Virtualization specialist Citrix announced a new mobile device management platform (MDM) platform that will help it become a a one stop shop for CIOs who are implementing BYOD in their organization.  It’s the first major product release from Citrix that takes full advantage of the recent Zenprise acquisition.

XenMobile MDM allows IT to enforce role-based policies on corporate and employee-owned phones. According to Citrix, the platform is a built on a “highly secure architecture” that is natively integrated with Microsoft Active Directory and public key infrastructure systems.

The solution features self-service capabilities for end-users, and makes it possible for admins to implement changes on an organization-wide level. That means data wipes, app roll outs, and adding applications to the blacklist or white list.

The perks of XenMobile MDM sound great, but BYOD’s been around for a while, and many firms, including Citrix, have extended management tools and security features since the iPad first entered the workplace.  What’s changed in the past year, and what’s so different from XenMobile MDM compared to the BYOD management portfolio Citrix already had?

“There’s a lack of understanding the problem,” says Natalie Lambert, director of product marketing at Citrix.  “When we talk to customers and industry analysts about customer needs, it’s always an interesting conversation.  Most people think MDM will solve most their problems, but when you dig in, it’s really about secure email and what to do when a person leaves the organization.  How do we make that happen when workers access data on BYOD?  Understanding the bigger problem is key, and recognizing that MDMD is just one part of a bigger solution.”

Certainly, MDM is just another perk layered into Citrix’s broader portfolio, bringing full circle the more granular level of control companies need over data, not necessarily the device, a worker is accessing.  And a complete service portfolio is becoming increasingly in demand as BYOD continues to characterize today’s workforce.

“In today’s complex enterprise mobility environment that includes a mix of corporate and employee-liable devices, companies need solutions that allow them to manage devices, data, and apps,” said Stephen Drake, the program VP of enterprise mobile at research firm IDC.  “The addition of an MDM solution to the Citrix MAM and data management capabilities create a complete solution. By offering a platform for mobile enterprise management that gives options, Citrix can help give customers the peace of mind that, if their needs change, the platform can adjust.”

XenMobile, which is set to launch next week on the 25^th, will be available as a part of an offering the Mobile Solutions Bundle: a pre-packed offering that couples the MDM platform with Citrix CloudGateway, the company’s enterprise app management framework.

Citrix is banking on mobile in a big way, as shown by the below chart.  Less than one month ago, Citrix announced a massive update its ShareFile app for iOS.  The new version features several new capabilities including automatic login, jailbreak detection support StorageZone Connectors. The latter technology is the most notable addition: it makes data from external file shares available from within the app.