All about Application Virtualization

Application virtualization enables applications that conflict with user desktop applications or other virtualized applications to be run. Users can also access thin-client or non-windows virtualized applications. The applications are instantly available, without waiting for long installations or loading operations. When a computer is lost or stolen, sensitive application information will remain on the server and not be compromised.
Application Virtualization helps users remotely from a server to operate an application. The server stores all personal and other application features, and can still operate on a local workstation. Example of this is a user who has to run the same software in two different versions. Host applications and packaged applications are technologies that use app virtualization.

Which industries are reaping major benefits from the Application Virtualization technology?

• Construction

82% of the construction companies surveyed plan to spend the same money or more on technology in terms of budgets. If this is broken down further, 50% plans to spend the same amount on technology as they spent over the last year. But 32 percent said that in the coming years, they plan to spend more on technology.

Government and Defence

The financial and efficiency benefits of virtual technology are reaped by governmental agencies, but they still fall behind when it comes to public sector adoption. 77% of federal, state and local government agencies implement at least one form of virtualization, 89% of which benefit from the technology.
Although the public sector is using virtualization –81% of agencies have said that they do not use the technology to its fullest extent, particularly for major IT projects. Moreover, virtualization is only 33 percent a primary server strategy, which means that new software is not being implemented in a virtualized environment before it is invested into a specialized physical server.

• Education

Advantages include improved uptime, ease of handling, faster deployment and provisioning as well as lower licensing costs for infrastructure and software. It's almost a no brainer — it has been found that over 55% of business apps now run on virtualized servers. The cloud-based virtualization model also makes software licensing easier because apps are now rented rather than bought. License fees are managed by the cloud provider, which charges the school district per user per month only for what is used. Not only does this simplify licensing, but this also reduces costs, because a school runs only 9 months a year.
3 reasons why industries rely on Application Virtualization technology:

1. Scalability and Agility: When application delivery is under consideration, scalability is the first thing companies remember. Businesses can overcome challenges in the data center by increasing resources. Furthermore, the entire infrastructure can be optimized by integrating business processes. Increased business process agility comes from virtual desktops and application delivery. Some features like prompt application deployment and the ability to update software dynamically make it a good choice for all types and sizes of companies.
2. Device-Independent Applications: Devices work on different operating systems with virtual desktops. A single machine can run multiple applications. Applications are device-independent and data communication is possible between heterogeneous networks. Companies can also deploy window-based applications which can be accessed on devices with a powerful and intuitive RDP server such as the 2X remote application server.
3. Centralized Management: The centralized management of apps is another advantage of working with application delivery. All applications can intuitively be monitored and managed from a single dashboard. Applications on the end-user machine are also not installed. Without problems of downloading and installation procedure, virtual machines can easily access them via an RDP. The availability of application is effectively improved while the performance and the load times are enhanced.

Application Virtualization Components: Solutions & Services

• Services

The number of applications across industries is growing hour after hour as a consequence of the increasing use of services, such as product upgrades, maintenance, training and consulting on the market. The services in the virtualization application market are divided into two categories: support and maintenance and training and consulting.

• Solutions

Apart from the difficulties of giving companies the same access to their numbers of people, application virtualization has become an important and important component in many successful and large organizations. This helps to improve portability, management, and compatibility of virtual infrastructure by supplying various applications. Implementing application virtualization solutions would help organizations reinforce their operating policies, save time and costs, and offer companies as well as their customers a value proposition over the long term.

Application Virtualization Solutions- In Detail

Apart from the fact that companies fight to provide access to the same application for their many employees, application virtualization solutions have become a key and integral part of several well- suited and large organizations. It helps offer different applications for enhancing portability, manageability and virtual infrastructure compatibility. Implementing app virtualization solutions would help companies strengthen their operating policies, save time and cost, and offer organizations and their customers a high-value solution in the longer term.

• Agent-Based Solution

The virtualization of applications that are client-based or agent-based involves using the endpoint of a local agent or client. This Virtualization Agent or engine includes the Virtual Environment functionality for each application. The agent handles management tasks such as the creation of shortcuts, File Type Association (FTA), and is a key component in the streaming behavior. This behavior is a key feature for agent-based applications like Microsoft App-V.

• Agentless Solution

Application virtualization without client or agent involves the use of the embedded virtual OS used as part of this virtualized app. The application and client components are compiled and stored in a single container, mostly a single executable, during the creation of the virtual application package. These virtualized applications can run from multifaceted locations, including a network drive, a local drive or a removable USB storage system, as standalone. They are fully encapsulated. A ‘built-in’ agent is included in every virtualized application. Therefore, in the Operating system, no agent, or client component is installed, but every application has an agent which is used in operation.

In a Nutshell

Applications that are virtualized are modular. Virtualized applications can be set up for offline use either by caching or by simply copying an application image to the customer, although streamed by default. And while isolated from the local system— because registry access and the private file set of the application are virtually virtualized— it can still interact with local resources, for example by seamlessly accessing PC storage and print devices. The bottom line is that any additional benefit companies can gain is worth considering with the economy-and IT budgets. Virtualization of applications is a significant addition to the management tool arsenal. Furthermore, the global Application Virtualization Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 14.4% in the coming years.