NZ firm wins big job in Australia

By RICHARD WOOD

New Zealand system integrator gen-i has landed one of the biggest Citrix "thin-client" software deals in Australia.

The deal involves 10,000 users with IAG Group's NRMA Insurance subsidiary and is believed to be worth A$2 million-A$3 million for the software licensing alone, excluding architectural design or implementation work, which could double the value of the business.

The enterprise licence agreement is for the use of Citrix Metaframe XP software and follows a 1300-seat implementation at IAG's New Zealand subsidiary State Insurance last year.

Citrix thin-client technology allows Microsoft Windows to be used on low-cost terminals or through terminal emulation on lowly specified PCs.

In doing so, it also centralises control of applications on central servers, so tends to be accompanied network redesign work. Businesses adopt thin-client implementations because they can reduce the costs of IT infrastructure, particularly in the area of delivering desktop applications.

Sources said the licensing was initially for 10,000 users but allows for extension to IAG's other subsidiaries. This means it may yet eclipse the only larger regional Citrix deal of 10,320 "seats" at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, done in conjunction with Citrix and systems integrator EDS last year.

An NRMA spokesman said the company expected the same business benefits that State Insurance experienced in New Zealand: "The Macro benefit is the managed desktop with the same applications being deliverable to anyone in the organisation."

The majority of end-users in business did not require the high multimedia component of a PC, he said.

The company has already been using some Citrix for remote communications and will have the first part of the new deal complete by June, involving up to 1100 users.