Why does your enterprise need application packaging and virtualization?
Application management for desktops and servers is expensive and challenging for corporates. This creates the need for revolutionary application management techniques such as application packaging / re-packaging. More robust than the earlier ones, this technique enables enterprises administer the environment more efficiently, with reduced end user support and minimal business disruptions.
Application packaging has numerous benefits in terms of the management of applications for desktops, laptops and servers:
- Improved desktops, laptops and servers help minimize cost / effort
- Lowered cost and increased Return On Investment (ROI) on application management
- Reduced end user support cost – the same application can be administered and deployed to multiple users
- Application and license management
- Effective tracking of application licenses and the number of licenses being used in the organization
- Retirement of old versions, request for updates / upgrades
- Application inventory records – provides collective information on applications deployed in different business groups
- Application version control – ensures that the same version of an application is distributed throughout the organization, which reduces compatibility issues
- On demand installation – users can trigger installation after the application is published, to users in a locked down environment
- Minimize user / business disruption – automated installation helps installing applications in the background without interrupting or prompting the user
- Streamlines the deployment process to incorporate robust self-repair and rollback capabilities
- Multi-platform support - e.g. Windows 7, Vista, XP, Windows server and Windows terminal servers
Application virtualization on the other hand, is a new packaging technology which, unlike the traditional MSI-based packaging mechanism, decouples application from the underlying Operating System (OS). Application virtualization does not actually install the application to a local machine. It executes applications in their own dedicated virtual environment popularly known as the “bubble.” Since applications reside in their dedicated bubbles, no two virtualized applications see each other and conflicts between them are reduced.
Advantages of application virtualization over traditional application packaging:
- No installation required, thus no more conflict between the application and the OS
- Supports multiple runtime environments based on application requirement
- Supports multiple versions of the same application concurrently
- Improved security – virtualized apps are isolated from the OS and from each other to prevent malware from easily infecting other parts of the system
- Lower cost for migrations and upgrades
- Accelerates application deployment, through on demand application streaming
Minimize deployment cost with application packaging strategy
Application packaging strategy helps enterprises reduce their administrative / support cost and standardize the environment by maintaining corporate standards / processes. This enables easy installation / configuration / upgrade / patches with less administrative support.
The figures show the cost benefits and administrative support effort between the implementation of pre-packaging and post-packaging. The figures might change based on their environment / process / standards / implementation on software life cycle management.
About Mindtree packaging factory
Mindtree has vast experience in building / customizing solutions, including applications, for workstation / server migrations.
The key highlights of our customer solutions in the cost-effective, high quality factory model are:
- Over 140 minds working in the factory model to deliver end user computing services, for different customers across regions / domains
- Enriched experience in building / delivering the solution / service in consulting, implementation projects and the BAU model
- Centralized process, proven delivery, solutions customized to needs / requirements
- Online course material and dedicated lab for trainings
- Scripts repository for ready and repeat use
- ITIL certified minds enable strong process adherence
- Knowledge BASE to repeat execution
- MWatch tool for effective dashboard and reporting
- Dedicated SMEs for consulting / solution
MINDTREE SERVICE OFFERING: FACTORY MODEL
Why Mindtree
- Breadth of service – Mindtree addresses infrastructure, operating system, applications, packaged and custom applications, consulting and ongoing management services
- Expertise and experience in handling project and SLA-based migration projects
- Flexibility – cited by existing customers as one of the main reasons they choose to work with Mindtree
Capabilities
- Best industry practices and framework
- Over 100 engineers with ITIL certification
- Strong technical SMEs
- Change BASE certified engineers
- Ability to meet stringent customer migration schedules
- Proven high CSATs
- Reusable scripts / central knowledge BASE
- Project managers / program managers with vast domain expertise
- Readymade standards / process documents for quick adoption by customers
- ITIL / ISO20K process adherence / compliance
- Factory model approach
- In-house MWatch tool for tracking / dashboard
Partners
- Gold certified partnership with Microsoft
- Strategic partnership with ChangeBASE
Cost drivers
- Tools
- Complexity / priority
- Volume
- Link and bandwidth
- Service window (multi-geo)
- DR site
- ODC setup (customer specific if needed)
