Citrix Systems has moved for mobile device management (MDM) firm Zenprise, acquiring the California-based firm for an undisclosed sum.
The deal means Citrix will be able to extend its virtualisation platform to mobile devices. Mobile virtualisation is one potential way of dealing with the bring your own device (BYOD) phenomenon, enabling businesses to manage a corporate account on an employees person device.
Citrix said Zenprise will be added to its CloudGateway and Me@Work platforms, which help companies manage mobile apps and data. The company said it will now be able to manage the device, data and app from one management console. This is what Citrix claims the market is lacking – at the moment many businesses are using a variety of different technologies from different vendors.
The two companies already had a pre-existing relationship; Zenprise’s cloud-based MDM platform runs on Citrix’s infrastructure.
Consumerisation and BYO have given rise to very difficult challenges for businesses in enabling a productive, mobile workforce while still maintaining tight controls over company information," said Sumit Dhawan, VP and GM, Mobile Solutions.
"Zenprise was a clear choice for Citrix, with its leading MDM product, an experienced team, a history of innovation, and a footprint on more than one million devices. With a complete Citrix enterprise mobility solution, customers have all the necessary pieces to manage and secure mobile apps, content and devices," he added.
Amit Pandey, CEO of Zenprise, said: "Unlike most mobile device management vendors that just manage devices, Zenprise is focused on next-generation MDM. This means making mobile apps ‘business-ready’ and keeping mobile content secure, while harmonising IT needs and the user experience. Zenprise has made it easy for businesses to put mobile to work and our software is a great complement to the Citrix mobility solutions."
Citrix said it expects the deal to close during the first quarter of 2013.
