Applications dynamically available as a clinician logs on, regardless of which PC they use, and yes, it is centrally funded

How to take huge cost out of your application management and delivery processes

But before we look at the solution, let’s look at the problem in a bit more detail

Scenario 1 “On the Ward”
A clinician in a Trust needs to access a particular application – all the PCs on the nurse’s station are in use, he heads into a nearby office to use the PC – only to find the application not installed. This means lost productivity and potentially impacts patient care.

Scenario 2 “Hot Java”
A new application has arrived today into IT, this is a new application which needs installing on the PCs in Microbiology. On close inspection the IT guy realises that this application requires a new version of Java. This is fine until he realises that the PAS application which is already on these PCs requires an older version of Java. They won’t coexist – so what is the workaround? Should he give some of the users an extra PC with the new application on? How about a few generic PCs located strategically around the department. Either way it is costly and messy.

Scenario 3 “The Software Update”
An important new update to the clinical letters application has been released today. It needs installing on 100 PCs. The available IT engineers are primed – and off they go (CD in hand) – they might be back in week. Again, another costly exercise.

Scenario 4 “Access all Areas”
In the little room at the end of the darkest corridor in many Trusts is that elusive copy of Access 97. This, according to Mr Miggins’ (whose office it is) is the most important database in the entire Trust. Unfortunately, he now also needs Access 2000 installing on the same machine. A mighty feat in anyone’s book, and best avoided at all costs.

Ok, now let us look at the solution. It is called Microsoft Application Virtualisation (App-V) and is part of the Microsoft Desktop Optimisation Pack. The previous version and incarnation of App-V was known as Softgrid.

App-V allows you to centrally manage your Trusts applications and dynamically stream them to your users. The applications do actually run on the users PCs (unlike terminal services) but they are not installed in the traditional sense. Thus they can happily exist in their own virtual bubble and not affect any other applications. This means that the normal regression testing needed before deploying an application can be cut dramatically.

If you have already either partly or fully automated your application delivery then you will have probably looked at re-packaging your applications into an MSI format. This is often a difficult and time consuming process and still requires the full regression testing before deployment. Before deploying virtual applications an application must be “sequenced” this process is less time consuming in comparison to MSI re-packaging.

Once your application is sequenced it is ready for deployment. App-V has multiple configurations and deployment methods available to suit small to multi-site Organisations.  

With the added benefit of System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2, you can deploy these virtual applications in addition to physical applications with the full asset inventory, and management that SCCM provides. If you haven’t seen SCCM already, it is well worth a look. Again the client SCCM CAL’s are covered by the NHS England Enterprise Agreement.

So that is the 10,000ft view of App-V, let us now re-look at our scenarios identified previously and see how App-V addresses the issues.

Scenario 1 “On the Ward”

Whichever PC the clinician logs onto, the applications he/she uses will be available in an instant. Thus increasing productivity. No more requiring IT to perform an install.

Scenario 2 “Hot Java”

Applications requiring different versions of Java can happily be used on the same PC. No more dual machine scenarios.

Scenario 3 “The Software Update”

Applications in App-V can be updated centrally, with updates being streamed down to users at next logon. No more manual installs for the IT team, again removing cost and increasing productivity.

Scenario 4 “Access all Areas”

Applications can happily coexist with each other. You can run 3 different versions of MS Office on a single PC if you like. The need for intensive regression testing can be avoided prior to deployment.

So in Summary App-V can:

Centralise your Trusts Applications

Make your applications readily accessible from any PC

Allow applications to coexist, where they couldn’t previously

Remove huge cost from testing, deploying, updating and supporting your applications

Combined with SCCM 2007 you can have

A single management tool across your physical and virtual applications

 

If you have questions on Microsoft Application Virtualisation, please feel free to drop me a mail: richlane@microsoft.com

For more Information on Application Virtualisation go here

Why not join the Microsoft Desktop Optimisation Group?

We ran an NHS live meeting last year looking at App-V – click to view the recording

There is also great NHS CUI deployment guide covering Softgrid available off the pspg website: http://nww.pspg.nhs.uk