Citrix - 2.2 XenAPP origin

XenApp, formerly known as MetaFrame or Presentation Server, is the flagship product that made Citrix famous. Knowing its long history helps you understand how the product evolved into what we know today as XenDesktop 7.6. It all started in 1991, when Citrix introduced Citrix Multiuser 1.0, an attempt to create a multi-user system as an extension of OS/2. In 1992 came Multiuser 2.0, but the OS/2 platform never really took off. In 1993, the team decided to bring this multi-user technology to another operating system: Citrix WinView for DOS appeared, the first attempt to build multi-user technology for a Windows-style platform.

The MetaFrame and Presentation Server era

  • 1994-1995 — Citrix WinFrame, a repackaged Windows installation with multi-user technology.
  • 1998 — Citrix MetaFrame, the first product layered on top of Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server Edition through a partnership with Microsoft.
  • 2000 — MetaFrame 1.8 for Windows 2000, then MetaFrame XP introduced as Microsoft adds Terminal Services to Windows.
  • April 2004 — MetaFrame XP becomes MetaFrame Presentation Server 3.0.
  • May 2005 — Rebranded to Citrix Presentation Server.
  • March 2007 — Presentation Server 4.0, then 4.5 in September.
  • 2008 — Renamed to XenApp 5.0.
  • March 2010 — XenApp 6.0, followed by 6.5 in 2011.
  • 2013 — XenApp 7.0, then XenDesktop 7.6 in 2014.

This timeline shows how MetaFrame was the first Citrix product that did not require a separate Microsoft source code, and how the convergence of XenApp and XenDesktop into a single platform happened progressively. In the next video we will dive into the ICA protocol.

Summary

Citrix XenApp originated in 1991 as Multiuser 1.0 on the IBM OS/2 platform, designed to create a multi-user system. The product evolved significantly when Citrix introduced WinFrame for Windows in 1994 (initially called MetaFrame). A critical partnership with Microsoft in the late 1990s saw MetaFrame become the first Citrix product leveraging Microsoft code, integrating Windows Terminal Services technology. Through multiple iterations and naming conventions, the product eventually became XenApp 6.0 in 2010 and reached XenApp 7.6 by 2014.

Key points

  • Citrix XenApp began as Multiuser 1.0 (1991) on IBM OS/2 before transitioning to Windows platforms
  • MetaFrame (1994) represented the first Windows-based multi-user presentation technology from Citrix
  • Microsoft partnership led to Terminal Services integration, fundamentally changing the product's architecture and market positioning
  • Product underwent multiple rebranding phases reflecting Windows OS evolution: MetaFrame → MetaFrame XP → Presentation Server → XenApp
  • XenApp 6.0 (2010) marked the modern era naming convention, culminating in XenApp 7.6 (2014)
  • The technology enabled organizations to centralize Windows applications on servers and stream them to client devices

FAQ

What was Citrix XenApp originally called?

Citrix XenApp originated as Multiuser 1.0 in 1991 for IBM OS/2, then evolved into MetaFrame (1994) for Windows platforms, and later became known as XenApp starting with version 6.0 in 2010.

When did Citrix release its first Windows-based presentation technology?

Citrix released WinFrame (also called MetaFrame) in 1994, making it the first Windows-based multi-user operating system technology that could run multiple simultaneous user sessions.

How did the Microsoft partnership shape XenApp's development?

In the late 1990s, Microsoft adopted Citrix's multi-user technology internally for Terminal Services. This partnership resulted in MetaFrame becoming Citrix's first product to integrate Microsoft code directly, fundamentally changing its architecture and cementing its role in enterprise environments.