Citrix is planning to introduce a so-called self-service "storefront" for enterprise applications later this year called Dazzle.

It's supposed to provide corporate employees with 24x7 access to a broad swath of apps, desktops and content to give them what they need when they need it.

Dazzle derives from Citrix' theory - itself derived from examples like DirecTV and Apple's iTunes store - that consumerization is changing the shape of enterprise IT and that business dare not ignore all the web-based consumer services available outside the office.

It's pull versus push. And Citrix claims push is boring and counterproductive.

Expected to ship in the second half, Dazzle will run on Windows and Mac PCs and act as a lightweight storefront for all the applications IT has centrally staged in a head-end infrastructure product like XenApp or any of the Citrix head-end products.

The applications will be indexed by name, description and type. And the widgetry will be integrated with Citrix' new Receiver universal client access technology and will interface with the company's new Merchandising Server management system, meant to merchandise apps to user not just deliver them. So IT will be able to recommend or advertise applications.

The widgetry should handle charge-backs and software expirations.

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