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February, 2002 NETWORKING |
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A new software framework promoted by Citrix promises to let IT administrators incorporate mobile devices in a network, while ensuring that complexity is managed centrally. By Sudhir Chowdhary
In today's global marketplace, IS managers know that the ability to provide their workforce with access to the right applications and data-whenever and wherever they are needed-is indispensable for maintaining a competitive edge. However, they find themselves in an unenviable position because of an ever-widening array of users-mobile employees, telecommuters, partners, customers and vendors-and the demand for running applications on different types of devices and network platforms, be they LAN (local area network), WAN (wide area network), VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal), the Internet, dial-up access, leased line or wireless. Thus, the biggest challenge they face is the delivery of applications, anytime, anywhere, while keeping infrastructure costs down. The challenges Today's workplace is still restricted to the (immobile) desktop. Moreover, various technologies, including legacy mainframes, client/server technologies, Java and Web technologies, have made application deployment and management ever more difficult. Both large and small firms realise the need to provide employees with remote access to information and applications, while maintaining a secure environment for sensitive data.
Firms want to provide centralised access to internal and external sources of content or data that is relevant to their industry or to job functions of their employees, but are unable to do so. IT departments are usually beleaguered by the need to provide service and solutions in near impossible timeframes and geographically spread locations. From a system and application standpoint, IT managers are faced with multiple hardware platforms and operating systems that run on a range of legacy, packaged and proprietary applications. And network security is of paramount importance given the sophistication of today's hackers and viruses that make their way through the Net. To effectively meet these challenges, organisations need to develop strategies to support what is called "the office comes to you rather than your going to office". Businesses can develop an intimate and immediate connection and feedback system with customers, sensing their needs and responding in the shortest possible time. Managing diverse needs One solution that's at hand is Citrix Systems' concept of a virtual workplace. Supported by a few server vendors, it ensures that whether you are travelling on business, commuting locally, or relaxing with friends, you are never more than a click away from corporate information, applications and services. That may sound impossible today, but the virtual workplace can satisfy the unique requirements of individuals within and beyond an enterprise-all personalised and rich services delivered irrespective of geography and time.
Automobile giant Maruti Udyog is planning to implement this new networking set up. Says the firm's CIO, Rajesh Uppal, "The convergence of PCs, telephony, content, etc. and the emergence of various access devices are acting as catalysts in driving the emergence of virtual workplace." The benefits of the virtual workplace include an opportunity to reduce costs, increase productivity and make the world truly mobile, while ensuring that all the complexity involved is managed centrally, claims Citrix. In essence, the virtual workplace is a software architecture that links together a wide range of technologies, supports a heterogeneous framework, which can operate on a variety of devices (homes appliances, personal computers and mobile gadgets) and applications (client/server, Java, .NET, Unix, Windows, Web services). Moreover, it works on any kind of network (LAN, WAN, the Internet and even wireless). "A defining characteristic of the virtual workplace is its geography-independence, giving remote and mobile workers the ability to participate unimpeded in business processes, access information and interact with colleagues within the enterprise and with customers, suppliers and business partners outside the enterprise," says Anil Menon, director, Business Development, Citrix Systems India. Making a virtual workplace function Using the core server-based computing model, the virtual workplace architecture centrally manages and deploys applications; aggregates applications, information and content; offers mobility to the workforce through the Net and wireless technologies; brings some order to IT infrastructure; and reduces cost of ownership.
The virtual workplace uses the Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) protocol; supports a variety of devices; and is thin on the network, supporting even video applications on dial-up pipes. It works along with prevalent GSM networks (see box). By providing a single management point, administrators can cut costs and increase SLAs (service level agreements) on their infrastructure. As for the virtual workplace architecture, to take Citrix's example, the firm's MetaFrame XP acts as the key server and offers single-point management. Security is a crucial component here and is delivered through a range of options, including Secure ICA clients, extranet VPN models and the Citrix Secure Gateway product. The other important component is Citrix NFuse that works with Citrix MetaFrame to deliver existing, interactive, server-based applications via a portal. While MetaFrame provides server-side command and control of applications, NFuse instantly "Webifies" those applications, helping create a central, online virtual workplace. The final piece of the equation comes with a Citrix portal product currently code named "South Beach". South Beach provides personalised, aggregated access to information via a Web interface. By combining MetaFrame, NFuse and South Beach, organisations can provide knowledge workers with tools they need to access information and applications from anywhere. IS managers' panacea Citrix claims to have "amazing acceptance" of these technologies in India. Says Menon of Citrix, "With over 400 organisations adopting a server-based architecture in just two years, Indian IS managers are well on the way to building such an infrastructure." This spans various industries-banking, telecom, education, government, manufacturing and software development-and myriad applications, including ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), messaging, billing applications, personal productivity, call centres, CRM (Customer Relationship Management), SCM (Supply Chain Management), and developer tools. By providing a software framework to integrate, publish and subscribe to applications, content and services spanning generations of technologies, the virtual workplace might be the answer to handling challenges of complexity, heterogeneity, mobility and management. |
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