Citrix's New Mobile Device Management Play: XenMobile MDM

XenMobile, based on technology from recent Citrix acquisition Zenprise, is designed to give mobile users in the enterprise a wide range of device and platform options while also enabling IT administrators to efficiently manage the devices according to compliance and policy requirements. The software is a secure architecture that integrates directly with Microsoft Active Directory and other key infrastructures, said Citrix, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Users can enroll their personal devices in the XenMobile platform while IT administrators can develop and automatically roll out policies and mobile applications to employees. The XenMobile platform also can blacklist or whitelist apps and wipe out or selectively erase data from lost or stolen devices.

[Related: DaaS Player Desktone Aims At Citrix With New Enterprise Apps ]

"XenMobile has a very granular set of capabilities," said Natalie Lambert, director of product marketing at Citrix. "Whether the device is corporate-owned or employee-owned, there are a number of different policies available."

Along with XenMobile MDM, Citrix introduced the Mobile Solutions Bundle for Enterprise Mobility Management, which includes the XenMobile MDM and CloudGateway. The bundle includes enterprise MDM; secure email, Web browser and data-sharing apps; mobile app containers for all apps created by third parties or the enterprise itself; identity management, single sign-on and scenario-based access control; and a Unified App Store for all mobile, Web-based and SaaS applications.

"The Unified App Store is designed to give users a place to go when they want to add or use apps securely outside the office when they're on the road," Lambert said, adding that the MDM platform will aggregate third-party apps from other stores in addition to custom content.

Citrix said the XenMobile MDM and Mobile Solutions Bundle will be available starting Feb. 25. XenMobile has user- or device-based pricing, while the Mobile Solutions Bundle has user-based pricing only.

Citrix acquired MDM software maker Zenprise in December in an effort to build mobility management into its cloud and virtualization stack. The company said all Zenprise channel partners are being brought into the Citrix partner program and will be able to sell the XenMobile MDM and Mobile Solutions Bundle products, as will existing Citrix partners.

PUBLISHED FEB. 20, 2013