Fujitsu Limited and Citrix Systems Japan KK announced that they have entered into a Citrix Service Provider (CSP) agreement(1). Based on this agreement, Fujitsu will commence sales of its cloud-based "Fujitsu Managed Infrastructure Service Virtual Desktop Service VCC" (Virtual Client on Cloud, or "VCC"), which utilizes virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) products offered by Citrix, specifically, Citrix XenApp, Citrix XenDesktop, and Citrix ShareFile. VCC will be available for sale in Japan from today.
Recent years have seen strong demand for deployment of VDI systems that will transform the ways people work in companies and perform as security measures. At the same time, there has been a growing need for VDI services offered from a cloud environment, which enables unified operations management of the system platform by the datacenter operator, in order to reduce the burden on the VDI administrator.
Now, Fujitsu and Citrix, which have an approximately two decade-long history of collaborating on VDI technology, have expanded their collaboration in the cloud domain, entering into a CSP agreement for Japan, and based on this, to offer VCC, a cloud-type VDI service.
This service will enable easy use of VDI environments providing both convenience and security, supporting system users in transforming the way they work and in implementing security measures. Moreover, the service will assist customers in the creation of a digital workspace(2) by reducing the operations management burden on system administrators.
Features of the VCC
This service uses Citrix XenApp, Citrix XenDesktop, and Citrix ShareFile, Citrix's VDI products which support major operating systems, such as Windows 10. This VDI service is available for customers with a variety of options to choose from based on their businesses, on a monthly fee basis in a cloud environment.
Customer system assets will be administered in secure datacenters operated by Fujitsu, assuring scalability and security while reducing the burden of administration tasks in system operations.
In addition, when deploying this service, experts from Fujitsu with specialized knowledge will build and set up the VDI environment, providing the customer with an operations manual while also offering VDI environment platform monitoring and operations support in responding to questions when problems arise.
Main Functionality of the VCC
Easy use of Skype for Business in a VDI environment
When using Microsoft's Skype for Business, which requires high real-time capabilities, previous VDI environments had poor data transmission efficiency, resulting in difficulties in ensuring sufficient quality for conversations over video or audio. This system provides smooth communication for customers as they can easily use Skype for Business, thanks to Citrix's proprietary HDX RealTime Optimization Pack that optimizes communications technology.
Support for Windows 10 version updates
Even for business use, Windows 10 is updated to a new version about once in every six months, each time requiring system support. With this service, all the functionality expansion associated with the update will be handled on the VCC platform, enabling customers to use their existing business systems as-is. OS updates can be fully applied at a timing of the customer's choosing.
Use of Linux in a VDI environment
Simple and lightweight applications using Linux can be used in the VDI environment, including dedicated web access environments used in government, and Linux-based applications that are widely used in areas such as scientific and technical research or market analysis in the finance industry.
vGPU option (*optional functionality)
By using NVIDIA's GPU virtualization technology, this option enables customer to utilize functions requiring a high performance GPU to be used in a VDI environment without a massive investment. This option is well suited for applications such as CAD software, which requires advanced graphics performance, and CAE software, which requires high computational processing speed.
Cloud Storage Service (*optional functionality)
This option includes Citrix ShareFile, a cloud-based online storage service from Citrix, made available via network storage built in Fujitsu's datacenters. In addition, it can also be linked with the customer's existing internal storage, enabling secure use of data from anywhere using a variety of devices.
Future Plans
Going forward, Fujitsu and Citrix will further expand their collaboration in the cloud, connecting Citrix Cloud with Fujitsu Cloud Service K5, Fujitsu's public cloud, further expanding the range of services available as part of the VCC.
In addition, Fujitsu and Citrix are also expanding their collaboration in the field of mobile services, providing even stronger support for customers in the creation of digital workspaces.
Comment from Matsuhiro Kishimoto, Senior Fellow, SVP, Deputy Head of Service Platform Business, Fujitsu Limited
I am delighted at this expansion of our collaboration with Citrix in the cloud. Fujitsu has always provided cutting-edge and highly reliable technology that supports society and our customers, and I am certain that by offering a cloud-based service in combination with Citrix's VDI products, we will be able to meet the diverse needs of customers who are transforming the way they work.
Comment from Masakazu Aoba, President and Representative Director, Citrix Systems Japan KK
I am extremely pleased that we have expanded our collaboration with Fujitsu in the areas of services and the cloud. I believe that delivering both an environment suited for flexible ways of working and information security measures will be an ineluctable necessity for companies going forward. In addition to expanding the VCC going forward, Citrix is also utilizing products that may well dramatically change the ways future users work, including Skype for Business and Windows 10, contributing to improved productivity for customers. Together with Fujitsu, we will continue to offer services that can meet the detailed needs of customers.
Comment from Masataka Osaki, Japan Country Manager and VP of Corporate Sales, NVIDIA Corporation
The transformation of the ways people work and enhancement of security are important issues in increasing Japan's competitive strength, and I have great expectations for this initiative by Fujitsu and Citrix. By adopting NVIDIA's GPU virtualization technology in the platform for this service, I believe that even users who require high graphics performance will be able to enjoy the benefits of end user computing.
Pricing and Availability
(1) Citrix Service Provider agreement
Citrix Service Providers are able to offer their own services that include licenses for Citrix services.
(2) Digital workspace
A system in which integrated system resources can be accessed from all sorts of devices at any time, providing a platform for transforming the way a company works and reducing the burden on system administrators.
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