User guide

© 2011 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Cisco Validated Design Page 26
The follow statements describe the eight strategic features of XenDesktop 4:
●
Any device, anytime, anywhere. Today‘s digital workforce demands the flexibility to work from anywhere at
any time using any device they‘d like. Using Citrix Receiver as a lightweight universal client, XenDesktop
users can access their desktop and corporate applications from any PC, Mac, thin client or smartphone.
This enables complete workplace flexibility, business continuity and user mobility.
●
HDX™ user experience. XenDesktop 4 delivers an HDX™ user experience on any device, over any
network, with better reliability and higher availability than a traditional PC. With Citrix HDX™ technology,
users get an experience that rivals a local PC, even when using multimedia, real-time collaboration, USB
peripherals, and 3D graphics. XenDesktop 4 offers the best performance while using 90% less bandwidth
compared to alternative solutions. New webcam and VoIP support, improved audio, 3D graphics support
and branch office WAN optimization helps ensure that users can get a high-definition user experience
regardless of their location.
●
FlexCast™ delivery technology. Different types of workers across the enterprise have varying performance
and personalization requirements. Some require simplicity and standardization while others need high
performance or a fully personalized desktop. XenDesktop can meet all these requirements in a single
solution with our unique Citrix FlexCast™ delivery technology. With FlexCast, IT can deliver every type of
virtual desktop, hosted or local, physical or virtual - each specifically tailored to meet the performance,
security and flexibility requirements of each individual user.
●
On-demand apps by XenApp™. To reduce desktop management cost and complexity, XenDesktop offers
the full range of Citrix application virtualization technologies with on-demand apps by XenApp™. This
includes integration with Microsoft App-V. With XenApp‘s virtualization technologies for apps, IT can control
data access, manage fewer desktop images, eliminate system conflicts, and reduce application regression
testing, making it a requirement for successful desktop virtualization. Adding, updating and removing apps
now become simple tasks because users can use a self-service app store, enabling them to access
applications instantly from anywhere.
●
Open architecture. XenDesktop works with your existing hypervisor, storage and Microsoft infrastructures,
enabling you to use your current investments – while providing the flexibility to add or change to
alternatives in the future. Whether you use XenServer, Microsoft Hyper-V or VMware ESX or vSphere,
XenDesktop supports them all and simplifies management of networked storage using StorageLink™
technology. XenDesktop will also closely integrate with Microsoft App-V and System Center for application
management.
●
Single-instance management. XenDesktop enables IT to separate the device, OS, applications and user
personalization and maintain single master images of each. Instead of juggling thousands of static desktop
images, IT can manage and update the OS and apps once, from one location. Imagine being able to
centrally upgrade the entire enterprise to Windows 7 in a weekend, instead of months. Single-instance
management dramatically reduces on-going patch and upgrade maintenance efforts, and cuts data center
storage costs by up to 90 percent by eliminating redundant copies.
●
Data security and access control. With XenDesktop, users can access desktops and applications from any
location or device, while IT sets policies that control whether data ever leaves the data center. XenDesktop
can dramatically improve endpoint security by eliminating the need for data to reside on the users‘ devices.
Centralized data, encrypted delivery, a hardened SSL VPN appliance and multi-factor authentication further
helps ensure that only authorized users connect to their desktops, intellectual property is protected, and
regulatory compliance requirements are met.
●
Enterprise-class scalability. XenDesktop includes application, desktop and server virtualization
infrastructure that scales to meet the demanding requirements of global enterprises. Pro-active monitoring