Client-side application virtualization technology in Citrix XenApp™ is composed of two main functionalities: application streaming and application isolation. The application streaming feature enables applications to be delivered to client devices and run in a protected, virtual environment.  Applications are managed in a centralized Application Hub, but are streamed to the client device and run in an isolation environment.  Applications become an on-demand service that is always available and up-to-date.

The challenge

The reality today is that many companies are hitting a wall of complexity when it comes to managing their ever-growing number of desktop applications and diverse access scenarios. This complexity translates into a huge amount of time and money spent providing what amounts to a patchwork solution.

Application streaming overview   Client-side application virtualization reduces the cost of testing, installing and supporting applications. Using isolation and application streaming technologies, client-side application virtualization enables local virtualized applications. Rather than installing applications on user PCs, applications are streamed to a protected isolation environment on their client device. The isolation environment controls how applications interact on the user device, which prevents application conflicts.

Streaming applications into the isolation environment greatly accelerates their delivery by reducing regression testing and simplifies management with streamlined maintenance, upgrades and de-provisioning. In fact, using streaming for de-provisioning an application is the most efficient method of removing all traces of an application. Caching technology makes applications available even when users are not connected to the network.
 

With server-side application virtualization, the server acts as the client. Applications are streamed to a protected isolation environment on the server as opposed to the local device. This has many of the same benefits of client-side application virtualization and also helps reduce application silos and greatly improves management of XenApp farms.

Key benefits

As a key component of both client-side and server-side application virtualization, application streaming enables IT to:

• Eliminate application conflicts and OS instability resulting from desktop application installation.
• Reduce the costs associated with regression testing, deployment, maintenance, updates and de-provisioning for applications running locally on user machines.
• Offer applications as an on-demand service.
• Lower support costs by automatically updating and repairing applications every time they are used.
• Speed regulatory compliance by eliminating the need for extensive testing to certify applications.
• Enhance security by giving IT administrators complete control over applications delivered to desktops, even those of unmanaged partners and users.

Find out how client-side application virtualization works