Citrix Systems has thrown down the gauntlet to virtualisation giant VMware as it educates customers and partners on how to migrate from VMware ESX to its XenServer Enterprise.

In February the software vendor announced its XenServer Enterprise virtualisation platform would be available for free to any user for unlimited production deployment. Some 30 per cent of the customers to have downloaded XenServer Enterprise since then have been VMware customers, Citrix claims.

James Stevenson, area vice president at Citrix UK, Ireland and South Africa, said: “This shows some people who bought VMware are now considering whether XenServer can do the same. As the download is free the business case speaks for itself.”

Citrix has also launched an education programme aimed at helping partners and end users migrate.

Phil Cambers, commercial director at virtualisation consultancy SITS Group, said: “XenServer is a great way to get customers onto a platform.

“However, if a product is free where does the money for development come from? That is why VMware charges a subscription.”