Application Streaming

One of the biggest challenges facing businesses today is finding an affordable - and efficient - way to make technology as useful as possible. While the majority of companies undoubtedly want to use the most cutting-edge computer programs available, few want to spend the literally thousands of dollars that goes along with installing and licensing all of those programs for each one of their employees. On top of that, today's most popular software programs are now so feature-rich that most people don't use a huge percentage of those features; their computers become bogged down with superfluous programs that don't even get used. Many businesses have been turning to a surprisingly simple solution to these nagging problems: application streaming.

What Is Application Streaming?

Basically, application streaming is on-demand software distribution. Through a low-bandwidth network, various types of software - and kinds of applications - can be streamed out to individual users, delivering only the exact features that those users need. Rather than having to install a copy of a popular word processing program at every workstation, then, businesses can use an application delivery solution to make powerful technology available to everyone on their server - without having to bog down individual computers with large, memory-sucking applications.

How Does Application Streaming Work?

The best way to describe the way that application streaming - which is also known as desktop virtualization - works is like this: an entire program or application is installed on a company's local server. It is them streamed out to individual users via the company's network. As new computers are "plugged in" to the network, they gain access to these applications. A person sitting at any one of those "plugged in" PCs can then access the application they need - and take advantage of the features they rely on - without having to tie up a bunch of their computer's resources.

The Benefits Of Application Streaming

There are many excellent advantages to using application streaming versus traditional desktop arrangements. Consider the following points:

• Most computer users only utilize a tiny fraction of the features offered by any given type of software. By using streaming application delivery solutions, a business can save valuable amounts of bandwidth and allow their individual employees to put their computer memory to much better use.


• Installing software on computer after computer is incredibly time consuming. Rather than eat up a lot of IT personnel's time with repetitive software installations, a company can use application streaming to facilitate easy remote desktop management.


• Managing software - and keeping it up-to-date - is a critical part of running a successful business. With application streaming, IT personnel can manage a business's software much more quickly and efficiently.


• Software licenses - also known as EULAs, or end user licensing agreements - can be a major expense. A large percentage of that expense can be avoided by turning to alternative application delivery solutions like application streaming.

Going forward, it is quite likely that application streaming will become the standard - rather than the exception - in the business world.