Citrix Targets VMWare With Platform Migration Strategy

In a bid to take on its rival VMware in the virtualisation segment, Citrix Systems has come up with a new migration programme, which would see vendors offer free support to customers switching servers from VMware.

Dubbed as “Project Open Door”, the new initiative from Citrix Systems would involve lending tech support, training as well as conversion tools to the users changing their servers from VMware ESX or vSphere to its signature XenSever or Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V platforms.

Citrix has further claimed that the number of large companies that have enabled XenServer for production purposes have doubled in the past month or so, implying that the service is being used by around 20 percent of the Fortune 500 companies.

The project, which would run until March 2010, would include dispensing a free-five incident support bundle for every five servers switched to XenServer or Hyper-V platforms. In addition, this would further include six hours of online training, along with free migration tools for every five servers switched.

Citrix’s XenServer product group’s VP, Louis Shipley, touted the new project for its capability to attract customers looking for cost-effective solutions in the virtualisation space.

“Project Open Door helps these customers achieve more agile data centres by offering them advanced virtualisation management through our Citrix Essentials for XenServer and Hyper-V solution, as well as assistance in making the transition smooth, easy and cost-effective”, he said.