High-DPI (dots per inch)

Performance and scalability considerations

In the context of display remoting the size of a user session can vary significantly based on display resolution and the number of monitors alone. As the session grows in size more server and client resources are required, for rendering and encoding/decoding of the graphics, and more data needs to be sent from the server to the client via the network. This has a direct impact to session performance and server scalability. Citrix highly recommends taking user requirements with respect to display configuration into account as it relates to server hardware, network links, and endpoint devices. Some deployment considerations are listed below:

• Both display resolution and the number of monitors increase the session size. A user connecting from and endpoint with a single 4K monitor would result in the same session size as a user connecting with four 1080p monitors. Single server scalability can be reduced significantly by simply upgrading user endpoints with 4K monitors. If 4K monitor support is required additional server resources should be allocated accordingly to maintain desired user density levels.
• Bandwidth requirements will also increase with higher resolutions and the number of monitors in use. Bandwidth constraints could limit frame rates and reduce image quality affecting session interactivity and user experience as a result.
• The endpoint device must have adequate hardware resources available to support the desired display configuration. This could mean having enough CPU resources and in some cases a GPU that can handle the graphics workload. Performance limitations of Thin Clients may become apparent at high resolutions such as 4K, for example.

Additional Resources

The Citrix Workspace app (formerly known as Citrix Receiver) allows users to securely access applications, services, and data from several desktop and mobile devices. By using this app, you can get access to all your Software as a Service (SaaS) and web applications, files, and mobile apps instantly. This workspace can be accessed from various endpoint devices and operating systems, such as Windows, Windows Mobile, macOS, iPad, iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and more.

The Workspace app (along with Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops) is the front-end of the Workspace platform. Users have a single entry to their enterprise applications, desktops, and data by using any device from any network. The Citrix Workspace Platform is a single point of entry that allows unified administration of services like Virtual Apps and Desktops, Endpoint Management, Secure Browser, Analytics, Gateway etc. The Workspace Platform allows customers to subscribe to these services and is managed by Citrix, thus reducing the need for deployment and system update by administrators.

Deprecated features

To help you make timely business decisions this section indicates the deprecated features of the Citrix Workspace app. The deprecated items are not immediately removed but will be removed in the future.

How useful is the Citrix Workspace app?

Citrix Workspace 2006 For Mac

Use it to access all applications through a single sign-on. Files that are stored centrally are dynamically updated across all devices that can access them. Personal and work-related applications can both exist on any device, without any threat of data breach for a company. Additionally, the app redirects any browsing-related activities to a cloud-hosted web browser, which is isolated from the corporate network. Hence, browsers are more or less secured from a possible cyber-security breach.

Does Citrix Workspace app have any drawbacks?

To use the app, you must have Citrix Virtual Apps—and that is quite expensive. Owing to this dependency, spending a considerable amount on Software does not make much sense for a medium-scale organization. Apart from the cost, Citrix has set the minimum number of users to 25. Hence, if your organization has just 15 members, you are still required to pay the same amount as you would for 25 users’ license.

Common Issues with the Citrix Workspace App

While the security and application delivery of Citrix are useful, its user interface is difficult to maneuver. The user experience is designed for highly skilled IT professionals with in-depth technical knowledge.

Citrix makes it difficult for a user to combine typing, basic clicking, and zooming all at once. It also encounters issues when users try to change the screen resolution. Another common issue with Citrix Workspace App is that organizations need to install Citrix Virtual apps to use Citrix Workspace which is, in fact, expensive. A medium scale organization would most likely not be able to incur the costs associated with it. The minimum number of users available is 25, so an organization that only has 15 users would still have to pay the fee for 25 users.

These limited functionalities of Citrix make it difficult for normal users to effectively reap the benefits of security and application delivery offered by Citrix

Parallels RAS: a better alternative

Parallels® Remote Application Server (RAS) is a virtualization solution that offers high-end features in a single license scheme. Parallels RAS allows you to publish virtual applications and desktops from a centralized location—at an affordable price. With Parallels RAS, you can get all components in a single package for a price that is far more reasonable. Another significant advantage of Parallels RAS is that IT admins can quickly deploy and manage this solution from a single pane of glass.

References

TechTarget | https://searchenterprisedesktop.techtarget.com/tip/Weigh-the-Citrix-Workspace-cost-against-its-benefits

Citrix | https://www.citrix.com/blogs/2018/06/12/citrix-workspace-app-everything-you-need-to-know/

TechTarget |https://searchvirtualdesktop.techtarget.com/definition/Citrix-Receiver

Citrix | https://www.citrix.com/blogs/2018/07/03/your-citrix-workspace-app-journey-begins/

A Xendc | http://axendatacentre.com/blog/