Many IT professionals believe small- or medium-sized business (SMB) owners should leverage the benefits of application virtualization. Some SMB owners, however, are confused with what it can do for them. Here’s a brief guide on what you need to know.
To understand app virtualization, first you need to understand how non-virtualized apps are installed.
When you install an application like Skype or Slack onto a computer, the installer program puts most of the files required for the app to run on your hard drive’s Program Files folder. This process is usually fine for personal use but may become problematic if you install similar apps on your device.
For instance, if two similar apps are installed on the same file destination, there’s a chance that they might conflict with each other and inevitably crash. Likewise, if you uninstall a program without knowing that it shares important files with another application, you run the risk of breaking the other one.
The solution to this is app virtualization.
App virtualization involves running a program in an environment separate from the physical server, allowing you to run programs that are normally incompatible with a certain operating system (OS). In other words, virtualized apps trick your computer into working as if the application is running on a local machine, but in fact, you’re actually accessing the app from somewhere else.
App virtualization offers numerous advantages for SMBs, including:
Before you start deploying app virtualization solutions, you need to have a stable network connection so users can smoothly stream apps. Note that some apps like antivirus programs are difficult to virtualize since they need to be closely integrated with your local OS.
Virtualizing a workplace is no easy task, and that’s where we come in. If you’re convinced that your company can benefit from app virtualization, get in touch with our IT experts today.