add3 Limited - Technology Driven Consultancy

Solution › SoftGrid

Microsoft SoftGrid enables organisations to deploy their applications quickly, easily and securely without the headaches and costs of regression and conflict testing associated with traditional techniques.

Each application is still delivered to the client workstation (desktop, laptop or Terminal Server), and is still executed on the client, but it is NOT installed - in other words, no changes are made to the machine, the application or the way the user works. The benefits of this are many and varied - however the key business benefit is to allow an organisation to deploy its business applications safely, quickly and largely independent from the underlying IT infrastructure.

Features of SoftGrid

Application Virtualisation

SoftGrid works by 'sandboxing' applications into self-contained packages or "bubbles" which means it is possible to not only deliver different versions or configurations of previously conflicting applications but also streamline the entire application lifecycle from instigation, through deployment, support, updates/patches to retirement.

Application Streaming

Alongside application virtualization, SoftGrid provides a unique streaming technology which is used to deliver the applications to the client device.

In addition to providing on-demand delivery of applications, this streaming technology offers two significant additional benefits:

• Minimum Launch Delivery. SoftGrid ensures that only the minimum amount of data is delivered to a client before the application can be launched. Not only does this result in a much quicker first time launch for the user, but also significantly reduced load on the network.
• Active Upgrade. The Streaming technology employed by SoftGrid also plays a key part in the 'Active Upgrade' feature of the product. This is the ability to deliver upgrades or changes to users the next time they launch their application.

SoftGrid Benefits - Technical

• Eliminate App Conflicts and Regression Testing. Due to the unique way in which SoftGrid isolates applications, the risks of application conflicts are eliminated and the effort required to test applications is significantly reduced.
• Enable Multi-User execution of applications. Many desktop applications do not work well in a multi-user terminal services environment. SoftGrid resolves many of the common problems encountered in Terminal Services or Citrix deployments.
• Support Branch Offices. The SoftGrid architecture is designed to accommodate distributed networks, but still provide centralised management and provisioning of applications.
• Reduce Help Desk Calls. Since applications are essentially 'read-only' once deployed, the number of application related help-desk calls are significantly reduced.
• Run Multiple Java VMs on the Same Computer. SoftGrid enables the delivery of different Java Virtual Machines (including MS and Sun editions) as well as ActiveX controls.
• Consolidate, Standardize and Stabilize Images. By isolating the application from the Operating System, SoftGrid significantly reduces the management overhead of creating and managing server and desktop images/build scripts.
• Consolidate and Track Application Packages. Centralised reporting provides detailed application and user usage patterns which can be used to ensure appropriate resources (including application licenses) are available.
• Consolidate and Stabilize Windows Profiles. By removing application personalisation from the users' profiles, the entire profile solution can be streamlined. Users can also be provided with a consistent environment regardless of whether the applications are launched from a Terminal Server session or a PC/Laptop.
• Provide real-time Upgrades. SoftGrid 4 introduced the concept of the 'Active-Upgrade'. This enables an administrator to make a modified/patched/updated application available to users the next time the application is launched.
• Deploy without reboots. A frequently overlooked advantage of isolating the application from the Operating System is the removal of the need to reboot a client machine when deploying or revoking applications. This is particularly relevant in Terminal Services/Citrix environments.

SoftGrid Benefits - Business

• Reduce Application Management Costs. By simplifying the entire deployment lifecycle, from Inception to Revocation and the removal of time-consuming regression testing and conflict resolution, SoftGrid greatly reduces the cost of delivering applications to users.
• Improve IT Responsiveness. By removing the risk of deploying applications, and reducing the actual time taken to create a new/modified package, SoftGrid enables the IT organisation to respond to the demands of the business and get the applications to the people who need them quicker than ever.
• Enable Roaming and Free Seating. By linking applications to Group Membership, users are given access to the appropriate applications regardless of the device from which the application is launched.
• Simplify & Accelerate App and OS Migrations. In many cases, once an application has been virtualized it can be migrated between Operating Systems without modification.
• Build Business Continuity for Applications. A SoftGrid application consists of files which can easily be replicated to a co-location or Disaster Recovery site enabling rapid return to productivity.
• Improve Application Security. Once an application is deployed it is effectively read-only. This ensures that users cannot 'break' an application and the risk of infection or malicious modification is removed.
• Consolidate Servers. Reducing the number of Citrix/Terminal Servers required, significant cost savings can be made in both server hardware and data-center costs such as heat and power.
• License Compliance. SoftGrid enables Unlimited, Concurrent, Named-User and time limited licensing models to ensure application license compliance.

add3 is uniquely place to work with our customers and partners to help identify the additional ways in which SoftGrid will improve the application deployment aspects of any environment.

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