Pushing back against VMware, its chief rival, Tuesday, Citrix released its ballyhooed, on-demand XenDesktop, the widgetry that delivers custom, managed virtual Windows desktops from a data center server to a user over the network, and priced the stuff.

There’s a free Express Edition for up to 10 users; an entry-level Standard Edition for $75 per concurrent user; an Advanced Edition for $195 per concurrent user; an Enterprise Edition for $295 per concurrent user; and a Platinum Edition for $395 per concurrent user.

The price points are steeper than VMware’s Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), which goes for $150 a user, but Citrix showed off a captured trophy account, Collier Country Public Schools, a VMware VDI reference account that intends to switch. It’s supposed to have one of the largest virtual desktop installations in the world.

The Enterprise and Platinum editions are strapped to Citrix’ old Presentation Server, now styled XenApp, for application virtualization and streaming as well as desktop virtualization. XenApp used to go standalone for $450 or $600 a concurrent user.

Platinum throws in Citrix’ EasyCall click-to-call technology and a little something borrowed from GoToMyPC so remote support staff can hop on your machine, see your problem and – with any luck – fix it.

VMware, meanwhile, is still working on relaunching the application virtualization it got with its Thinstall acquisition.

In Citrix’ world – where a single Windows image becomes the basis of many unique virtual desktops – there are now so-called repeaters and receivers to make sure applications get where they’re going.

The Citrix Branch Repeater, which is based on Windows Server and available with Microsoft’s Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server software – Microsoft is credited with co-development – is an “appliance” that sits between the data center and the branch office and amplifies and retransmits the applications coming down the pipe from the home office.

The applications are downloaded to the repeater and from there delivered to individual machines at the branch. The Windows Server bit provides file, print, Active Directory, DNS, DHCP and ISA web caching.

The accelerating, WAN optimizing, Cisco-like widgetry is available in appliances for small, medium and large branch offices starting at $5,500 with the options of ISA and a Fail-to-Wire Ethernet interface starting at $1,000.

The Citrix Desktop Receiver, which works with XenDesktop, and the still-in-beta Citrix App Receiver, which works with XenApp and Citrix’ NetScaler, are free lightweight software clients installed on end user’s machine to ensure its desktop and applications are captured and seem as snappy as a locally installed desktop or application. They’ll support third-party plug-ins.

Citrix fancies the idea of turning data centers into delivery centers and is talking about the stuff lowering desktop TCO by maybe as much as 40% – like getting around the hardware requirements imposed by Vista by separating the apps and the user profile from the OS.

Credit Suisse expects the desktop virtualization market to be worth at least $1.8 billion by 2012 up from nothing.

Virtualization Technology Providers and Contributors in 2008
The following companies are among the providers and contributors of Virtualization technology: 3Leaf Systems, 3PAR, 3Tera, Acronis, Actional, Active Endpoints, ActiveGrid, activePDF, ActiveServers, ActiveState, Actuate, Agile Software, Agilent, AGiLiENCE, Agilysys, Akamai, Akorri, AlachiSoft, Altova, AMD, AMDAHL, Amentra, Amyuni, anacubis, Apani, APC, Appcelerator, Appistry, AppStream, Ascential, Astaro, Attune Systems, Autodesk, AutoVirt, Availl, Azul Systems, BEA Systems, B-Hive, Black Duck Software, Black Hat, Blackbaud, Blue Lane Technologies, BlueArc, BlueNote, BluePhoenix Solutions, BMC Software, Borland, Bristol Technology, Brix Networks, BroadVision, Brocade, Burton Group, Business Objects, CA, CalAmp, Cassatt, Cast Iron, Catbird, Cayenne Technologies, Ceedo Technologies, Cenzic, Certeon, CiRBA, Cisco Systems, Citrix Systems, ClearApp, ClearCube Technology, Compass America, Composite Software, Compuware, Configuresoft, Continuity Software, Coraid, Courion, Coyote Point Systems, DataDirect, DataSynapse, Dell, Double-Take Software, Ecora Software, EDS, Egenera, Elastra Corporation, Embarcadero, EMC Corporation, Enomaly Open Source, Enterprise Management Associates, Entuity, EqualLogic, ESRI, F5 Networks, Fortisphere, Forum Systems, Fujitsu, GemStone, Getronics, GigaSpaces, Green Hills Software, Grid Dynamics, GridGain Systems, GT Software, Hitachi Data Systems, HP, Hyperic, IBM, ICEsoft, Illumita, ILOG, IMEX Research, Information Builders, InstallFree, Intel, International Computerware, iTKO LISA, JBoss, Juniper, Kidaro, LynuxWorks, ManageIQ, Managed Methods, Marathon Technologies, Mellanox, Microsoft, Mindreef, MKS, Moka5, Motorola, MQSoftware, NASTEL, Ncomputing, NEC, NetApp, Netegrity, Neverfail, Nexaweb, NextAxiom, Nimbus, Novell, OpenSpan, OPNET Technologies, OpTier, Oracle, Panacea Software, Parallels, Pillar Data Systems, PlateSpin, PLX Technologies, Progress Software, Prolifics, Prosync Technology, Provision Networks, QLogic, Quest Software, Racemi, Raxco Software, Red Hat, Reflex Security, Resolutions Enterprises, Riverbed Technology, Rogue Wave, rPath, RSA Security, SanDisk, SAP, Saugatuck Technology, ScaleMP, Secure Command, ShavLik, ServInt Internet Services, Silpion IT Solutions, Skytap, Software AG, Splunk, StackSafe, Stoneware, StoreVault, StrikeIron, STT, WebOS, Sun Microsystems, Surgient, Sybase, Symantec, Tenfold, TheInfoPro, Thinstall, Third Brigade, TIBCO Software, Tideway Systems, TRANGO Virtual Processors, Transitive, Trend Micro, Trigence, Unisys, Verio, VeriSign, Virtual Iron, VirtualLogix, Vizioncore, VKernel, VMLogix, vmSight, VMware, Web Age Solutions, WSO2, XDS, Xiotech, xkoto, and Xsigo Systems.