Citrix XenApp: Overview

Deliver Applications as an On-Demand Service

Citrix XenApp is a Windows application delivery system that manages applications at the server level and delivers them as an on-demand service to any device, anywhere you choose. XenApp reduces the cost of application management by up to 50 per cent, increases ICT responsiveness when delivering an application to users and improves application and security.

The Problem with Existing Solutions

There are a lot of curriculum applications available and managing these involves complex and time-consuming processes of installing, patching and upgrading applications on every workstation.

Here are some common issues:

• Unable to deploy applications to classrooms in a timely fashion causing disruption to teaching schedules.
• Time wasted by teachers on help desk calls; thus reducing student productivity.
• With the budget committed to refreshing workstations, schools are left without available funds for growth or enhancement.
• Classroom PCs are noisy and generate too much heat making an uncomfortable learning environment.
• Students in computer suites have little physical space in which to work when preparing course work.
• No remote access to allow students and staff to run curriculum applications from home.

The Solution

Thin-client technology has come a long way in recent years and all schools should be considering some thin-client elements within their school ICT strategy.

Citrix has enabled this to happen by moving from just thin-clients to application virtualisation. No longer are the operating system and applications tied to the hardware, allowing all users to access resources, applications and content from any location, at anytime.