Citrix snaps up Kaviza

CRN.

VDI-in-a-box, a virtual desktop appliance that runs on commodity server hardware with local storage, allows SMEs to deploy VDI without getting bogged down in the cost and complexity involved with the technology.

Kaviza fills an area of need for Citrix, which hasn't previously addressed the SME space with a purpose-built VDI offering, according to Tom Flink, Citrix VP of worldwide channel and sales strategy.

PC World states that Citrix first showed its interest in Kaviza last year by investing an undisclosed amount in the company, but has now decided to buy the whole company for an additional undisclosed amount.

Today, SMEs are adopting desktop virtualisation at an accelerating rate, and Citrix's acquisition of Kaviza is expected to help it expand into that part of the market.

With Kaviza's solution called kMGR, all the parts of the VDI software are put into a virtual appliance, including software for storing and replicating PC images back on the servers, says The Register.

According to Krishna Subramanian, Kaviza chief operating officer and VP of marketing, storage costs can account for anywhere from 40% to 50% of the total cost for a VDI setup.