VMware SocialCast and Citrix Podio are The New Desktop

What constitutes a desktop? It is a framework, a workspace for aggregating resources in the form of data and applications and the ability to use applications to manipulate data and produce a desired result. In the move to cloud computing we expect this new workspace or desktop to be accessible and available from anywhere on any device for all applications and data. What better place to do all that other than from an enterprise social collaboration platform like SocialCast or Podio?

Think about it: If in the future we expect all applications to be SaaS or Web or mobile, then social platforms like these are perfect places to aggregate those applications. Of course we will not forget about legacy Windows applications but we can also aggregate those in these platforms as well. Citrix is at a bit of an advantage today in that it can easily integrate Podio with Citrix Receiver and -- voila -- Windows apps. Take that a step further and integrate with ShareFile and now you can launch files using any application you want with file extensions and maybe in the future with "Open With".

So you have your data in ShareFile or Octopus, you have your Windows, SaaS, Web and mobile apps aggregated, you have enterprise collaboration and workflow capabilities; so, you lessen your reliance on e-mail, you have integration with some of your online meeting tools like GoToMeeting and WebEx and it is all in the cloud ... what else do you need? More apps, you ask? That is a great question and that is where enterprise application stores come into play -- download any application you need from the enterprise app store and on you go.

I know someone will ask about SharePoint and its likes. Well both SocialCast and Podio layer on top of SharePoint and extend workflow and collaboration capabilities, so don't look at these platforms as a replacement (not yet at least) for SharePoint. Rather, they're enhancements to it.

These two solutions offer powerful propositions and whether we notice this or not we are already doing what they solve today; it's just that we're using solutions that aren't as integrated or obvious. Still, without a doubt I believe that the way forward is through enterprise social collaboration platforms as the new desktop.

Posted by Elias Khnaser on 05/16/2012 at 12:49 PM