AppSense, the leading provider of user virtualization technology, continues to set new standards of IT efficiency and user productivity with the introduction of StrataApps, a new technology developed by AppSense Labs. StrataApps shifts the burden of managing crucially important, yet relatively low demand applications from an over-stretched IT service department to the users themselves. Separate from the underlying desktop architecture, users are empowered to safely and independently manage their own personal productivity applications such as PDF Readers, GoToMeeting, iTunes, Skype, Tweetdeck and others without disrupting enterprise resources. StrataApps is the second offering through AppSense Labs, which was recently announced as the innovation arm of the AppSense global research and development group focused on creating new technologies that push the boundaries of user-centric computing.
“With the Consumerization of IT, users have adapted to app management with desktops and devices that fit with their personal preferences,” said Harry Labana, CTO and VP of Product Management at AppSense. “StrataApps is an innovative approach to making users accountable for apps they choose without IT interference. As we further develop the product, there are unique monitoring, governance and roaming capabilities that may further support both users and IT demands.”
StrataApps allows users to safely download and install personally selected apps without creating installation concerns while also, and importantly, maintaining a pristine base build. Should a user try to install an app that is not compatible with the user’s environment, IT managers are shielded from any verification or provisioning requirements and a report is generated regarding installation success or failure. To date, a wide variety and diverse set of apps have been tested within an enterprise environment. Through continued research with AppSense Labs and installations made available, IT managers will continue to gain reinforcement that users can choose and manage select apps without impacting the enterprise.
“StrataApps enables an organization to focus on the delivery of core business applications while at the same time enabling users to become more productive by managing their own personal productivity applications,” said Ian Cawson, Technical Architect for the Co-operative and winners of the Citrix Innovation Award. “Furthermore by the very nature of application virtualization, as IT consumerization continues to grow, this solution could pave the way for future initiatives and strategies. We look forward to the on-going development of StrataApps and may consider it as part of our future desktop platform.”
IT managers must prioritize corporate and departmental apps over low demand user installed apps that create the “Long Tail” of application usage. StrataApps reduces the need for IT to be all things to all apps, especially when users make choices on how and what they need to be productive. StrataApps does not replace IT complexities such as protection from malware, isolating applications at runtime or replacement of traditional software distribution. Rather, StrataApps can compliment and accelerate enterprise application virtualization implementations by allowing users to manage their own applications and plug-ins.
StrataApps is available today via a free download as an AppSense Labs release.
Also, the DataLocker suite, which has been downloaded by over 14,000 users since launch in late February, is available through AppSense Labs via a free download, which includes native clients for Windows, Mac, iPhone and iPad.