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With accounting firms increasingly becoming the targets of data breaches, security and compliance are more critical than ever before. However, when seeking to increase cybersecurity measures, IT departments may resort to enforcing overly restrictive or burdensome rules over local systems that negatively impact the end-user experience.
Forcing staff to jump through hoops just to access accounting applications can hamper efficiency and even cause employees to seek loopholes due to multi-factor fatigue and other consequences of such practices. It is ironic, then, that poorly implemented application control policies can actually increase the risk of compliance and security threats. To attain optimal outcomes, IT departments must tackle these issues while minimizing the expense and intricacy of extending effective access to the most important accounting resources.
Citrix virtualization and cloud computing solutions help CPA firms quickly and securely meet new demands while improving the employee and customer experience. Through Citrix's flexible virtualized architecture, IT teams can deliver apps, desktops, and data wherever employees work, on any device they use, and with the controls needed to meet increasing compliance and security demands.
Citrix offers two useful options for delivering applications to end users: the full Citrix Virtual Desktop, and Citrix Published Applications (XenApp). But when is one or the other preferable for a particular CPA agency's needs? We will compare these two application delivery methods in terms of features, benefits, and drawbacks for end users.
Citrix Virtual Desktop (DaaS)
Citrix Desktop as a Service (DaaS), also known as Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, is a solution that allows end users to access a full Windows desktop environment hosted on a remote server. It can be accessed through a full, existing OS, or nested within a Virtual Desktop Interface (VDI). The desktop is delivered as a high-definition image over the network, and the user interacts with it using a thin client, a web browser, or a mobile app. The user can access all the applications and data stored on the server, as well as any peripherals connected to the client device.
Benefits for End Users
Citrix Virtual Desktop/DaaS enables IT departments to offer secure, integrated access from any device, anywhere there's an internet connection, to custom, legacy, Windows, Linux, web, and SaaS applications. Accounting teams can effortlessly access the necessary tools for their tasks, from the Wolters Kluwer CCH suite to Excel, CRMs, and more. The solution is tailored for the modern agency, operating on multiple devices. It automatically identifies the endpoint device in use and delivers a touch-enabled, mobile workspace experience across desktops and applications.
Virtual Desktop confers the three core advantages of a fully furnished server-based desktop environment. First, it provides a unified desktop experience across diverse devices and geographical locations, ensuring familiarity and ease of use regardless of the endpoint. That's where its cloud-based deployment capabilities prove especially useful for modern accounting firms, but it's worth noting it can work with hybrid multi-cloud or local setups as well. Second, by centralizing data and applications on servers, Citrix Virtual Desktop strengthens security protocols, safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Third, the platform offers cost-efficiency benefits. With the utilization of clients on existing devices, organizations can substantially reduce hardware procurement and maintenance costs, optimizing resource allocation.
By leveraging server resources alongside cutting-edge Citrix HDX technology, Virtual Desktops deliver great performance and reliability even as a cloud-delivered solution, enhancing user satisfaction and operational efficiency. The Citrix Workspace app even facilitates offline access and synchronization, enabling users to stay productive even in offline scenarios.
Beyond the core components, Citrix Virtual Desktop offers a plethora of additional functionalities tailored to specific organizational needs, including:
- Citrix Provisioning: Streamlining VM provisioning, Provisioning Services offers a robust alternative to traditional methods, enhancing agility and scalability.
- Citrix Gateway: Ensuring secure remote access, Gateway technology fortifies connections with TLS encryption, mitigating risks associated with remote operations.
- Citrix SD-WAN: SD-WAN technology optimizes performance for remote users and enhances user experiences by prioritizing critical traffic and minimizing latency.
Limitations of Citrix Virtual Desktop
Citrix Virtual Desktop stands out as a versatile solution, offering flexibility and security. However, like any technology, it comes with its challenges. One of the primary requirements for a seamless Citrix Virtual Desktop experience, for example, is a stable and sufficient network bandwidth. The real-time delivery of entire desktop images relies heavily on network performance, and fluctuations or disruptions can impact user experience. Organizations should invest in a solid network infrastructure to mitigate this challenge and consider implementing bandwidth optimization techniques such as QoS (Quality of Service) prioritization.
While Citrix Virtual Desktop has legacy support, it may not fully support highly specialized legacy applications that require local installation or precise hardware compatibility. Users reliant on such applications may encounter compatibility issues or performance limitations when accessing them through virtual desktop environments. To address this challenge, organizations should conduct compatibility assessments with their provider prior to deployment and explore alternative solutions such as application virtualization or containerization.
Citrix Published Applications (XenApp)
Citrix Published Applications, also known as Citrix Virtual Apps, is the main component of Citrix's XenApp that allows end users to access individual applications hosted on a remote server. The applications are delivered as high-definition images over the network, and the user interacts with them using a thin client, a web browser, or a mobile app. The user can access multiple applications from different servers, and the applications appear as if they are running locally on the client device.
Benefits for End Users
While Citrix DaaS works with thin clients, XenApp-based Published Applications delivery can go paper-thin, allowing users to leverage lightweight devices without compromising functionality. Unlike some full desktop setups in Virtual Desktop, thin clients seamlessly integrate with Citrix Published Applications, enabling users to adjust printer settings, access mapped drives effortlessly, and handle third-party application windows with ease. This enhanced support ensures consistent and productive user experiences across various endpoint devices.
Additionally, with Citrix Published Applications, accessing essential applications becomes a breeze for users, not requiring them to virtually boot into a higher-impact virtual desktop environment. Whether in the office, at home, or on the go, team members can effortlessly connect to their applications from any location, eliminating the constraints of traditional desktop setups.
Limitations of Citrix Published Applications
Citrix Published Applications isn't just a lightweight deployment of Citrix Daas, to be clear, but it does suffer from the same potential for connection bottlenecks as it relies heavily on intensive streamed content from servers. And unlike the latter, it's ultimately less comprehensive in unifying the end-user experience by focusing primarily on application delivery. A firm seeking a truly consistent experience across the board, from OS to policy configuration, may prefer to use Virtual Desktop in many cases.
Furthermore, for all Citrix's work to keep XenApp compatible, there is often still limited integration and interaction between purpose-specific applications from different servers. Users may experience challenges when trying to seamlessly switch between applications or share data across highly disparate platforms in a way that's more pronounced than when users are all on similar DaaS configurations. To enhance user experience, organizations may explore third-party integration options within Citrix Published Applications and consider leveraging additional tools or APIs to facilitate seamless communication between applications.
Conclusion
Citrix Virtual Desktop and Citrix Published Applications are two powerful solutions that enable end users to access their applications and data from any device and location. Both solutions have their own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice depends on the end user's needs and preferences. Citrix Virtual Desktop provides a consistent and familiar desktop environment, while Citrix Published Applications provides a flexible experience. End users should consider factors such as network bandwidth, licensing costs, application compatibility, and customization options when choosing between the two solutions.
Cetrom offers comprehensive expertise, support, and hosting for CPA firms seeking to maximize the benefits of cloud-based use of Citrix Virtual Desktop and Citrix Published Applications. We empower IT teams and members of the C-suite to make informed decisions based on their agency's unique needs and preferences. Contact us today, and we'll help your firm take full advantage of the great capabilities of cloud accounting.
