusted solutions designed to meet a variety of business needs. Citrix Ready not only demonstrates current mutual product compatibility, but through continued industry relationships also ensures future interoperability. Explore the Citrix Ready marketplace.

In a recent blog post, Citrix Intern Jiun Hong us an insight into security concerns in the education sector was , They mixed personal anecdotes with education industry statistics show us the kind of risks students, parents and teachers face - often without realizing it. have we left off personal information spoken (PII), intellectual property, Institution reputation and finances. Today's rate ranges from medical records monitoring; we think that you will learn a lot from this bright, young stars.

Although to institutions collect a wealth of sensitive information, for good reasons, universities on the receiving end must not be capricious about the dangers of security breaches. There are a wide range of on evidence of the specific information of our information in educational institutions, which deserves our attention.

Medical records

The only sector is prone to hacks as healthcare education. On the black market the health of patients is sold information for more value as credit card information, because it is not recoverable and is the type of asset, give up too.

But universities are holding well to rish. You keep the same kind of information that makes them so popular in health care with hackers because students are required to submit health information and the use of on-campus clinics students, still save more patient data. There are some schools that keep millions of patient records in their own university medical centers, they are looking to make desirable target for hackers data goldmines

The bad news :. Cyber-attacks are real and occur at an ever increasing rate. The good news: Prevention is possible with 10 steps for cyber security

In a recent blog post about cyber security, Citrix Chief Security Officer, Chris Mayer, explains how Citrix solutions support each of the ten steps and enable safer. Networks, regardless of industry. But how can Citrix products help educational institutions with risks?

Information Risk Management Regime + Incident Management

According to a study (focused mostly on US facilities) performed by the System Administration, Networking and Security Institute (SANS), less than half the educational institutions have a way risk to the privacy of the assessment, with the overwhelming concern for compliance with the family educational rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Payment Card Industry data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

Citrix products primarily support application and workstation virtualization, but are built with different security standards in mind, allowing for automatic compliance with the deployment. This means that the concerns regarding PII and medical records are facilitated. Just knowing when, where and how data breaches in the University may occur ICT system, is crucial for preventive measures and recovery methods for institution building, support the occupied thousands of students. The Session recording function-just one of the many security features in XenApp and XenDesktop built allows for the collection of evidence of a solid incident management base. This step function and can alleviate the monetary and legal recovery pain in a cyberattack.

Secure Configuration + Monitoring

Some attack vectors that universities were concerned with, come from exploits against internal database systems malware to staff endpoints could be prevented by applying patches. But discussing the topics in the SANS study there is no mention of secure configuration, an important step to secure a system. Secure configuration can be controlled with XenMobile, for mobile devices and applications and XenApp / XenDesktop for desktop devices. This step reduces susceptibility to systems integrity and confidentiality, the concern about loss of student data and intellectual property to worry about. NetScaler Security Insight, configuration pattern, dangerous inconsistencies monitor locally and reports issues based on NetScaler protocols, all of which comply with during the PCI standards.

Network Security + Home & Mobile Working

Due to today's BYOD culture, students and faculty various personal devices to the campus network to connect while working with confidential data. As the number of devices corresponding to the number of possible violation points, there is a need to regulate the power with layers that can be used with XenApp and XenDesktop. This protects everything from health information to research data. With more personal devices on secure networks outside the university walls there is sensitive data are unnecessarily stored on thousands of devices that keep track impossible. Work on personal devices can be made safe with Share File, in which all data, no matter encrypted where it pulled up.

manage user privileges + User Education & awareness

manage Most universities the risk of data breaches by non-PII storage or access limitation. the best method of prevention, in terms of the powers of control is, however, allows only certain types of access to those who need it necessarily. The Citrix Ready Security Partners Program can introduce without integrated functions rights management applications. This is a step that limit the number of devices to fill the sensitive data, which limits the chances of financial and medical information exposed by always. Another non-technical, human intelligence-based method of prevention is the role-based training on specific ICT systems policies that raise awareness and reduce vulnerability. Citrix can help by collaborating with various partners in these efforts, the need to support the system-specific implementation of a university.

Malware Prevention + removable media controls

malware can sneak through a variety of ways, from emails to send somebody Phishing, the access to school listserv for viruses by students has endpoints. The Citrix Ready Security Partners Program enables universities with malware protection to operate, identify and eliminate routes for malware. On their ICT systems Removable media controls are not as popular, but they are still avenues for malware and data theft. Share File is a Citrix product that the need for removable media drives with its anytime, anywhere data access with data encryption features.

The personal statements that I, when first so painstakingly crafted eradicates application are probably in the same data center as my sensitive information in the school store. Although I would not care if we all have a laugh reading that I thought I was 17 years old, I would be devastated if the information could allow my identity and finances stolen was exposed.

This internship with Citrix has been a great learning experience: they taught me that cyber terrorism is an alarming reality and I should be vigilant to protect my personal information more. Nevertheless, I have no time wasted in the fear of cyber attacks, because I know that Citrix is ​​armed with essential safety skills. As a student, I hope that all educational institutions to equip themselves with the safety and student mobility skills Citrix offers.

Please refer to the Citrix presence in the education sector at @CitrixEducation.

Follow Jiun at @ jiunhong4.

Back in January, Citrix and Microsoft introduced our new co-developed solution to provide in virtualized environments Skype for Business. as emphasized by Microsoft Corporate Vice President Brad Anderson (See this 40s video segment by Synergy 2016), " This is the only VDI solution that Skype for Business was for [1945005optimiert]." Microsoft recommends using the new HDX RealTime Optimization Pack solution in all new installations and customer response has proven to be enormously positive.

connected index - the Citrix Partner Network on [1945013folgen] LinkedIn Facebook and @CitrixPartners on Twitter | Join the #CitrixSummit conversation

At the beginning of 2015 I moved with my family from India to live and work on the Citrix headquarters in the US. The move was an incredible opportunity and we love every minute of it.

As frequent visitor to United States in the last ten years, I imagined an expert to be the "American way." I was wrong. We quickly saw that life here would be a steep learning curve entail. In contrast to what we were used to, the US offered a mind-boggling array of choices in everything from coffee to health insurance. As you have the filter "locals" through the options and decide the best deal for their situation? As if that were not enough, everything in America is DIY or do-it-yourself. Actually, the bed, which we will be picked delivered in three small boxes

Soon we would acquire more skill-sets with an accelerated rate ?; Skills that knew needed in more than three decades on this planet that we've never been.

The next major Citrix history

Around the same time, Citrix took app delivery to a whole new level with four large XenApp and XenDesktop versions (and that was in 2015 alone). Away from distractions and speculation, our engineers continue to , the next big story Citrix .

2015 saw more than 50 big-ticket innovations chisel away. These were not only to be catch-up features clear, but groundbreaking standards in what to expect from the mobile workspaces. That got me thinking; Citrix partners must overwhelmed by all this good news feel , as we did during the move. Hmmm!

So here we are, helps you why and how to break out of innovations in the world of HDX. Drop by our exciting session at Citrix Summit in Las Vegas, where I want to be, these best practices with my buddy discuss Allen Furmanski. Select one of the time slots to:

at the end of the summit, you are ready to hit the ground running and deliver all meet this great functionality to your customers. While competitors busy reverse engineering the new benchmarks of Citrix, you can, my friends so busy can improve brand new customer and the value for existing customers up signing .

• Comprehensive functionality , including Audio-video and telephony functions when the Skype for Business client on Citrix XenApp or XenDesktop
• Fully native User Experience
• [1945002gehostetwird] Uncompromising quality voice and video
• Maximum XenApp / XenDesktop server scalability
• support for a wide range of devices and OS
• Common history of two providers on roadmap and support

the basic architectural concept of "optimized" delivery, namely the media processing on the user device offloading, when was always possible by the first two generation proven solutions but each of these solutions had strengths and weaknesses. Could our architects a "v2" architecture come that would bring together the best of both previous solutions, while eliminating their shortcomings?

Optimized and Generic Delivery

(and update) Reminder the key points of my July 2012 post on Softphone supply and the White Paper "Unified Communications with XenApp and XenDesktop: Solution Overview" , Citrix supports two to provide complementary approaches for UC applications, "optimized" and "generic" as we do for video playback / streaming multimedia.

is the goal of optimized delivery to XenApp off-load / XenDesktop server, whenever possible, especially for video processing, as is CPU intensive. General HDX RealTime technologies (see CTX133024 and CTX132764) a fallback when client-side media processing is not possible. If you expect a high volume of video call, update I strongly recommend to choose a UC solution that is optimized for workstation virtualization.

If you imagine the layers of software that make a typical softphone or UC app, you can think of optimized delivery as the media engine to take film from the bottom of the app and move it to the user device ,

If you do that, the communication between the processes that would have happened between the media engine, and the software layer takes up now via a virtual ICA channel. But only command and control information has to go through this virtual channel; Media traffic is out-of-band, usually over UDP / RTP.

In the case of a two-party call to the media traffic can flow ( "Peer-to-Peer") between participants directly, and in the case of a multi-party conference call it flows between the individual user and the conference bridge (MCU) ,

as this approach avoids "hairpinning" (also known as "Tromboning") through the XenApp / XenDesktop Server maximizes it the scalability of the server (hold down IT costs), no latency in the audio-video adds path, and eliminates redundant bandwidth consumption. Transcoding and repacketization often be avoided, even though the conference bridge UC provider may need to perform these functions to normalize the media streams if the endpoints use the audio / video parameters (codec, frame rate, resolution, companding algorithm, etc.)

an optimized solution development requires the softphone / UC App restructuring or seller's APIs use while generics HDX realTime technology works with almost any softphone / UC App. Optimized delivery solutions for business / Lync, Cisco Jabber, Vidyo and Avaya one-X and other softphone / UC app integration is available for Microsoft Skype in work. For non-optimized applications such as GoToMeeting, Google Hangout or CounterPath Bria, we recommend either the generic HDX RealTime technologies or Windows Device User, Local App Access (Platinum Edition), a local execution Windows application in the mixed enables users the virtual desktop.

Various generic HDX RealTime technologies help a good user experience to keep if there is no media engine on the endpoint available. These include:

• Optimized for voice codec technology, encode with fast and low bandwidth utilization
• Adaptive H.264 video in ThinWire display (adjust video quality and frame rate even with the network) remoting
• webcam video compression in the Citrix receiver for Windows, Linux and Mac, offering excellent efficiency of bandwidth and network latency tolerance
• jitter buffering in the Citrix receiver for Windows to ensure even smooth audio when network latency variable and echo cancellation when
(can middle session connected devices), a microphone and speaker
• audio device plug-n-play with
• audio device routing (eg ringtone can be addressed to speakers, but the voice to a headset)
• Multi-stream ICA transport for full QoS support (up to 4 TCP channels and 2 UDP channels)
• UDP / RTP audio for superior performance on lossy and congested network connections
• DSCP packet marking for RTP packets (layer 3) and WMM tagging for Wi-Fi

Check the Citrix receiver feature matrix for details, but the short summary that generic support for real-time audio and webcam video is , the currently available for Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and ChromeOS, and Dell support Generic HDX realTime for Wyse Thin OS (. WTOS)

NetScaler can also play an important role in audio video streams delivered through ICA, with features such as:

• NetScaler Cloud Bridge support for QoS and Multi-stream ICA including UDP and optional packet duplication for superior audio video quality
• NetScaler gateway support for UDP / RTP and DTLS

So now that you understand that basics, let us focus on business on Skype.

from the first generation solutions optimized learning

Until the recent release of HDX RealTime Optimization Pack 2.0, Citrix supports two alternative solutions optimized for the provision of Skype, for business or its predecessor, Lync XenApp / XenDesktop. Why were two solutions are needed (for now)? Each solution had different strengths and weaknesses.

Microsoft VDI plug-in solution to the Skype for Business / Lync client as a plug-in to the Citrix Receiver for Windows packages. The Microsoft VDI plug-in has the advantage that a native UI experience for the user had.

But it was only qualified for XenDesktop VDI (although successfully tested by Citrix XenApp) and it supports only Windows devices (with some exceptions, in particular of Windows Thin PC). It could only be used with a full virtual desktop (no support for any app delivery of the Skype for Business / Lync client). It required a local Skype for Business Server or Lync Server infrastructure (no support for Office 365, that is Skype for Business Online).

and smart card support is not available. (Additional restrictions are published on TechNet.) Citrix continues to support Microsoft VDI plug-in solution after its lifecycle. For more information, see CTX138408. was

The Citrix HDX RealTime Optimization Pack needs customers with Mac and Linux devices to support next Windows. It has both XenApp and XenDesktop fully supported. And it was compatible with both full virtual desktops and published app delivery. It also has broader infrastructure compatibility offered (Skype for Business Server 2015, Office 365, Lync Server 2013 and Lync Server 2010) as the Microsoft VDI plug-in.

But the key is the first generation HDX RealTime Optimization Pack disadvantage that it was necessary to have some UI differences compared to the native Lync client UI because of limitations of Microsoft APIs (especially the Lync API) to introduce, which were at the time available.

Although these UI changes were well designed and not hard to get used to each draws an unmodified, native UI experience. And the UI differences include multiple constraints, in particular support for call delegation, answer / Team call groups and voice mail integration. Citrix uses Version 1.8 of the HDX RealTime Optimization Pack support to meet primarily the needs of customers are still using Lync Server of 2010.

Both solutions (though Mainstream Support End in April, according to published lifecycle achieved) requires authentication by two components, the virtualized Skype for Business client in the data center and the receiver plug-in on the user device. This led to occasional issues where a user will be asked, would have to enter their credentials again.

The challenge before the joint team was to bring architecture into a new and improved "v2" while eliminating the best of both solutions together their weaknesses. This new architecture came together in the first quarter of 2015 and was then examined under NDA and validated with several large mutual customers.

The "v2" solution

The "v2" architecture now available leverage Citrix field hardened multi-OS HDX RealTime Media Engine as Receiver plug-in.

This component is currently available for Windows, Mac and Linux x86 devices, with equivalent functionality. (This week Dell announced support for version 1.8 of the HDX RealTime Media Engine on Wyse Thin OS, with support for RTME 2.0 on the horizon.) The RTME provides a functional equivalent to the Skype for Business media stack, the support of all the calling / conferencing scenarios as audio and video calling, hold, transfer, call forking and redirection and active speakers conferences. It supports up to receive 720p30 transmit and resolutions. And it is of course compatible with the Skype for Business protocols for networking, media encryption (SRTP / AES), firewall traversal (STUN / TURN / ICE) and bandwidth management.

But the media HDX engine no longer has to deal with authentication or SIP signaling; these functions are now exclusively from the Skype for Business client. The Skype client authenticates to the back-end infrastructure via SIP, the context of the user's authentication with the Windows operating system on XenApp / XenDesktop, enabling single sign-on. These simplifications improve robustness and user experience (eg initialization is faster and there is never a need to re-prompt the user credentials).

The RTME is a self-contained package with a much smaller footprint than the VDI plug-in; it consumes about 0 MB of disk space on the user device.

HDX RealTime Optimization Pack 2.0 provides a truly native Skype for Business UI experience. And it adds numerous features to what in previously available was version 1.8, such as:

• reputation delegation
• Response Group and team call groups
• voicemail integration
• Automatic Join Audio meeting
• Emoticons
• Web proxy support
• support for Click-to-Run
• status icons (connection Connected etc.)
• Active speaker identification

all this is possible thanks to a much improved API added to the Skype for Business 2015 client in the product update December (client 15.0.4779.1001 version), for use in the native UI mode. , These significant improvements have been introduced, the quiet of Microsoft, while our cooperation on HDX RealTime Optimization Pack 2.0 was still under NDA

The resulting architecture looks like this:

(This simplified diagram does not show the Microsoft Edge Server uses to support remote access.)

If there is no HDX media engine on the user device, the realTime Optimization Pack supports optional fallback to server-side media processing ( Generic HDX realTime). Fallback can be disabled if it is preferred to deny audio-video service for users media engine without HDX rather than impose additional CPU load on XenApp / XenDesktop server.

No need to update the latest server version

There are many good reasons to the latest XenApp / XenDesktop 7.7 Release or Skype to consider an upgrade to Business Server 2015, but this feature not need to do that. HDX RealTime Optimization Pack 2.0 is compatible with XenApp 6.x / 7.x and XenDesktop 7.x and with Lync Server 2013 (and Skype for Business Server 2015 and Skype for Business Online).

And no additional software to be installed on the Skype for business or Lync Server. This solution works with existing infrastructure (at least Lync Server 2013 February 2015 cumulative update).

Receiver and RTME compatibility

The HDX RealTime Media Engine is a plug-in for the following Citrix Receiver versions:

• Windows Receiver 4 .x (32-bit)
• Linux Receivers 13.x (32-bit, x86 only)
• Mac receiver 12.x (32-bit)

on a 64-bit Linux operating system is the latest solution to use the 32-bit Linux receiver.

to make life easier BYOD and at-home workers, we have a bundled package of Windows Receiver 4.4 and HDX RealTime Media Engine 2.0 created - Single download, install single -. available soon

You can read more news about the HDX RealTime Media expected engine during 2016.

device compatibility

Between the Citrix Ready program and Microsoft's Skype for Business Certification Program, we have a broad ecosystem of partners, including suppliers of thin clients, USB audio setup was cell phones and webcams. Many of these partners have been given early access to HDX RealTime Optimization Pack 2.0 and will soon be their products on the Citrix Ready Marktplatz his posting. We recommend HDX Premium thin clients for use with Skype for Business Desktop Video.

Stay for many exciting device Innovation in 2016.

Common Citrix Microsoft Support

HDX RealTime Optimization Pack 2.0 is more than just a technology solution , Citrix and Microsoft joint support model for this solution. And every vendor can with the other providers trouble tickets open as needed.

Optional fallback to server-side media processing, if there is no HDX RTME is based on the user device exclusively on Citrix technologies, supported by Citrix.

, contact information for the technical support of Skype for businesses, see CTX132979.

Where do we go from here?

I wish I could tell you more, but in a public forum such as this blog Citrix prevented policy that me be concrete about our plans for the future. But I'm glad to say that the Citrix-Microsoft partnership does not end with the HDX RealTime Optimization Pack version 2.0. Both companies are committed to further cooperation and the joint roadmap planning. We are already actively working together on plans for the next version.

How to find out more

Be sure to check the online documentation to learn more about HDX RealTime Optimization Pack 2.0, and the other references cited in this blog entry. Additional Knowledge Center articles will be added or updated in the coming weeks. But of course the best way to the HDX RealTime Optimization Pack to get familiar, it is trying it. XenApp / XenDesktop Enterprise / Platinum Edition customers under active SA or Software Maintenance can log on our download page.

If you are new Citrix, you can find a Citrix reseller partners in your area who would like to help you. In addition to the technical support of Citrix partners and our own technical support department, you can feel free to use our support forum to ask questions or get help. Comments on this blog are very welcome, too, but be aware that I can not answer questions roadmap here.

our new release and have fun!
Derek Thorslund
Director of Product Management HDX

Icon made by Freepik of www.flaticon.com under CC license BY 3.0

With Director 7.7, XenDesktop administrators have the option of guidelines and conditions of the configuration that allows administrators to be notified when the configured threshold has reached in the XenDesktop 7.7 environment.

Alerts are generated by Director Console or e-mail (if e-mail notification is configured).

administrators monitoring XenDesktop logged keep in Director Console or are the administrators notified checking mails periodically for critical warnings via desktop alert to achieve them, on other important tasks and alerts users of XenDesktop.

Instead, what if administrators can carry?

could affect desktop notification tool:

Desktop Notification tool notifies administrators when a new warning from one of the numerous websites for Alert Directives / alert rules are configured. This is experimental tool and the versions of this tool, including these are not supported by Citrix

Download :. XenDesktopNotificationTool

All we have to do is comma offer separately Delivery Controller IPs / FQDN with full Administrator or Delegated Administrator XenDesktop credentials and Director server IP / FQDN

Note . Only one controller IP / FQDN per site is required.

If the tool is installed, it notifies warnings in the "last two hours" triggered and that are still active. Later, the tool queries every 60 seconds for all recent alerts in the XenDesktop environment to query and notifies the administrator if any.

The screenshot below shows a desktop notification if there is a new warning in the last minute

alarm is triggered with the object and the status details:

desktop notifications can be seen in the maintenance Center in Windows 10:

We can on the tool icon in the taskbar double login to Director console. This provides administrators with comprehensive information about the warnings

Note . When introduced in XenDesktop 7.7 Integrated Windows Authentication is configured for Director, double-click on icon is us directly to the list of warnings.

[1945002zumDirektorArmaturenbrettführenstoppen] to the notifications .:

right to the tool icon and then click on "Exit", performed to stop the tool and to provide notifications

another Delivery controller or change Add Director information:

Hold the tool and run it again with the list of Delivery controller of all sites required for the alarm notifications are

platform :.

works on all Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10.

The desktop notification tool for Citrix XenDesktop is an extension of the proactive alerts and notifications in Citrix available feature Director 7.7. It provides the XenDesktop environment triggered alerts as desktop alerts, in addition to the show in Director Console and emails

Download source code .:

source code for the tool in Github

After January 2016, I can say with certainty that there is no better introduction to the Citrix family as attending Citrix Summit.

The more than 2,000 partners and 100 employees from 70 countries that joined us in Las Vegas, THANK YOU. The warm welcome I received when exceeded by far what I could have imagined. The Citrix culture lives up to its billing, and then some

partners truly the heart of everything we do at Citrix -. And we are in the cultivation #CitrixPartnerLove wholeheartedly invested

The theme of the Summit 2016 "Build" and build we . connections, learning and experiences that we have together built excite me and excited about the coming year.

together win

I have found that a great way to build a good relationship is to win together. for this purpose on our sales priorities for the coming year is a renewed focus on to make successful our partners. We doubled by reallocation on our core competencies in 2016 on innovation and simplification down and allows thoughts in the critical area groundbreaking where we operate, we make it easier for our partners to win to make us.

Against this background, I would like to with three desired results for our partners, my thoughts of the Summit keynote stage echo

• growth -. There is a $ 100000000 opportunity for our partners in app delivery, mobility, networking and data. $ 4000000000 it is in the middle of the market and enterprise space. To help you better reach this market, we have new mid-market success kits. These kits focus on horizontal applications, including lower TCO, secure remote access and Windows 10 migration and healthcare vertical applications-where nearly a quarter of all middle market opportunity lies. be Look for other applications in financial services and other major industries rolled out during the year

• return -. We are service kits success with our partners design services possibility in mind. To increase this chance, we will reduce the amount of Citrix-led services in the middle of the market, to ensure that our partners are able to offer these services to their clients.

We also understand that incentives are important baselines of our partners and us to win in the middle of the market, especially help. So we open CAR for all customer segments. We are also Net New Partner Sourced be introduced in the coming months, the reward partners continue to invest in the middle of the market and in new ways. Stay tuned

• Foreseeable Engagement - It is important that our partners have a predictable and repeatable form of engagement with us. So we simplify processes for our partners, including CAR. SLAs can be shortened and sales coaching now part of our incentive programs will be.

A new PAM (Partner Account Manager) role was created to support companies planning to provide sales coaching available and to help our partners to establish a direct connection with the right people and resources within Citrix , Each PAMs first priority is to help our partners, tell them where incentives sit and talk about how to capitalize on its pipeline of opportunities.

We are very proud of the fact that 68% of products, sales co-selling with partners in the past year. We fully understand that our partners are the key to our success, past, present and future. We believe in a joint go-to-market approach, and we see great opportunity to build big profits together in the middle of the market.

Thanks for the warm welcome. It is wonderful to be part of such a large family.

Bring your customers at Citrix Synergy 2016 in Las Vegas May 24 to 26 for a great opportunity to further build relationships (and champion new deals). Me

I look forward to a very successful 2016 with you

connected -. follow the Citrix Partner Network on LinkedIn Facebook and @CitrixPartners on Twitter | Join the #CitrixSummit conversation | Connect with @ _KimberlyMartin

There are incredible momentum behind Skype There has been started with the installed base of Lync, the millions over 100 Has. Users and 79 percent of US companies currently implement it with or planning for telephony.

with the ubiquity of Skype, combine the company presence of Lync, which provides every month a third of 50000000000 worldwide minutes of traffic Highway (Zig Serafin blog) and , it is clearly seen that the ability a great Skype experience from your virtual app or desktop is a must-have. to provide

, if you have the following were to all blogs Derek Thorslund, then you saw the steady course of our partnership with Microsoft to optimize Skype for Business, when used as a virtual application delivered or as part of a virtual desktop. You can all innovations that read architectural achievements and has here

The collaboration resulted in a solution that collected this comment from Brad Anderson, Corporate VP of Microsoft .:

is all well and good, but what does it mean, and what is the actual experience? More importantly, as there is a "normal" Skype deployment, compare and how it compared to the competition? Well, we put together a little video to show you how and why it works.

credit goes to Dan Feller for all the different environments to set up and prepare the video. I would also like to thank him for awesome on a high motion video of a rocket launch, the orientation of the camera, instead of an awkward with "fake Skype call."

One thing everyone should take away from this brief demonstration is this: we set a very high bar for us at Citrix, when it comes to this area to innovation

First, our goal is always to be for the experience "as well. as a local PC, , unless better." as you can see in the video, who we performed Skype runs on a local PC, but with all achieved the benefits of security, centralized management and various devices support that you expect from Citrix. Competition can experience do not match, regardless of the device . I think that's why #EveryoneUsesCitrix.

Secondly, we are always striving for the best user experience at the lowest total cost, as we achieved with Thin Wire.

This is an extremely important part of our differentiation, and something that our competitors try to hide because their protocols to chew network and server resources in the rule. adds our approach has no overhead to the native traffic Skype, and save money on server resources by offloading. the multimedia work on the client

it all out power: Skype is the fastest growing unified communications solution in the industry. Everyone wants to Unified Communications. If the virtual application or desktop delivery solution can not handle Skype and Citrix, why should you even consider it?

This is just another proof point in an ever growing list-that is our pace of innovation with Citrix in an all time high, and we can not wait any longer as we roll in 2016 to order to share.

Skype for Business will have seen on a train, grow a few solutions to bring before and thus massive gains in efficiency and productivity.

But these profits, as you read in Part 1 of this blog series, bringing with them new concerns for the security and privacy.

Now there are several ways you can increase security with Skype for business approach. The "Tools - Options" has a subset of about 15 categories, each with options that can be enabled or disabled, the security level in Skype, changing

You could even try to adjust group policy settings for Skype. disable features such as file transfer, chat logs, or the session recording function. But that is not always practical and would lead to the very characteristics in the distance, are making Skype, so good. It would be like taking the tires and radio from the car, and depending on the industry, it might be illegal, or even out of compliance when the auditors come to ring.

For example, in the financial services industry, if you discuss any kind of commercial or warehouse by iM, these talks must be within the scope of an audit available.

sure your VoIP calls are encrypted by default, as you authenticate through Active Directory to "Hacker" tap prevent your conversations. But that is only effective in real-time conversation and does not help with the thumbprints that get left behind. Do not forget, all chat logs, files and records are stored on the endpoint by default.

I can not only use GPO settings?

There are several challenges with trying to "lock" in this way to Skype. First, would this GPO settings apply only to Windows-based systems that you manage. Secondly, if you break the basic rule (as many organizations do, especially in a world BYO) and allow the user to be a local administrator of their own system, these policy settings can be easily reversed.

I suppose you could write a macro to delete all chat logs and files from the default folder "Downloads", which leads to close (remember when we called directories?) But that is not really an effective "security" solution. It's security through obscurity.

You can change the default locations to store for file and configure the recording to be on a network share. This would ensure that all sensitive information shared between Skype users in a secure, remote location that only your company's IT controls is maintained. This is an excellent step in the right direction! Now, no matter where or what device your employees use Skype, the data is always protected in the corporate vault.

distance, the data grow fonder?

The challenge, of course in the user experience. If I have a local Skype for Business Client and my files used, records and logs are always a few hundred miles is sent to my share, then my experience will be degraded, and I will most likely ditch. And if the link is a high-latency network connection, for example via a free hotspot in a cafe on Nantucket-my experience is even worse. So I can have the security of having a poor performance, as I sit and wait, to copy my file more than 800 miles to use a hacked WiFi. #FAIL

If that were the case, we would find ourselves back where we started. I bypass my corporate IT controls for a better experience. And with the explosion of BYOD, I am installing probably Skype for Business on my own iPad Pro, surface, laptop, Chromebook and more. These are devices that my corporate IT does not necessarily control over and it does not apply a GPO that guides my Skype data in the first place.

So what is to do an IT administrator?

the most effective way to ensure that Skype is data safe, Skype is to host for companies in the data center under lock and key where no one can access it. Skype over XenApp to virtualize and ensure XenDesktop, you can that Skype and its sensitive data is kept together for better performance and remain the endpoint devices that will be easily lost or stolen. How peanut butter and jelly or coffee and Stroopwafels, getting better together.

Well, I hear what you say back. The question on your mind,

Ok, that sounds good, for text and instant messaging. But when I put my Skype hosted for companies to XenApp in my data center 800 miles away, and I want to do voice and video calls, as in your earlier example, well, how does it work?

, it is a great question, and I'm so glad you asked. What do you refer to the "Tromboning effect" called and it can make your Skype for Business Security Strategy quickly kill introduce through inefficient routes and network stuttering.

So how do we avoid network stuttering? Stay tuned ...

Monitoring is an often overlooked aspect of a virtual delivery infrastructure. Much of the effort spent planning and implementing an environment based on business requirements of functionality, performance and availability - and rightly so

But what is the things throughout the life of the insert to follow.? Here are some of the key questions that should always remain on the top:

• Let the best use of our IT resources
[1945006?] what is the typical power look for an average user?
• If the environment availability and health at an acceptable level?
• The systems are for business purposes?

luckily help us in monitoring efforts is used properly, we have the Web-based Citrix XenApp and XenDesktop in Director.

This console provides administrators and help desk staff for the most important monitoring functions for tracking sessions, users, reporting, alerting and more. Mudit Mehrotra, product manager of the director , recently wrote a blog post about the latest improvements Director. However

Some customers require additional monitoring functions for their infrastructure, which director and other tools included with XenApp and XenDesktop provide. In these cases we recommend to customers the benefits of our monitoring applications of our Citrix Ready partners.

These solutions, provided by leading suppliers to take advantage of further improving traditional monitoring, which is natively available in the operating system for Microsoft RDS extends through methods such as SCOM, data collection agents, depth coverage etc. and these monitoring solutions are certified with the Citrix Ready program, which means that they tested and validated the Citrix Ready verification kits.

Citrix customers can be assured these monitoring solutions in their XenApp and XenDesktop environments, without worrying about the compatibility, interoperability and quality. implement

Which monitoring solution to handle tabs on hold Citrix delivery infrastructure? Tell us about the comments.

At a time when the security top-of-mind for every IT and business leader from the boardroom to the executive suite to the front lines of operation-Citrix solutions and strategies to RSA come to address the latest enterprise security requirements.

to set the stage, this post essential resource for all involved with the management of risks in the company offers to bring the latest findings to date, so you can use your time at RSA productive.

drive the expansion and development of the network perimeter as transformational trends like mobility, BYO and the Internet of Things, companies need new ways, while the risk management access for employees, contractors, partners and customers To make available. With Citrix solutions, organizations can secure and control applications, data and use in any scenario to keep people productive to where and how they choose to work.

our solution brief reading "of risk Managing Protection apps, data and use" and the video below you can see more about the Citrix approach to enterprise security to learn.

Our offer tightly integrated solutions capabilities organizations today's businesses need to address security requirements, such as the digital workspace to develop.

Citrix solutions address the core components of a security strategy by powerful and flexible options Identity and Access catching network security, application security, data security, surveillance and response in all scenarios.

NetScaler strengthens network security with a comprehensive, ICSA-certified, including SSL-encrypted communications and blocks both known and unknown attacks against web and web services applications Web Application Firewall ( WAF), which analyzes all bi-directional traffic. help NetScaler DDoS protection solutions to protect critical information without disrupting the business.

This week Citrix announced our NetScaler Security Insight solution, analytics maturity threat provides exposure to protect applications and data, helping companies, their current security posture understand, increases customer ROI. For more information :. Citrix NetScaler A Foundation for Next-Generation Data Center and Cloud-based security

Citrix XenMobile forces device and app management on any device people use, anywhere they work, over any network. Containerization allows IT to secure applications and data BYOD mobilize permits without requiring device registration. Monitoring and encryption support compliance while helping to ensure that applications and data are not at risk, as people beyond the traditional network perimeter work. For more information :. The technology of XenMobile used understanding security to deliver end-to-end

Citrix Share File offers a safe solution for controlled and audited access, storage and exchange of data both on the premises and in the cloud. Rich policy controls and granular access to information can IT security enforce, so that users can access, synchronize and files from anywhere to increase with people inside and outside the organization, without the risk. Learn more. Top Five Requirements for Secure Enterprise File Sync and Share

Citrix XenApp and XenDesktop centralize management and access control for Windows, Linux, web and SaaS applications, desktops and data. This centralized approach keeps applications and data securely in the data center and not stored on the user terminals. In addition to shrinking the security area and the attack surface, this approach allows comprehensive, unified policy enforcement for identity and access management, app security and compliance. He wins a simpler way, using and configuring the operating system to perform, and security patches applied to new vulnerabilities to keep pace. Learn more. 10 Reasons for the development of security with App and Desktop Virtualization

, you can further explore Citrix strategies and solutions for enterprise security, visit in-depth presentations and see our solutions in North Hall booth # 3214 at the RSA show floor or visit citrix.com/secure.

We are also exciting freebies an hour before exhibits every day make sure you close you are there in time to get to register! We look forward to you.