Chapter 1: Introducing the Citrix Access Platform Alternative

OVERVIEW

More than 180,000 organizations around the world use the Citrix Access Platform every day to work more productively and run their IT departments at a lower cost. The Citrix Access Platform is an integrated, end-to-end system that seamlessly connects users, devices, and networks to information resources. Instead of a piecemeal approach to access, a platform approach enables businesses to look at information access holistically. Within this framework, they can create and execute an overall access strategy that addresses the heterogeneity of all applications and the strategic impact of all access scenarios.

The Citrix Access Platform consolidates access into a central location for more efficient management and effective control, and it automatically adapts to dynamically changing access scenarios. It adjusts access rights to enable users to roam seamlessly between locations, networks, and deviceswithout interrupting their workflow and without their having to understand the underlying access complexities. The end result is easy and instant on-demand access for any user accessing any resource from any network via any device. This result enables secure, efficient, cost-effective , and well-managed access for IT administrators responsible for meeting the information-access needs of the business.

While the Citrix Access Platform continues to evolve with an increasing number of strategic products, the cornerstone is the Citrix Access Suite. Citrix Access Suite 4 consists of Citrix Presentation Server, Citrix Password Manager, and Citrix Access Gateway. The Citrix Access Suite enables an organization to implement on-demand access for optimizing ubiquitous access to applications and data.

This chapter introduces the concept of the Citrix Access Platform with an emphasis on the Citrix Access Suite. We consider the many economic benefits of on-demand access and the major industry trends that are accelerating its acceptance. We'll look at the four pillars of on-demand access solutions: application deployment, remote office connectivity, business continuity, and workforce mobility. We also consider other access platform advantages such as enhanced security, helping to facilitate compliance with government regulations, and being more environmentally friendly. The main components of an enterprise on-demand access deployment are analyzed . Finally, we discuss the process of designing an enterprise on-demand access environment, which we will build upon in the chapters that follow.