XenApp and XenDesktop: An Incredibly Easy Approach for Businesses Today

Virtualization has created a new business landscape with a huge difference and most of the companies today are implementing virtualization techniques for their businesses.
 

We find several virtualization products in the market, and choosing one among them is indeed a puzzle game. Set apart this puzzle game.
 

Let us understand how we answer if someone asks queries.
 

For instance: which mobile should I buy?
 

Our spontaneous answer would be ‘It depends!’ [‘It depends’ refers to your specific requirements like the price, storage capacity, operating system, processor, and, so forth].
 

Likewise, when it comes to technology and the vendors, the strategies and approach the vendor follows against the requirements of the concerned firm must match with each other in order to implement the particular technology.
 

In this regard, we may notice that Citrix potential and contribution stands as one among the best technologies implemented as more companies are adopting for it.
 

And, the Citrix customers confirm that the Citrix solutions like the XenApp and the XenDesktop create endpoint related management tasks [which includes patches, incident management, expiring users, upgrades, and more] simpler at a faster rate.
 

When Citrix is creating so much buzz in the technology world, let us investigate the most popular XenApp and XenDesktop in brief over here.
 

CITRIX XenApp:
 

XenApp is an Application virtualization software released by Citrix systems. The Windows applications could be accessed through any of the individual devices from a shared server or the cloud system.

Image Source: https://bit.ly/2AJR1cR

In brief, it enables the remote access of Windows applications and server desktop over any network using any device. Owing to its empowered user productivity, reduced costs and enhanced data security, it is used by millions of users. The sensitive information is protected in the data center and thus provides corporate security.

Features of XenApp:
 

Let us move forward and look into the special details of XenApp. A few of the unique features that make the IT agiler are listed below.
 

• More adaptive to changing business needs and addresses a wide range of use cases.
• Delivers either applications or a full desktop based on the device or the individual’s role.
• Possess flexible architecture with a rich set of capabilities.
• It is compliant to native FIPS 140-2 and has a secure design.
• It prevents unauthorized or unwanted intrusions and thus reduces the risk of data loss.
• Promotes access to the business application on demand by the users.
• The users have a native-like experience despite the fluctuations in the network connections.
• The High-Definition Experience [HDX] technology delivers user experience of high-definition.

XenApp Environment:
 

It comprises of three parts.
 

• Multiuser operating system: The remote desktop session host facilitates the multiple users are able to connect with the individual XenApp applications or the session-based desktops. 
• XenApp Software: The HDX protocol facilitates the display capabilities at remote, multimedia or the USB redirection, and other capabilities as per the client’s devices. 
• Client Devices: The Applications and sessions are accessed by the endpoint devices through the Citrix Receiver.
   

Benefits of using XenApp:
 

• Today, the businesses are adopting mobility. XenApp empowers the smaller organizations to go mobile, simplify IT and create the mobile workforce. It helps them to be competitive by bringing agility.
• As the businesses possess more mobile workforce, security is a real concern. Citrix empowers the workforce to securely access the apps and desktops from their place and chosen time. It fills the security gaps.
• It empowers the employees for mobile access to applications that are hosted on Windows, Linux, Web, or the SaaS applications.
• It offers advanced system monitoring and granular access control through the security architecture and thereby providing remote access.
• It delivers access to centralized design resources in real-time remotely. This facilitates the designers and the engineers to get access to the professional graphics applications on their devices.
• It facilitates the Enterprises to securely take up the Bring Your Own Device [BYOD] initiatives so as to deliver on-demand apps and the desktops for the said devices.
   

Use Cases:
 

The Forrester interviewed one of the firm that has implemented Citrix XenApp and concluded the following points.

• Lowered license costs for the legacy apps by $1.2 million.
• Enhanced security access for the third-party providers.
• Avoided the cost of providing VPN access for outsourcer by $410,400.
• Avoided the cost of maintaining the personal devices by $1.6 million.

CITRIX XenDesktop:
 

XenDesktop is the desktop virtualization software/Virtual Desktop Infrastructure [VDI] released by Citrix systems. The centralized Windows desktops could be accessed and run on multiple users’ Microsoft Window desktops which are separated from the central one.

Image Source: https://bit.ly/2mcqq2I
 

In brief, it facilitates the users to access and run the Microsoft Windows desktops virtually either from the data center or a private/public cloud through the devices. It has the ability to deliver several virtual desktops owing to its bundled components.
 

Accordingly, depending on the delivery method they are called as:
 

• Hosted shared desktops/XenApp: The users access a single, remotely shared desktop services. 
• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure desktops: The user has their own virtual machines running on a server. It is accessed and controlled through the remote display protocol. 
• Disk images: They are created on the Citrix Provisioning Server, processed on the client device and streamed as needed. 
• Local virtual machine: A virtual machine runs on the client device by using the hypervisor called the Xenclient. The image gets synced with the master one on the server as required. 
• On-demand Apps: It facilitates the users with the software applications online/offline from the data center. It is different from the XenApp in such a way that the client receives a complete virtual machine and are not shared among the users. 

Features of XenDesktop:
 

Though it comes with the Citrix XenServer, it supports even the VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V so that the user may choose the best working environment.
 

It supports the Provisioning services and Machine creation services. With MCS, one can use the linked clones and with the provisioning services, a single shared disk image is streamlined. It helps to maintain the efficiency of centralized management as copies of disk images are reduced.
 

There are receiver clients for versatile devices like the Windows, Android, iOS, Blackberry, Mac, and PC too. Moreover, when the users cannot install the full client, the HTML5 receiver facilitates the desktop and app access.
 

The built-in ICA Proxy support secure and remote access over the SSL.
 

The client is able to detect the insider/outsider for an organization as Citrix uses the beacons at the storefront. Moreover, the optional NetScaler Gateway or the full-featured NetScaler allows external access.  
 

XenDesktop Environment:
 

• Citrix Receiver: It is installed on the clients’ devices for accessing the desktops and the applications. 
• Citrix Storefront: It manages the applications and the desktops of the enterprise stores via the Citrix Receiver. 
• Citrix Studio: It provides the administrators with the single console so as to configure and manage the Citrix XenDesktop. 
• Citrix Director: The XenDesktop environment could be monitored and rule out any troubles by the users. 
• Delivery Controller: It distributes the desktops and applications. There may be one or more delivery controller for high availability as required. 
• Virtual Delivery Agent: It is installed on the Windows desktop operating system or the server by which the users get connected and receive the desktops or the applications. The VDA allows the machines to register with the Delivery controller and also manages the connection between the users’ machine and the receiver.
   

Benefits of Using XenDesktop:
 

• XenMobile helps to deliver the Windows applications to the smartphones and the tablets as convenient as the user can use it and thus enables the mobile workforce.
• The deployment of virtual desktops or the applications facilitates the partners, employees, customers, third-party workers, or the contractors to build an end-to-end strategy facilitating usage of Enterprise applications.
• The access to virtual desktops helps to solve the problems like staffing, computers or the office spaces. The employees may use the same desktop image and work on flexible schedules remotely.
• The use of HDX facilitate the organizations to render graphics-intensive applications to the employees working remotely.
• It simplifies the desktop deployments, lifecycle activities of the PCs and overall management of desktops of a firm.
   

Use Cases:
 

Jorgen Norman, IT manager of Knightec says “Our Citrix solution has paid for itself several times over. It enables us to start more projects, create more teams and enable our engineers to work anywhere in the world in an agile, efficient manner.

Further, the Citrix solution has drawn the attention of the largest customers.“  
 

The implementation of XenDesktop has-
 

• Enabled the CAE engineers to collaborate and work from anywhere.
• Reduced the project lead time to 1-2 days. [previously it was three weeks].
• Accelerated the FEA calculations by about 400 percent.
• Reduced the high-end CAD stations requirement.
• Best engineers from any location were recruited owing to work flexibility.
   

Conclusion:
 

The delivery models offered by the Citrix is indeed redefining the digital workspaces provided to the employees. Furthering the movement, several IT organizations are re-evaluating their existing model and switching over to Citrix.
 

Owing to the implementation of Citrix solutions,  

• Workstations are maintained and protected.
• Operational costs are reduced to an appreciable level.
• Enabled the IT to provide complete and improved support for the remote users.
• A surprising reduction in the office real-estate as employees don’t require
• Employees are more productive against time.
   

At this juncture, it is wise-choice to implement Citrix, join the crowd and yet, stay distinct.
 

What do you say?
 

Post your comments below.