Maximizing Flexibility and Productivity for Mobile MacBook Users

Transcription

1 Citrix DesktopPlayer for Mac White Paper Maximizing Flexibility and Productivity for Mobile MacBook Users Windows virtual desktops to go for corporate and BYO Macs

2 2 Executive Overview The popularity of Apple products among consumers, along with their increased usage on corporate networks, is helping drive the need to support Bring- Your-Own (BYO) devices within work environments. In addition to allowing employees to choose their own personal devices to access businesscritical applications and files, BYO with the right management capabilities can also offer many benefits to enterprises, including improved employee morale and end user productivity as well as reduced IT costs. With many executives, field employees and contractors preferring MacBooks and the convenience to use just one device for both corporate and personal apps, enterprises can keep these end-user segments happy and productive by providing them with a BYO Mac environment. As such, MacBooks present a particularly beneficial BYO opportunity for enterprises. But they also create a big challenge for IT. Moreover, given that some corporate apps only run within a Windows environment, IT must also find a way to efficiently deliver Windows onto the MacBooks while also ensuring corporate assets remain protected. This white paper examines the benefits and challenges of creating a BYO environment for MacBook users and how many enterprises address the need by deploying local Windows virtual

3 3 desktops to manage and support their employees with Macs. The paper also explores the key considerations for deploying corporate Windows virtual desktops to BYO Macs and how Citrix helps address the challenges while maintaining the benefits. The Growth of BYO and MacBook Popularity The use of Apple laptops, desktops and smartphones on corporate networks continues to grow. The trend is especially evident within companies adopting BYO environments, where employees can use their own personal devices for accessing and interacting with corporate applications and data. For many enterprises, the adoption of BYO is driven by executives, senior managers and IT pros. They don t want to carry clunky business computers, and they worry about the security of their personal apps saved on corporate-owned devices. They also don t want to give up their own slick personal MacBooks, which lets them access business and personal apps, in exchange for a corporate-issued laptop. Given that business and personal activities now overlap during and after business hours, executives and senior managers want to engage in both activities from a single laptop and increasingly, their laptop of choice is a MacBook. Many executives prefer MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros not only for the advanced hardware but also for the Mac operating system and the personal desktop environment they have spent setting up on that machine. The trend has prompted many enterprises to allow at least some of their employees to bring in their own MacBooks. Such a BYO environment not only addresses the preferences of executives, senior managers, IT pros and others such as sales and field service personnel, but it also generates the following benefits for the enterprise: Lower Hardware Cost: By giving employees the option of using their personal MacBooks for business purposes, enterprises reduce device capital expenditures (CapEx) since fewer devices need to be purchased. Macs have also consistently rated highly for overall product quality. However, BYO programs can have a negative impact on operating costs. When employees are confused about how to use a corporate application, it may be more difficult for IT to determine what s happening because each user has set up his Mac desktop environment differently. Some companies implement VDI solutions to help with this problem because they allow IT to deliver a centrally-hosted, corporate virtual desktop to BYO users. VDI solutions also work great when the user is connected to the network. Many organizations are looking for solutions that can bring down their operating costs with centrally-managed virtual desktops that can operate regardless of whether the user is on the corporate network, an inconsistent network on the road, or no network at all.

4 4 Improved Employee Morale: Giving employees the freedom to bring their own MacBooks gives them more control over their computing environment and acknowledges that business life and personal life both may need attention on a 24x7 basis. In addition to keeping current employees happy, a BYO program serves as an effective recruitment and retention tool for companies working to attract the best and brightest professionals and younger recruits entering the workforce. Improved Productivity: Employees can now use their corporate applications whenever and wherever they are regardless of whether they are in the office or on the road. Using familiar hardware also enhances employee productivity. Moreover, with a centrally-managed corporate virtual desktop, employees that need help with particular corporate applications can quickly get help because the support team does not have to try to decipher how their MacBook is setup instead they are providing support for the standardized Windows virtual desktop and the approved business apps provisioned. A BYO program enables organizations to give users a computing experience they enjoy without interfering with their personal apps and helps them become more productive while on the go. Empowering employees to choose their preferred device for work also creates a more satisfying work experience and helps organizations recruit and retain the best employees. By shifting device ownership to employees and contractors, and by maintaining centralized management of corporate virtual desktops, organizations can reduce both capital and operational costs. The next key consideration: Creating an environment that keeps business data and apps secure and which IT can manage and adapt to in a simple, controlled manner. Developing an Infrastructure to Accommodate BYO Businesses that embrace BYO must deal with many different new devices on their networks that need some level of management. Administrators in large organizations might find themselves supporting thousands of endpoints and losing control as the number of devices on the network grows rapidly. To take on this challenge, many organizations virtualize their desktop environment, which helps improve productivity by allowing end users to work from anywhere using a device of their choice. Virtualizing the desktop environment also makes it much easier for IT to manage all devices and maintain control over PCs from different manufacturers with many different operating environments. One way to virtualize the desktop environment is a hosted virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), which combines storage and server hardware with a hypervisor to deliver individual desktop instances from a datacenter. This enables fast and easy access from anywhere on any device such as a PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. Virtual desktops can also be rolled out more quickly on a network than native desktops that rely upon traditional deployment methods and PC management tools. Using VDI solutions, such as Citrix XenDesktop, administrators can automate the way virtual desktops are created rather than deploying a unique image to a new device.

5 5 In addition, virtual desktops require less support as IT can control the desktop environment centrally from a datacenter. Administrators only need to apply patches or upgrades once for every desktop, and user data is protected and backed up at the datacenter. Thus, if a device gets lost or stolen, user data isn t lost with it. Local Virtual Desktops Extend the Benefits of VDI To extend the benefits of a hosted virtual desktop, many enterprises have discovered the benefits of deploying a local virtual desktop solution, which runs the OS and apps directly on endpoints just like native PCs. This is a critical capability since every mobile user experiences conditions where they can t connect to the corporate network or can t access a high-speed network. Reality sets in when they find themselves in an area or on a wireless network with latency or connectivity issues. The cost associated with data transfer is a separate issue to also consider when employees try to connect remotely on wireless/cellular networks. But with a local virtual desktop, laptop users can work regardless of the quality of the network connection, or even offline, so they can always access their critical applications and data to keep performing their jobs. Local virtual desktops also work well in conjunction with VDI to provide a big boost to user productivity. For example, users that plan to head home but not bring their laptop can use their hosted virtual desktop to leave a session running and then access the session from their home computer, tablet or smartphone. Thus, business executives as well as sales professionals, IT pros, field technicians and other mobile workers who spend a great amount of time on the road can all benefit from laptops enabled for local and hosted virtual desktops. The switch between environments is seamless. For corporate laptops, local virtual desktops also offer a better way for IT to manage the mobile devices with the ability to administer the entire laptop management lifecycle centrally including provisioning, patching, image management, migration, and device wipe. IT thus eliminates the multiple tools traditional PC management requires. For BYO laptops, IT can manage the corporate virtual desktop running on the user s laptop without interfering with the personal environment. Key Considerations for Providing Windows Virtual Desktops to MacBooks When rolling out a BYO program, enterprises should take into consideration the three key stakeholder groups: IT Admin this group needs the ability to easily manage and support the personal MacBooks that users bring onto the corporate network. IT can also assign virtual desktops to contractors or contingent staff for a specific period of time, as well as remote wiping the virtual desktop at the end of a project. In addition to controlling the virtual desktop environment, IT needs to deliver the applications that run only within a Windows environment and is looking to provide a greater level of security by running these inside a virtual machine.

6 6 End Users this group includes employees and contractors who work in the office or from remote locations. They want the convenience of using both their personal apps and business apps on one laptop. They re willing to use their personal device to conduct company business, but just as IT needs to protect the corporate environment, users want to isolate their personal environment and keep it separate from the corporate environment. And they need to be able to access their corporate Windows desktop and apps easily, regardless of network connectivity. Management when giving BYO privileges to executives, senior managers and other highly-mobile employees (such as sales and field service), the company wants to ensure end users can work easily within the desktop environment so the business can gain the full benefits of the BYO program improved morale, reduced mobile-device TCO, and increased employee productivity. The organization needs both an environment that offers the user flexibility while maintaining security and control for IT. A primary challenge in supporting MacBooks in a BYO environment is that some corporate apps (such as Visio, Microsoft Project and Internet Explorer to name a few) can only be accessed within the Windows desktop. Although the Microsoft Office suite is customized to run on Mac OS X, the experience is often not as productive or as seamless as it is within a Windows environment, as evident from user experience with Microsoft Outlook. In fact, certain plug-ins that are available for Microsoft Outlook on Windows are not available for Outlook on Mac OS X. Spreadsheets, presentations, and documents created using Microsoft Office products often contain sensitive company information. As such, IT typically does not want to install Office applications on BYO Macs for the potential risk exposure. Compatibility issues are another reason. But by containerizing and virtualizing the apps within a local virtual desktop environment that runs Windows on MacBooks that are encrypted and follow security best practices the corporate apps and data remain secure. To deliver Windows virtual desktops on Macs, many enterprises deploy a Type-2 hypervisor running on top of the Mac OS rather than a Type-1 hypervisor. Type-1 hypervisors install under the OS on bare metal, which is ideal for corporate-issued laptops but requires reimaging the machines and most users won t want their personal environment altered or their machine reimaged. DesktopPlayer for Mac from Citrix As a client virtualization solution for the Mac platform, Citrix DesktopPlayer for Mac allows users to run Windows virtual desktops on their MacBooks. The solution leverages client virtualization technology that s installed on top of Mac OS X, which is ideal for BYO environments since this does not infringe upon personal apps or alter the Mac environment in any way. DesktopPlayer for Mac addresses the BYO challenge of securely delivering Windows apps and data to employees and contractors using their MacBook as their primary computing device. Mac users thus gain the flexibility and convenience to run Windows desktops and apps on the same device whether working online, offline, or when experiencing slow or intermittent network connections.

7 7 While other point solutions only enable individual MacBook users to run Windows locally, DesktopPlayer for Mac also gives IT full centralized management and control while providing security for both the data and the virtual desktops. The Synchronizer management server provisions and manages Windows virtual machines with policies deployed to each virtual desktop on the MacBooks. This feature contrasts with the many standalone consumer-based client virtualization software products. These standalone utilities allow virtual machines to be created on top of the Mac platform but lack truly-integrated provisioning, control and policy management capabilities from a central point in the datacenter. With the Synchronizer, the base image of the Windows virtual desktop is guaranteed to be consistent, significantly increasing patch and update success rates over traditional agent-based PC management tools. Moreover, with the Synchronizer, the updates are done at the hypervisor layer, so even if there s a problem in the guest virtual machine that corrupts the Windows OS rendering traditional PCLM tools ineffective the Synchronizer can still successfully update the base image. DesktopPlayer for Mac also enables IT to test and manage a Windows virtual desktop golden image and then push that same image out to any number of Mac devices. Moreover, DesktopPlayer is a part of the broad Citrix desktop virtualization solution portfolio, enabling enterprises to address all of the use cases within their organizations. DesktopPlayer for Mac Key Benefits for End Users Allows users to work on local Windows virtual desktops regardless of networkconnection quality or even while not connected. Enables mobile employees to use their personal or corporate-issued MacBook for accessing and interacting with Windows applications and data, while keeping personal and corporate data separate and secure on the same device. Synchronizes data across local and hosted virtual desktops for a seamless, personalized experience when combined with Citrix XenDesktop and Citrix ShareFile. Eliminates reboots when switching between Windows/business and Mac/ personal workspaces. Allows users to continue accessing personal content without interfering with personal apps installed on the Mac. DesktopPlayer for Mac Key Benefits for IT Runs key business apps in a self-contained and isolated environment on top of the Mac host by delivering a managed and secured corporate virtual desktop with policy-driven control. Enables central management of local Windows desktops with a console for deploying, updating, managing and securing virtual desktops. Protects corporate data with virtual desktop lease, lockout and remote kill features and policies that can be activated from the management interface in the case of loss, theft or when an employee leaves the company or a contractor completes a term assignment.

8 8 Creates a golden image of a Windows virtual desktop that can be pushed to any number of MacBooks to eliminate the need to physically visit machines for support, updates and patches. Deploys the same Windows virtual desktop image to BYO MacBooks and corporate-owned MacBooks as well as Windows PCs with XenClient Enterprise enabling efficient management of all laptops by using the same virtual desktop image library. The Role of DesktopPlayer for Mac within Citrix FlexCast Today s business demands an IT infrastructure that can support the fast-changing app, desktop, and data access needs of increasingly-mobile workers while ensuring control and data security. In traditional business environments, workers can suffer from productivity loss during PC refreshes, replacements, malware, corruption, or conflicts during software patches and updates. Application and desktop virtualization centralizes the management of apps and desktops in the datacenter while also delivering them to users on demand, to any device, anywhere. Citrix XenDesktop Citrix XenDesktop with FlexCast technology adjusts to the needs of each business, from mobilizing Windows apps to PC refreshes to securing BYO laptops and tablets. XenDesktop also enables enterprise IT to deliver Windows-as-a-Service with a single infrastructure for a variety of use cases. From simple VDI to advanced app delivery, XenDesktop makes it easy to start with a few use-case scenarios and extend to others at a pace that makes sense for enterprises. One use case that is steadily growing is senior executives demanding the freedom to leverage MacBooks within a BYO environment for projects that require the use of Windows apps and corporate data. They tend to work on-the-go quite often whether bouncing around corporate offices or remotely at home, at customer locations and while traveling. XenDesktop is the perfect solution for executives when they have access to the company s corporate network. But if they work from home or another remote location where network access is limited or impossible, the Windows apps and data they need to get work done isn t accessible. That s where DesktopPlayer for Mac a XenDesktop add-on solution comes in. IT can deliver a secure Windows virtual desktop to Mac-based executives who can work online, offline or over slow or intermittent connections. Creating Seamless Windows Virtual Desktops for MacBook Users Today s enterprise IT teams need to address the convergence of BYO environments playing an increasingly important role in the way companies function and the popularity of MacBooks among business professionals. The key is to enable executives and other mobile workers to use their MacBook Pro or MacBook Air for both business and personal applications in a way that allows them to function efficiently online and offline with centralized management and control for the corporate desktop.

9 9 Citrix DesktopPlayer for Mac solves this challenge by giving MacBook users the ability to access corporate applications from within a local Windows virtual desktop environment while also ensuring personal applications are not disrupted. At the same time, DesktopPlayer for Mac provides IT with an easy way to centrally manage virtual desktops by leveraging a golden virtual desktop image that can be automatically pushed to all users. DesktopPlayer for Mac is the only virtual desktop solution that provides all the key capabilities: Local virtual desktop access with no network dependency Full centralized management and control for IT BYO security for both data and virtual desktops FlexCast technology (as an add-on to XenDesktop) Using DesktopPlayer for Mac in conjunction with Citrix XenDesktop enables users to switch between local and hosted virtual machines. This allows users to work on their MacBook and then seamlessly switch to any other workspaces or devices to access their hosted virtual desktop. Add Citrix ShareFile and users can also securely synchronize data across all of their devices seamlessly. With the Synchronizer, Citrix customers can also deploy the same Windows virtual desktop image to their MacBooks as they do to their corporate PC users. This enables companies to manage all corporate laptops, including BYO MacBooks, using the same virtual desktop image library and management infrastructure. For more information on how Citrix DesktopPlayer for Mac can enhance and expand your organization s BYO program, visit Corporate Headquarters Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA Silicon Valley Headquarters Santa Clara, CA, USA EMEA Headquarters Schaffhausen, Switzerland India Development Center Bangalore, India Online Division Headquarters Santa Barbara, CA, USA Pacific Headquarters Hong Kong, China Latin America Headquarters Coral Gables, FL, USA UK Development Center Chalfont, United Kingdom About Citrix Citrix (NASDAQ:CTXS) is the cloud company that enables mobile workstyles empowering people to work and collaborate from anywhere, easily and securely. With market-leading solutions for mobility, desktop virtualization, cloud networking, cloud platforms, collaboration and data sharing, Citrix helps organizations achieve the speed and agility necessary to succeed in a mobile and dynamic world. Citrix products are in use at more than 260,000 organizations and by over 100 million users globally. Annual revenue in 2012 was $2.59 billion. Learn more at Copyright 2014 Citrix Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Citrix, XenDesktop, XenClient, and DesktopPlayer are trademarks of Citrix Systems, Inc. and/or one of its subsidiaries, and may be registered in the U.S. and other countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. 0114/PDF