Chapter 10: Project Managing and Deploying the Citrix Access Platform

OVERVIEW

After the project plan design is complete, the implementation begins. Project management is a key element in successful execution. This chapter, while not attempting an in-depth discussion of such a large topic, covers certain elements crucial to an enterprise deployment of Citrix Access Suite, including preparing for organizational change, executive sponsorship, project manager authority, stakeholder buy-in, project reporting and tracking, task assignment, project change control, scope creep, and timeline management. We show examples of how tools such as service level agreements and help desk software help manage changes to the environment to enhance benefits to management and end users. We also talk about the needs for the support environment both during and after the implementation.

This chapter also covers the methodologies for migrating from a client-centric to an on-demand access environment. First we'll review the process of setting up a proof-of-concept pilot program both to validate the technology and to validate its return on investment (ROI). We next talk about expanding the pilot to a beta in order to identify and resolve any issues that arise in a small-scale production environment. We then cover expanding the beta to an enterprise-wide rollout of Citrix Access Suite. Finally, we discuss postproduction processes of ongoing measurement and reporting, change control, upgrades, and changes to the environment.