Application virtualisation is empowering companies to give team members easy, flexible and secure access to the growing number of cloud-based systems and other systems they need to do their jobs, wherever they are and whatever the device.
It works by encapsulating a program from the underlying operating system, so that it can be executed, viewed and used as though it were actually installed.
In other words, any application can be run anywhere.
It’s an extremely important capability in today’s fast-changing modern workspace environment, providing not only greater freedom for staff to choose how and where they work, but also giving systems administrators more control and visibility into their digital ecosystems.
This is what is meant by a ‘hyper-converged’ systems infrastructure, whereby everything is centralised and simplified to integrate seamlessly together. This ensures that users have a consistent experience across different platforms, applications and devices.
The concept marks a radical departure from client server environments where traditional software systems like Office or Exchange could only be accessed via devices running the associated operating systems.
Instead, by using solutions like Citrix XenApp and cloud platforms like Microsoft Azure, systems administrators can quickly and easily provision multiple virtual, or mirrored, instances of these and cloud-based applications to run on any device, and without the need for more hardware.
This removes a key roadblock for organisations supporting a highly mobile and modern workspace work by running an executable from a server, with the server providing all the power and CPU it needs to run, and then displaying the result on the endpoint.
Company-wide activity is also easier to monitor and manage, for instance with application updates and patches deployed to multiple end-points.
And in cases where it’s important to have a green fields environment, is where there may be security or access concerns, it’s possible to have applications isolated or ‘sandboxed’.
Why does your business need app virtualisation?
App virtualisation has a number of powerful business benefits. Firstly, it means team member are able to access the full range of applications and data they need to do their jobs regardless of where they are and what device they’re using. For team members that spend a lot of time on the road the technology can greatly improve efficiency, save time and help drive better responsiveness leading to better customer experiences.
And for systems administrators, they are able to meet increased demands for greater flexibility with little effort, all the while maintaining oversight and control, including over data management and security.
With more than 20 years’ experience servicing the technology needs of Australian businesses, Thomas Duryea Logicalis has been at the forefront of the fast-evolving modern workspace, helping to drive new innovations that ensure our customers receive the best technologies and expert advice to maximise their potential in today’s hyper-converged, mobile and virtualised environment.
Talk to one of our engineers today about how application virtualisation can free your team to work better, smarter and safer, to drive value for your organisation.
Download our eBook on The Modern Workspace – enabling a better way of working to learn more.
