Application virtualization isolates applications from the underlying operating system and from other applications to increase compatibility and manageability. As a modern application delivery solution, Citrix XenApp virtualizes applications via integrated application streaming and isolation technology. With this method of application delivery, applications are streamed from a centralized location into an isolation environment on the target device where they will execute. With application virtualization, applications are not installed in the traditional sense. The application files, configuration, and settings are copied to the target device and the application execution at run-time is controlled by the application virtualization layer. When executed, the application runtime believes that it is interfacing directly with the operating system when, in fact, it is interfacing with a virtualization environment that proxies all requests to the operating system.

 

 

Citrix XenApp is unique in that it is a complete system for application delivery, offering both online and offline application access through a combination of application hosting and application streaming directly to user devices. When users request an application, XenApp determines if their device is compatible and capable of running the application in question. The minimum requirements of a target device are a compatible Windows operating system and appropriate Citrix client software. If the user device meets minimum requirements, then XenApp initiates local application delivery via application streaming directly into an isolated environment on the users device. In the event that the user device is not capable of running a particular application, XenApp initiates hosted application delivery.

Hosted application delivery uses application streaming to delivery applications to hosting servers in the data center. XenApp then connects the user to the server to which the application has been delivered. The application then executes entirely on the server. The user interacts with the application remotely by sending mouse-clicks and keystrokes to the server. The server then responds by sending screen updates back to the users device.

In both hosted and local application delivery, user interaction with the application is seamless. Printers, drives, peripherals and even the clipboard work in the exact same manner as if the application were installed. However, whereas local application delivery is limited to Windows-based operating systems at this time, hosted application delivery via XenApp allows any user on any operating system to access any application delivered by IT. XenApp enables Windows, Mac, Linux, UNIX, Thin clients, iPhone, Windows Mobile devices, and even Symbian and Java-enabled devices to run any applications using hosted application delivery. Furthermore, hosted application delivery leverages server-side processing power which liberates IT from the endless cycle of PC hardware refreshes which are typically needed to support application upgrades when using traditional application deployment methods.

The result: XenApp reduces the cost of application management and related costs by up to 50% and  enables a better-than-installed experience for users when compared to traditional application deployment models.

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View a demonstration of Citrix XenApp

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