Chapter 5: Citrix Access Platform Data Center Architecture

OVERVIEW

In this chapter, we discuss the importance of building and running an on-demand access environment in a secure, reliable data center facility. The need for this approach may be obvious to IT personnel with a background in host systems, but we will define the data center in the context of building an access platform. This centralized computing model often entails a new paradigm for network administrators whose IT experience is limited to running distributed networks based on traditional PC technology. The data center plays a far more important role with enterprise access platforms than it does in a distributed network environment, especially in a post-9/11 business world of zero acceptable downtime, and the expectation of anytime , anywhere business continuity. The Citrix concepts of on-demand and in-control computing start at the data centerif the data center is not built right, the entire project will be compromised.

This chapter will discuss several key considerationsincluding the environment, network, and deploymentfor the data center architecture. Chapters 17 and 19 will carry the concepts of this chapter forward, detailing a redundant data center solution that solves the business continuity and disaster recovery concerns of all businesses today.