Citrix partners with technology leaders to host iforum 2005

Co-hosted by Mindware, the major event is expected to be attended by over 1000 delegates comprising of IT professionals and entrepreneurs from the Middle East. iforum 2005 is scheduled to be held on the 10th of January at the Shangri La Hotel, Dubai, UAE.

After the success of previous iforums held in Riyadh and Dubai, the major IT event has revisited Dubai once again to demonstrate the significance of IT solutions in the business world. iforum 2005 will be a highly informative, hands-on event with numerous presentations and discussions on upcoming business solutions from leading IT companies. The conference will also showcase the importance of a strong access strategy, highlighting the role played by Citrix in providing business benefits to various industries in the Middle East.

"We are delighted to bring the iforum back to Dubai in 2005. This year's event will be even more interesting with top IT personnel debating different aspects of the technology world, including the need for an access strategy in the Middle East," said Antoine Aguado, Regional Manager, Citrix Systems Middle East. "iforum 2005 will also be a great opportunity for professionals and businessmen to understand the benefits available to organizations through the Citrix Access Infrastructure. The key advantages provided by the Citrix Metaframe Access Suite will be outlined through live customer testimonials from Citrix users such as Dubai Municipality, Dubai Men's College, National Bank of Abu Dhabi and King Faisal Specialist Hospital. The conference will also include a live product demonstration of the Citrix MetaFrame Access Suite."

"Being a key technology event, we keenly look forward to participate in the Citrix iforum 2005. This year's iforum will definitely provide a platform for Citrix and IBM to display the strategic benefits available through our joint business solutions," said Martina Horan, Communications Specialist, GBM - Sole Distributor for IBM Products and services. "A global Citrix Business Alliance (CBA) partner since 1996, Citrix and IBM have built a strong international relationship, which has been extended to the Middle East region as well. Using the technical abilities of Citrix and IBM, we are now jointly capable of meeting the growing IT demands of enterprises through server consolidation, application deployment and access solutions. The Citrix iforum is a major event and we are sure that we will once again have the opportunity to meet and interact with prospective clients in the region."

"As the largest and most skilled vendor of information technology and services in the region, and as the Distributor for IBM in the Gulf, Gulf Business Machines is ideally positioned to deliver outstanding business and technical solutions using local resources.

In recognition of our end-to-end approach and extensive capabilities, we were invited to join Citrix in April 2004 as their implementation partner mainly focused on large Enterprise Customers. Today we have a Citrix practice with GBM's ITS group providing consultancy, implementation and support for solutions using Citrix for Access, and we are a Citrix Gold Partner," added Martina Horan.

"We are delighted to sponsor the upcoming Citrix iforum 2005. After the success of past iforums, the event has turned into a well established platform for innovative solutions that deliver real benefits to businesses. With a large number of technical and business heads expected to attend the event, we look forward to an interesting Citrix iforum in 2005," said Bahaa Issa, Regional Communications Manager-Microsoft Middle East.

"Citrix iForum 2005 provides the perfect venue for Peribit to showcase Peribit's WAN optimization and application acceleration solution, deployed in conjunction with Citrix," said John Rea, Regional Director for Peribit Networks. "Having participated in this event in previous years, Peribit understands the importance of the various solutions represented at the show and its impacts on companies in the Middle East."

Graham Porter, Marketing Manager, Sun
Microsystems Middle East & North Africa added: "'Citrix is an important partner for Sun Microsystems and we have been working closely to drive return on investment and build competitive advantages through technology for our customers in the Middle East. iforum 2005 will further help us in our efforts to address the IT needs of enterprises in the region."

Organized under the patronage of Dubai Municipality, iforum 2005 will consist of a solutions track, Citrix business track and Citrix technical track explaining the solutions, business benefits and technical advantages provided by Citrix and strategic Partner joint solutions. The conference will be addressed by senior IT personnel from Citrix EMEA, strategic partners and Dubai Municipality.

Apart from key sponsors, delegates will also have the opportunity to interact and exchange views with IT personnel from other sponsors, including Beta IT Networking Professionals, Expand Networks, Fusion Distribution, New Horizons, Emirates Computers, MDS Computers, Solutions Middle East and ThinPrint.