You know everyone in technology has an opinion. What operating system reigns supreme? Which hardware vendor is the best? These are the kinds of questions that make for great debates that we all benefit from.
One of the most interesting debates among Citrix technology experts is always whether to implement a CR (Current Release like Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 1903) or an LTSR (Long-Term Service Release like XenApp and XenDesktop 7.15). As a product marketer, I love to promote a CR’s new features and capabilities. But I recognize the customer value associated with an LTSR, especially if you are in a highly regulated industry that must go through certification testing for your business-critical applications.
I wanted to lay out in this blog post some of the key benefits of a CR and an LTSR. But before we dive in, let me point out that Citrix offers you a choice, and that’s the true power of our industry-leading workspace solutions. Only we give you a CR, an LTSR, and cloud service to ensure our solutions align with your business needs.
Current Release
New Use Cases: Addressing New Business Challenges with Your Existing Investment
Each employee has different business needs. The flexibility of the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops architecture enables you to address the broadest range of these needs. The fast pace of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops CRs will bring new features to market, enabling you to address even more use cases to completely mobilize your workforce.
Rapid Innovation: Quickly Deliver New Features and Capabilities to Your Users
You are constantly taking measures to protect your company’s intellectual property and keep your workforce productive. However, the IT world changes quickly, and you need access to the latest app and desktop delivery features to stay competitive. CRs give you fast access to the latest security, productivity, and collaboration features.
Enhancement Requests: Faster Delivery of Enhancements
Your requests for enhancing Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops make the solution more versatile. With CRs the turnaround time on getting your features implemented into the overall solution architecture will be much shorter. Faster release cycles enable Citrix to deliver new features that address your enhancement requests and make them generally available for all customers to consume.
Long-Term Service Release
Extended Lifecycle: Supported for Up to 10 Years
Citrix typically announces a five-year, mainstream-support lifecycle for each major release, but with an LTSR the clock restarts. For an LTSR, you will have five years of mainstream support and five years of extended support (separate contract required).
Predictable Maintenance: Regularly Scheduled Updates
Citrix releases cumulative updates for LTSR environments on a predictable schedule. These updates typically contain the required fixes — devoid of new features — making it easier to schedule ongoing site maintenance to preserve the environment’s long-term integrity.
Reduced IT Costs: Simplified Management
Implementing an LTSR of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops gives you access to product releases with the most predictable maintenance schedule to streamline your management efforts, reduce uncertainties, and mitigate risks, lowering your total cost of ownership.
Learn More at Citrix Synergy
Want to learn more and share your thoughts? You’ll have a chance at Citrix Synergy 2019 in Atlanta. Join our Citrix experts Kireeti Valicherla and Ed Zimny for our fireside chat on LTSR and CR in synergy session SYN409: Get the Latest Citrix Long-Term Service Release Program Information.
Citrix Synergy Update – LTSR Timeline Announced
At Citrix Synergy in Atlanta, the Citrix Virtual App and Desktop team announced that the next Long Term Service Release is targeted for 2019 Q4. Watch the ‘What’s New in Citrix Workspace’ blogs for more real-time updates!
For Citrix Investors
This release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Those statements involve a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including risks associated with the impact of the global economy and uncertainty in the IT spending environment, revenue growth and recognition of revenue, products and services, their development and distribution, product demand and pipeline, economic and competitive factors, the Company’s key strategic relationships, acquisition and related integration risks as well as other risks detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Citrix assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described herein. The development, release and timing of any features or functionality described for our products remains at our sole discretion and is subject to change without notice or consultation. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not a commitment, promise or legal obligation to deliver any material, code or functionality and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions or incorporated into any contract.
