Run Legacy Applications Across Citrix DaaS and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (CVAD)
For many years, Citrix customers have used Citrix Session Hosts as a solution for legacy application challenges during desktop migration projects. For example, if certain apps that could not natively run on Windows 10, admins utilized Citrix Sessions Hosts running Windows Server 2008 R2 or Server 2012 R2 to ensure employees still had a way to access those applications without sacrificing functionality.
Publishing legacy applications via a Citrix Storefront or to the start menu and running those applications on the respective older Server OS could make it possible to standardize both physical and virtual desktops on the latest desktop OS.
There are also examples of customers utilizing Windows Server operating systems past end of life (EOL), as well as legacy versions of Citrix XenApp or Citrix VDA, simply because they did not have a viable solution for running legacy applications on the latest Citrix desktops.
If this describes you, you are in luck. This article will be about a solution for containerizing your legacy applications and bringing them forward to the latest modern Windows operating systems and Citrix releases.
Application Containers Make Windows and Citrix Upgrades Easier
Eliminate Application Conflicts
Most enterprises are simply installing applications directly into their Citrix PVS vDisks and MCS Snapshots and managing that way which works…until it doesn’t work. When application conflicts are encountered, that can introduce friction with this method and can lead to image sprawl and un-needed expense.
Numecent’s Cloudpaging application containers can dynamically deliver virtually any Windows application including your most stubborn legacy applications. This is in large part, thanks to Cloudpaging’s unique disposition layers which can execute applications with isolation, as required and the containers have their own virtual file system which can be key in scenarios such as an applications which are dependent on an obsolete OS component that conflicts with a version that is on the latest Windows operating systems. Putting the required component in a container and setting it to Layer 4 (isolated) can enable that application to work seamlessly on the latest Windows OS.
Cloudpaging application containers can also be executed in a Windows compatibility mode if required and in cases when that is a solution. The beauty of this is that the compatibility mode is set on the container itself rather than set by policy or registry change on devices.
Be sure to check out our blog Can Legacy Applications Exist with Modern Security Standards? to explore this a bit further.
Address Java Application Dependencies
In recent years, we have helped customers deal with challenges around their Java dependent applications including applications that require Java Web Start which is end of life. There are some organizations that still have Java web applets they need to support and one solution is to use an open-source alternative, however many enterprises are weary of using an open-source product for such a use case. By containerizing the open-source application version, enterprises have a way to deliver the application with isolation if desired and a way to dynamically deliver updates of the application to further reduce risk.
Modernize App-V Applications with Cloudpager
There are customers utilizing Cloudpager to extend the life of their existing App-V packages after the recent end of life of the App-V Full Infrastructure. Cloudpager provide the ability to optimize existing applications with a simple drag and drop. By optimizing App-V packages with Cloudpager, customers can eliminate the need for App-V Connection Groups, gain comprehensive real time application usage reporting, use unique Cloudpager policy features and of course also manage their App-V applications from a cloud native container or orchestration platform that can provide similar publishing performance as the App-V Full Infrastructure but with the scale and reach of the cloud.
Simplify Citrix Updates by Virtualizing Apps Outside VDI Images
In large enterprises with on-premises Citrix Virtual Apps & Desktops (CVAD), a multi-site architecture is typically used to provide resilience and simplify the CVAD update process. By updating one site first then allowing all user sessions to drain off the site running the older version, organizations have a quick failover solution if there is a problem with the update; such as an application conflict or image corruption problem introduced when updating the Citrix VDA.
The optimal state is dynamically delivering the applications via containers, rather than installing into base images. Cloudpaging containers eliminate application conflicts and enable you to update applications without requiring desktops and servers to be re-provisioned.
This helps eliminate application conflicts and provide a quick way to address any issues which may arise with application as containers can be removed with just a couple of clicks, rolled back rapidly or updated in an instant.
Conclusion
To bring forward legacy applications and modernize application management in your Citrix environment, Cloudpager and Cloudpaging application containers provide the best path forward. You can keep your organization standardized on the latest Windows OS for your physical and virtual desktops by delivering applications as Cloudpaging application containers.
If you would like to learn more about handling legacy applications with our solutions check out our on-demand webinar, Lift and Shift Legacy Applications to Windows 11: