There’s an interesting relationship between things that occur in the enterprise world, and what gets handed down to the consumer level.  I’ve always found it quiet fascinating, like the excitement I felt as a young child at the concept of having all my favorite movies accessible from my television, on-demand.  Those tiny glimmers of the future is what CES is all about, and while the yearly show is over, it’s made lasting impressions on the business world, especially as it pertains to the cloud.

Kim Woodward, Citrix Systems Vice President of Corporate Marketing, wrote an intriguing blog post on this very topic, humorously exploring the idea that the Consumer Electronics Show should be re-named the Consumer Enterprise Show.  Woodward brings up some important points on the consumerization of enterprise products, and the cloud plays a huge role in our current transitions.  Looking at entertainment devices like the television, Woodard suggests that they will become extensions of our work, combining capabilities for watching our favorite sitcom, then later conducting a video conference with clients.

“This isn’t crazy,” Woodward proclaims. “Just look at the number of tablets and smartphones being announced this week at CES. Hundreds of new devices will be entering the market, and you know they’ll find their way into the enterprise. And why not? Citrix transforms virtually every device into a serious workplace tool by enabling them to safely and securely run Windows business applications (as I blogged about here).

Additionally, at CES yesterday, our friends at Microsoft emphasized that “…You’ll be able to use Windows anywhere you go, from the small screen to the big screen …” (as reported by Wired’s Dylan Tweney, who covered Steve Ballmer’s keynote last night here). So, between the combined forces of Microsoft and Citrix, you can work and play from anywhere, from any device. We’ve got you covered.”

Woodward’s blog post incited me to probe a little more.  Below is an interview with Woodward, highlighting some of the concepts she mentioned in her blog, and how Citrix fits into these wonderful visions of the future.

Q.       In regards to the Microsoft support, how does this fit into the larger goals of Citrix, and how can this team-up bring enterprise technology into the future?

A.        At Citrix, we build virtual computing solutions that provide better ways for people, IT and business to work.  That means ensuring they can do whatever they want to do, whenever they want to do it, wherever they happen to be, and on any device.  Our longtime relationship with  Microsoft has enabled us to build our solutions on the Microsoft Windows platform, leveraging server, management, client and application environments to deliver unmatched value for customers.

With Citrix Receiver, users can take advantage of all the powerful Microsoft apps, web apps, Windows desktops and data they use every day for work – on the device of their choice. Citrix virtualization technology lets IT run and manage the apps, desktops and data centrally and securely, delivering them to users on-demand.  Working together, this expands the universe of devices and use cases for which a Microsoft solution can be used – even to those that Microsoft doesn’t address directly.  As we saw at this year’s CES, the iPad is only the beginning of cool devices that can be used in every aspect of our lives.  As we’ve done for the past 20 years, Citrix and Microsoft will continue to enable people to use technology in ways they never thought possible.

Q.       What trends are you seeing in the mobile enterprise in particular?  Is there an increasing overlap between consumer and enterprise devices and/or technology?

A.  More than anything, we see the need for the enterprise to respond to the needs of their employees for flexibility in where and how they get work done, and to figure out how to say “yes” to the plethora of devices on which they want to work.  It’s more than just mobility, which speaks to a temporary situation like going on a business trip.  Rather it is a shift in both where and how work gets done, as “work” has become more than just a physical space – especially here in the Valley.  With respect to an overlap, yes…the lines between personal and professional technology are increasingly blurring, and it’s virtually impossible to separate enterprise from consumer devices.  In fact, I’m sure that we’ll be seeing many of the hot new devices that were introduced at CES – maybe even the Smart TV – appear very shortly in the workplace.

Q.       For the mobile enterprise scene, where does Citrix fit in and where do you see the industry going?

A.        We believe users should be able to choose whatever devices are best suited to the task, and use those devices for any mix of personal and work situations. The advent of new devices doesn’t mean people stop using PCs or laptops.  Going forward, we believe most users will interact with a variety of devices over the course of a given day, using the same device as both an entertainment gadget and a serious workplace tool.

Citrix aims to ensure that IT can seamlessly deliver the apps, desktops, data and collaboration tools that users need to be productive, regardless of what device they are using, and who owns it.  Citrix virtual computing solutions make it easy to handle this “device independence” which means enterprise IT doesn’t have to bet on a winning device at the endpoint – they can embrace consumerization, and they can securely deliver enterprise computing anywhere needed.  We work to make it easy for enterprise IT  to say “yes!”

Q.       What were your biggest takeaways from CES?

A.        My biggest takeaway was that the consumerization of enterprise technology has definitely gone prime time!  I was looking back at products launched in the 1970s at CES – the VCR was unveiled for personal use in 1970, and the big news in 1976 was digital watches.  In contrast, at this year’s CES we saw a lot of entertainment gadgets, but a majority of them straddle both fun and productivity, showing how computing has become a key aspect of our lives.   I think we are on the verge of the “consumer enterprise,” where each new personal device will be just another way to access the business world.