The biggest thing in the IT industry in the last few years has been virtualization. Every newsletter you read or call you receive is trying to get you to jump into the deep end. There is more than one type of virtualization. The most common type is server or hardware virtualization, which includes desktop virtualization. The next biggest use is application streaming, a form of application virtualization.
Application streaming is where a particular application is profiled and delivered to the end user in such a way that it is not installed on the local computer. The client computer might need a streaming client or the application might be bundled into an executable file. The different methods have benefits and disadvantages, but it really depends on what your goal is.
There are currently five main players when it comes to application streaming:
- Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization
- Citrix XenApp
- Symantec AppStream
- VMware ThinApp
- Endeavors Application Jukebox
Microsoft SoftGrid Application Virtualization
The Softgrid product has been around for sometime, and is now owned by Microsoft. It is probably the most mature of the application streaming virtualization packages.
It has the following features:
- Stand alone mode – allows you to publish the applications without needing a Softgrid server
- Dynamic Suite composition – allowing different profiles or packages to be used together
- Web application delivery – allowing you more flexibility for delivering applications
- Support for non-US English languages
The biggest drawback for the SoftGrid solution is Microsoft itself. You must have your computer operating system covered by software assurance and then you need to purchase the Desktop Optimization pack with software assurance as well.
Citrix XenApp
Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 first introduced the application streaming ability. XenApp 5.0 has expanded the features including:
- Http/s support for Web delivery of applications
- Inter-bubble communication
- Improved isolation environment features
Similar to the Softgrid implementation, if you do not already have Citrix with subscription advantage then cost will be an issue. As a product the streaming components are still young and need some fine turning to improve application efficiency.
Symantec Appstream
The Appstream product features include:
- Web application delivery
- Altiris integration
- Firefox support
- Flexible application delivery
The downside of this product is that it is not as capable as Softgrid or XenApp.
VMware ThinApp
The VMware product was originally from Thinstall. The simple implementation means it has:
- Zero runtime execution
- 100% user mode
- Application isolation
The biggest issue with ThinApp is it does not suit complex application packaging requirements like inter-bubble communication. It produces an executable or msi file to run.
Endeavors Application Jukebox
It presents three products:
- free entry level product
- middle level Software as a Server model
- Enterprise
The application Jukebox is probably the most light on in terms of features but the free entry level product will certainly allow for a broader acceptance of their product in the future.
In coming posts I will detail the processes required to use these products and how well they meet the requirements of businesses.
October 1st, 2008
Hi Colin -
Sounds like the start of some great posts. I wanted to respond on the comment about AppStream’s ability versus the other products (disclaimer – I work for AppStream, now part of Symantec). Although all the products listed have won different awards, the AppStream (Symantec SVS Pro) won the Infoworld Technology of Year for 2008 virtualization platforms when reviewed against several peers, as well as awards for software asset management. Most of the other products do not software asset management by themselves, but provide this through interoperability with a larger framework. Also I believe that AppStream and Endeavors have been doing delivery over the internet for several years and would claim a strong maturity in offerings versus some products which have recently announced this support. As I’m sure you know in feature and product comparison it really depends on the use case and overall architectural goals of the projects and some product are certainly better than others depending on the environment. Another recently posted feature matrix from some VAR consultants in Europe has been posted to virtualfuture.info and BrianMadden.com. It shows a detailed feature to feature comparison of the ‘top 5.’
Looking forward to a great read on your further analysis.
Best regards -
Brad
October 1st, 2008
Brad
Thanks for reading and commenting on the post.
The post was a general overview of what is happening in the Application Streaming space. I was planning to follow up on each product to do them all justice.
I agree that Symantec’s packages are very well regarded for their integration with software asset management.
You are right as well in regards to streaming over the Internet. Citrix and Microsoft products are playing catch-up in that space.
I find the Brian Madden site very useful and relevant. I recommend anyone investigating application streaming look at the resources you mentioned.
http://www.brianmadden.com/blog/MichaelKeen/Application-Virtualization-Comparison-chart
I hope to review the AppStream product very soon and detail a little more about its usage and provide a comparison from my experiences.
Thanks
Colin
December 10th, 2008
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