Application Virtualization

Application virtualization can be abbreviated as ‘app virtualization’ which implies the separation of an installation (be it a software or application program) from the client computer that is accessing it. In essence, it is a software technology that encapsulates application program from the underlying operating system over which it is running.

The applications which are executed on the virtual platform behave like it is directly interfacing with original operating system. There are two types of app virtualization: remote and streaming.

Remote Application Virtualization- Remote applications run over a server, end users can view and interact with their applications on a network through remote control protocol. The remote programs can be completely integrated with the user’s desktop so that they appear and act like local applications, with the aid of technology known as seamless windows. A constant network connection must be required and maintained to run remote applications properly.

Streaming Application Virtualization- In streaming application, the virtualized application is executed on the end-users local computer. When an application is requested, its components are directly fetched to the local computer on demand. Certain parts of the application are required in order to launch, rest can be downloaded in the background as needed. Once the download process is completed, a streamed application can function without any network connection.