Citrix has delivered a little of what it promised in March, when it bundled its software into a “Platform,” in the form of new management tools and a revamped user interface.
Citrix’s Platform includes its digital workspace and security wares, all sold together. The biz suggests that acquiring all its code at the same time will simplify matters for users.
A Monday post revisited the past pledge to “build a simplified, unified platform to deliver and manage secure application access to any device and any user.”
“Today, we are delivering on this promise and introducing wide-ranging product changes that will make your life as an IT admin easier than ever,” enthused product manager Nitin Mehta.
The virtualisation and cloud concern has therefore “revamped our cloud interface to provide operational utility straight from the home screen,” he added, calling out capabilities including “primary capabilities buttons right at the top of your screen” plus “high-level visibility of what’s happening in your environment with ‘Recent Activity’ front and center.”
The updated UI also features “a roadmap section that will include the latest and greatest new releases and how you can leverage them in your environment, plus quick links to resources like the Citrix Community and Citrix training resources.”
Mehta promised admins will soon have new and consistent menu layouts that will mean “our features are more easily navigable and all the consoles are accessible from any page. It now takes fewer clicks to get to where you need to go.”
The new shiny will debut in Citrix’s cloudy management console between now and “early” 2025. Users should receive emails advising them when their turn to access the new UI rolls around.
“Adding more tools for automation and simplifying our Citrix Cloud console are all part of our plan to help you reduce the amount of time you have to spend on day-to-day tasks and increase the amount of time you have to work on higher-priority projects,” Mehta wrote.
Get excited, Citrix users. This is your new Cloud menu navigation UI – Click to enlarge
Citrix users of The Register‘s acquaintance could use some good news: since its 2022 acquisition the once-innovative developer only sells bundles of software – effectively making it more expensive – and has announced little major innovation. If it has any bold plans, it’s not shared them with the media – and we’ve asked for briefings on many occasions. We also hear of troubles transacting with Citrix, as its sales teams and channel sometimes don’t interact well.
The outfit’s security woes continue – a recent proof of concept for an unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in Citrix’s Virtual Apps and Desktops is just one of many flaws found in its products.
Analyst firm Gartner recently relayed its experience of Citrix customers reporting “continued dissatisfaction with their commercial relationship.”
“Clients consistently identify a lack of contractual flexibility, fixed terms and conditions, the inability to negotiate volume changes and a general lack of client empathy during negotiations.”
The Register can’t imagine a coat of visual polish will assuage those concerns – unless it’s a truly amazing UI. ®
