Citrix Unveils Portal Product Family, Christens South Beach Server

Citrix Systems

The company christened its long-awaited portal server, formerly code-named South Beach, as NFuse Elite and said it will become part of a new product family called Access Portal.

"We're delivering on our vision of the virtual workplace," said David Manks, director of product marketing at Citrix, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "It's not about a place, going to an office. Work is where you are," he said.

NFuse Elite, scheduled to ship during the first half of this year, provides personalized Web-based access to applications, content and Web services.

The Access Portal product family also includes NFuse Classic, formerly known as NFuse, which Citrix provides free to users of its MetaFrame application delivery platform to provide Web-based access to Windows and Unix applications.

The product line also includes Enterprise Services for NFuse, which provides Web-based access and management for customers with multiple MetaFrame server farms. The service is available free to clients using Citrix's enterprise product, MetaFrame XPe, and who have a Subscription Advantage software upgrade contract.

Some solution providers said they plan to use the NFuse Elite product to delve into the portal space.

"We haven't been in the portal space yet, but customers are starting to ask for more flexibility," said Peter Busam, vice president and COO of Decisive Business Systems, a solution provider based in Pennsauken, N.J.

Solution providers also said they expect NFuse Elite to provide additional sales opportunities from their existing Citrix client base.

"We're hoping its something we can really sink our teeth into," said Bradley Perry, operations manager at Automated Systems, Lincoln, Neb. "I think it will be one of those deals where it's something in the future that people will want, and I like to be on the front end of the curve," Perry said.

Citrix also launched Fast Track 500, a program that provides early access tools and training on the NFuse Elite product to Citrix solution provider partners.

"It's a select group that are very advanced in their technical abilities that will be our target, go-to-market partners," Manks said.

Fast Track partners and qualified customers will be able to download the product next month for training and evaluation through a technology preview program, he said.

Citrix has not yet set pricing for NFuse Elite.