: Server-Centric Computing

What is Server-Centric Computing?
It is simply when you host your applications and data centrally on a server, like the old days of mainframes and text terminals. But today it is possible to run modern Web and Windows™ -based software, as well as Linux and .Net using this time-tested architecture. It is more secure, more manageable, more affordable and more reliable than a client-server architecture where data and applications reside on PCs spread throughout the organization. This is the simple beauty of server-centric computing, which is also referred to as server-based computing or simply SBC.

What Are the Benefits?
It is more economical to upgrade applications once on a server than it is to upgrade dozens of PCs. Also, your valuable corporate data can be backed up and guarded in the datacenter, instead of being exposed on much less secure PCs. And network bandwidth is easier to manage because large amounts of data do not congest your infrastructure.

How Does It Work?
It starts with servers running operating systems such as Microsoft Windows 2000 or 2003 Server. These OSs contain a feature called Terminal Services that allows applications to be hosted on the server and displayed remotely.Citrix MetaFrame XP is also a very popular and robust application for deployment of applications from such servers. The server runs the application, Terminal Services or Citrix MetaFrame uses a protocol to send what the screen should look like to the client (over your standard network), and the client displays the applications as if they were running locally.

Benefits of Citrix MetaFrame XP

Cost-Effective Application Management
Citrix MetaFrame XP for Windows 2000 or 2003 Server lowers administration costs by giving an IS/IT professional central administration of applications such as VISUAL Manufacturing®. Without Citrix, upgrading the desktop software requires the IT administrator to manually install or upgrade the user’s software, or hope the user can upgrade their own applications. It takes substantial time and coordination to administer desktop applications, especially for remotely located desktops or branch office environments, relying on the end user to upgrade or install their own applications can result in uncertain and unreliable results. All these issues can be avoided by deploying Citrix MetaFrame XP. The IT administrator only needs to upgrade the application on the server side, resulting in easier, faster and more reliable application management.

Visual Enterprise
With the configuration of VISUAL® on Citrix, the internal staff and remote users will have access to the information they need. Citrix will allow the remote user to have the same functionality as those users at the office. From any location, the remote user will have access to all VISUAL® applications with the capabilities of accessing, editing and updating records, generating reports and printing them at their remote location. Citrix will also allow for remote support of the entire computer network and more importantly the entire VISUAL® environment.

Reduced Client Hardware Costs
Since all of the processing and storage occurs at the server, the requirements for client devices are minimal. Client devices can be anything from a thin client to a fully configured Personal Computer. The Citrix MSAM browser plug-in supports thinner client deployments than the full Citrix ICA Client. By letting users access current applications on hardware that might otherwise be of little use, Citrix MetaFrame can help companies extend the useful life of older machines. Using Citrix MetaFrame also gives companies great flexibility if they are planning to upgrade their desktop hardware because it can now be accomplished in easily managed phases.

Better Performance
Users who access applications over a LAN will also benefit greatly from using Citrix MetaFrame XP. If a remote user is accessing a multi-user database, like VISUAL Manufacturing®, over a LAN or slow network connection, the performance can be very slow; all of the data that the client requests (layout, script, data, etc.) needs to transmit through the network. In a Citrix MetaFrame XP environment, the mouse and keyboard commands are the only things that need to transmit through the network.

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