IT organizations have an array of technologies to choose from to deliver access to apps and data. Many choose VDI and published applications from vendors like VMware and Citrix to securely deliver desktops and apps to users. Over time, VDI and app infrastructure can become stale and as a result legacy management models lead to issues with app compatibility, bloated images, and non-optimized infrastructure. This is where VMware App Volumes can help transform management of published app environments. App Volumes natively integrates with VMware Horizon to provide app lifecycle management and is equally beneficial for Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops. Let’s look at the top 10 reasons why Citrix admins should use App Volumes to reduce management time and infrastructure costs of Citrix environments.
1. Decouple app and OS management for faster app deployment
Traditionally a published app deployment is dependent on OS version and app version management. For example, when IT admins test a new app version, it needs to be compatible with the OS that it will be delivered to. Typically host OS images are not updated often (for example, on a specific day of month or even on a semi-annual basis). Therefore, app releases are often delayed. Furthermore, apps need to be tested on the hosts before releasing them to production, making it a long process.
With VMware App Volumes, you can accelerate app delivery by decoupling OS and app management layers. Each application delivered is on its own virtual disk and can run separately from the host OS. This gives IT admins flexibility to attach, detach, and update apps independently of the OS image updates. Furthermore, you can scale a single app copy to be used by many users because it is no longer tied to a host, while also avoiding steps such as rebooting the hosts.
2. Reduce infrastructure sprawl
Traditionally Citrix published app environments are architected based on peak capacity requirements for the apps. This means that IT organizations over-invest in infrastructure resources, such as storage and compute, and these resources may only be partially used. Underutilized infrastructure means wasted infrastructure spend, more management complexity, and more overhead. Furthermore, server sprawl is amplified based on standalone server requirements for testing, staging, and production.
The VMware Apps on Demand functionality, powered by App Volumes, helps you control overall infrastructure costs by consolidating unused capacity, thus minimizing the number of legacy farms and servers that need to be used. IT teams can add capacity when users actually use applications, on demand, which results in infrastructure cost savings. Also, when servers are no longer needed for testing or staging, the admin can recoup those servers for other apps. Results? Better capacity utilization, reduction in management overhead, and potential capital expenditure savings.
3. Deliver applications on demand versus using always-on apps
For a better user experience, historically IT admins had to attach their apps to a desktop/host machine to ensure that apps work when users need them. This means resources are always running even when they are not being used. For RDSH servers or VDI environments, IT admins would mount the apps before or during boot time for uninterrupted experience.
Now Apps on Demand, from App Volumes, optimizes this model by attaching apps to the RDSH hosts or VDI desktops as the user opens the apps. This gives a real-time experience as if apps are installed locally on a desktop. This also results in shorter logon times while reducing app load on the desktop/host during login.
4. Simplify user management and entitlement
The old way of app publishing was tied to a machine-based entitlement model. This meant users were entitled individually on the host/server for a specific app. As apps and server farm requirements changed, IT admins faced the burden of re-rationalizing these farms, which could lead to missing user entitlements. This could also result in app failure and an unsatisfactory user experience.
Now App Volumes enables IT teams to leverage user-based entitlements for apps. As a result, IT admins can assign the users to the relevant apps while eliminating host-level entitlement complexity. This results in a great user experience with just a single app copy required for multiple users instead of multiple images required in the traditional model.
5. Roll back to previous versions with ease
IT admins strive to deliver the right version of an app to their users when they need it. However, they might encounter issues such as app and OS incompatibility, or app update failures even after testing multiple times. In those cases, admins struggle with reverting to the last known good app version without a proper rollback mechanism in their Citrix environment. This leads to trust erosion and longer app lead times for the end users.
Now with App Volumes, Citrix and Horizon admins can easily troubleshoot this challenge. App Volumes’ “current marker” helps IT designate an app version as current. In case of any app update failures, IT can assign the marker to the earlier app version to provide it again to users. Next time a user opens the app they will get the working version of app that the IT has marked current. This simplifies delivery of the latest or customized app version to a particular user/group. IT admins can also use this marker to indicate if a specific user or group should be assigned a specific version of app.
6. Manage legacy and modern apps confidently
For specific use cases, IT admins may think of moving the legacy apps from data centers to public clouds. This decision might be to scale the application, reduce latency, or save on infrastructure costs. However, it is not a simple lift-and-shift to cloud as IT admins need to consider compatibility issues or skill gaps if the original developers who coded the app are no longer with the company.
Apps on Demand helps IT support legacy and modern apps with equal ease. This feature not only supports app attach with App Volumes format but also supports MSIX app attach for Microsoft applications and the ThinApp format. This means you can support apps on legacy OS such as XP, Vista, and Windows 7 — or on the latest OS versions. Apps on Demand from App Volumes can support larger industry apps such as AutoCAD and Adobe Professional. Our enterprise customers have reported a 95% compatibility with app capture that has helped them be more efficient with app rationalizing.
7. Support multiple virtual desktops and app management technologies
Most IT admins want to provide choice even when it comes to VDI and app environments. Especially in these days of mergers and acquisitions, or a global organizational presence where multiple VDI technologies are leveraged by different companies, accommodating multiple environments was difficult for IT organizations.
App Volumes supports published app management on Horizon, Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops and other platforms. Therefore, IT admins can use App Volumes as one single app management platform for all their VDI and published app management environments.
8. Redefine application lifecycle management
As IT admins, you need to support an app even after it is deployed. Updating, patching, rolling back apps, and finally either deploying or retiring apps are all part of app management. Plus, some users or group of users might want to use a particular version of apps for specific features. How do you manage this complexity for numerous apps while scaling it across hundreds or thousands of VDI users?
App Volumes gives you all the levers necessary to be efficient with app lifecycle management. With current makers, referred to earlier, you can ensure users have the right app versions. These markers simplify rollback of apps which otherwise would take more manual effort. If you have updated or patched a new app, now you can leverage app and OS decoupling that is built into App Volumes to avoid potential delays. All of this is from one single solution instead of multiple solutions.
9. Receive proven technology from a VDI technology leader
VMware is recognized as a leader in VDI and app management sector, as noted by IDC Marketscape. Horizon and App Volumes are also trusted and employed by enterprises across various sectors, such as financial, healthcare, education, and government agencies.
Don’t just believe me, read this quote from our customer LCMC Health.
“VMware App Volumes is actually one of the cooler technologies we employ here at the hospital. We are able to separate the OS image from the application images. If there is a change in any application, you can make that change and present it to the user exactly when they want it. Even if only one person wants it, it allows us to install that application and use App Volumes to present that application to just that user, and make them happy. From an IT perspective, we want to say yes more than no. App Volumes makes it possible for us to say yes.” — Austin Park, Principal Consultant, LCMC Health.
10. Test drive App Volumes with Apps on Demand today
The tenth reason is my call to action for you. As they say, the proof is in the pudding. Unless you take a new car for a test drive you won’t buy it. Well, we know that applies even to technology. Now you can test drive App Volumes with Apps on Demand in our Hands-on Labs. Or try App Volumes with Apps on Demand on any platform you’d like, including VMware Horizon, Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop, and Amazon AppStream 2.0 with our 60-day free trial. Now you have no reason to say no to simplified app management.
To learn more, you can refer to the App Volumes 4 Evaluation Guide or watch the App Volumes 4 Evaluation Guide Video Series or the App Volumes lightboard videos today.
