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Citrix Acquires Unicon to Enhance Virtual Desktop Management

Citrix

Business Honor
22 January, 2025

Citrix acquires Unicon to enhance virtual desktop and endpoint management solutions.

Citrix, a business unit of Cloud Software Group, has bought the German-based provider Unicon, a leader in virtual desktop endpoint management. The acquisition would be strategic in enhancing Citrix's platform through the addition of a lean operating system and management tools for customers of VDI and DaaS.

Citrix’s co-president, Hector Lima, shared with CRN that this purchase will help integrate endpoint OS management into Citrix’s broader offerings. The company aims to provide users with a unified application that can seamlessly access a range of services, from web apps to VDI, allowing customers to interact with Citrix's entire ecosystem more efficiently.

Within the portfolio of Unicon is eLux, the Linux-based thin client OS from Unicon. It is run on 2.5 million endpoints worldwide across x86 platforms. The Unicon Scout endpoint management product in complex VDI environments is well used for providing secure device management without the necessity of a VPN. Citrix sees this as an opportunity to expand its VAR offerings by making endpoint management more streamlined, especially as Windows 10 is at the end of its support lifecycle in October 2025.

The move may disrupt the thin client market, particularly against competitors like IGEL and Stratodesk. Industry experts note that it could help Citrix strengthen its position in the VDI space while consolidating vendor relationships for its customers. Unicon’s CEO, Philipp Benkler, will continue with Citrix as vice president of product.

Citrix's recent acquisition of deviceTrust and Strong Network has really strengthened its capabilities in conditional access and cloud environments. Virtual desktops are increasing in demand because everybody's work life is going remote. Citrix would continue to maintain its position within this fast-evolving market with a strong focus on endpoints and cloud solutions.