Although VMware remains the market leader in virtualization, its position is shrinking. The virtualization industry titan still holds the largest market share, with reports showing 91% market share. However, investors are waiting for the news of a reverse merger with Dell.
Microsoft is the main competitor in the virtualization market. Microsoft took a lot of big shots at VMware’s virtualization strength starting with Server 2016. They made it more costly to virtualize Windows servers using vSphere. They also began giving away Server 2016 datacenter licenses. Microsoft gained market share the only way it knows how: bundling, freebies and license audits.
Citrix has also seen gains in VMware. It is growing in popularity as the virtualization solution of choice for increasing numbers of companies. Why? Citrix is cheaper, integrates well with Microsoft and offers a range of tools that work.
Here’s how Citrix, a relatively small company, fared in the big virtualization move.
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Microsoft and Start trainingCitrix work well together
Microsoft has been working with Citrix for almost three decades. Their first collaboration was in 1998, with Windows Terminal Server Edition. The long-standing partnership has resulted in the products of both vendors working well together.
Microsoft’s Hyper-V can run XenApp/XenDesktop Essentials. This is a huge deal considering what Microsoft is doing with VMware. This combination offers an alternative virtualized Citrix environment than the traditional VMware platforms that have been dominant the virtualization landscape for so many years.
Citrix-Microsoft has partnered to make it possible for Windows 10 Enterprise users, using XenDesktop, to deploy Windows 10 desktops on Azure. This allows organizations to quickly deploy cloud-based virtual machine to users when they need them.
Citrix succeeds only when Microsoft succeeds. Citrix has an inside track to the huge market share that Microsoft has taken with Server 2016.
Every Citrix product works perfectly
Citrix is more than anything, and has made its way into many companies’ infrastructures, and IT pros’ hearts, with its product-wide mantra “Any Device, Anywhere.”
Citrix Workspace app (formerly Receiver) is a good example.
Citrix Workspace allows users connect to a Citrix server to run single apps or virtual desktops from a web browser. The app is compatible with Android, Chrome, iOS and Mac OS as well as Linux. They even offered Receiver for Blackberry until about a year ago.
Citrix Hypervisor (formerly XenServer), is the closest competitor to VMware’s ESXi. Even the Hypervisor free version is more feature-rich that VMware’s. Citrix is growing rapidly because of this.
Citrix wants to encourage you to use their product. Virtualization pros are taking notice of the many features offered by Citrix products, both in paid and free versions. Look at the praises for Citrix on forums. Citrix is a favorite of many. Citrix is easier to use than VMware, no matter what the task.
Citrix is affordable without being expensive
It is a huge understatement to state that companies are shifting from expensive on-prem solutions towards inexpensive virtualized environments. Citrix is a great choice for companies that are somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, as they can access Citrix at a lower cost and have greater accessibility.
Accessibility. Citrix is easier to manage than VMware. You can decide how much you want to manage, and whether it’s on-premise, entirely in the cloud, or somewhere else.
The Workspace app offers multiple ways for users to virtualize and deliver their desks.
What Citrix has done with VMware