The rise of remote and hybrid work has allowed users to access their Citrix environments in increasingly diverse ways. To support this rise in flexible working arrangements, employers are now tasked with providing a seamless end-user experience across an array of endpoints. This adds complexity to managing, deploying, and standardizing Citrix Workspace app configurations and upgrades. Outdated Workspace app versions can lead to version drift, security vulnerabilities, discrepancies in capability, and connectivity issues – all headaches for an administrator.

To address these issues, we introduced Citrix Global App Configuration Service which offers a convenient and centralized deployment solution for administrators delivering the Citrix Workspace app across devices, domains, and operating systems. Available via the Citrix Cloud console without additional licensing, Global App Configuration Service enables Citrix administrators to control and deploy Citrix Workspace app configurations and settings — without depending on 3rd party app-deployment tools across on-premise and cloud environments. Citrix teams can now manage and upgrade the Citrix Workspace app on any device accessing the Citrix environment, including BYO devices.

It also provides a one-stop shop for administrators to apply application settings such as agent management, session resolution, and clipboard redirection for all end users accessing the environment. 

Global App Configuration Service offers essential services to streamline the admin and end-user experience of the Citrix Workspace app. These services address several major use cases such as email discovery of StoreFront/Workspace, centralized Workspace agent management, and application configuration.

Email Discovery of StoreFront and Workspace

Mapping the Citrix Workspace application to on-premise StoreFront stores or cloud Citrix Workspace stores is key to providing end users access to their resources. Users often need to remember unique URLs, and administrators need to distribute URLs to hundreds or thousands of end users.

To address this issue, Global App Configuration AutoDiscovery service automatically integrates with Citrix Cloud Workspace service without any further action needed. End users simply need to log in to the Workspace app using their email address to be mapped to their resources; no need to distribute URLs to end-users. For StoreFront stores, administrators simply need to claim the domain and map the StoreFront URL to the domain, and then end users can be mapped.

The screenshot below shows the only thing end users will need to access their Citrix environment — their email!

Using the Global App Configuration Service enables Citrix administrators to manage the Store mappings of the Citrix Workspace app, so end users always point to the right resources. This streamlines the onboarding process for both end users and administrators. No more forgetting URLs and struggling to access from new devices, as long as an end user has Citrix Workspace app installed, they will be able to access their apps and get work done.

Centralized Workspace App Version Management

Currently, in Citrix environments, configuring and deploying the Workspace app is a challenge that often requires assistance from 3rd party tools and/or additional IT teams within the organization. This can lead to an unsupported and outdated Citrix Workspace app (or even Receiver!) in use in the environment – causing a variety of security and connectivity issues. Global App Configuration Service solves this issue by providing centralized app version management for both managed and unmanaged devices over Windows and Mac devices. Global App Configuration is one of the only tools that can manage Citrix Workspace app without MDM/MAM on BYOD. 

Through the Global App Configuration Service console, administrators can enable automatic or version-controlled Workspace App upgrades for CR versions. Support for LTSR versions is planned for future releases. Citrix administrators can now fully control the rollout of Citrix Workspace app environments wide from one console. Upgrades can first be tested in a non-production channel built into Global App Configuration Service before being rolled out to end users. This enables administrators to test out upgrades before pushing to production – reducing the risk of upgrades affecting end users and subsequent help desk tickets! This feature greatly improves Citrix admin’s ability to easily manage and maintain the Citrix Workspace app configurations from testing through production. 

App Configuration 

Citrix Workspace app settings are critical in enabling a positive end-user experience. These settings improve the performance, user interface, and security of the user connection. Historically, these settings have been controlled via Citrix Policy, GPO, or other 3rd party management tools, which means these settings aren’t always controlled by Citrix administrators and can’t always be applied to BYO devices. Global App Configuration Service ensures that Citrix admins can apply settings to all end users, resulting in a consistent and improved end-user experience. 

The client application settings for all Operating Systems can all be controlled via the console – centralizing management for admins. These settings can be applied at the Store level so that settings can be customized based on the Store use case. These settings include CVAD/DaaS, security, and audio settings. For customers who also leverage App Protection or Citrix Enterprise Browser, those settings can also be configured via the Global App Configuration Service console.

To simplify management, settings can be filtered via OS for easy access and also applied to test users before being migrated to production. With Global App Configuration Service, Citrix teams can now ensure a consistent Citrix Workspace app experience for all users and improve security posture, regardless of if the computer is domain-joined. 

Learn More

As you can see, this is just the start of how we are streamlining admin management. To learn more about Global App Configuration Service and how it can assist in deploying and managing Citrix Workspace app, visit product documentation, Tech Zone, and check out the Citrix Features Explained video.

Disclaimer: The development, release and timing of any features or functionality described for our products remains at our sole discretion and are subject to change without notice or consultation. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not a commitment, promise or legal obligation to deliver any material, code or functionality and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions or incorporated into any contract.