Case Study
Client: Legacy Banks
Highlighted Technologies: Citrix Presentation Server& Citrix Access Gateway
In late 2006, IBS began discussions with Berkshires-based Legacy Banks to help implement a solution to a growing problem - Data Access and Application Delivery to remote users.
Legacy Banks was looking for a way to centralize applications at their main office while improving performance over their WAN to their branch offices. In addition, they had several branches opening large files across the WAN, which resulted in lengthy delays for the end-users. Many of these files were over 2 megabytes in size and the bandwidth needed for these files created an overall performance hit across the WAN. Finally, they were looking for a robust solution that included secure remote access from outside the WAN from anywhere, at any time.
IBS proposed and helped implement Citrix Presentation Server. Citrix Presentation Server is an end-to-end application delivery system that offers both client-side and server-side application virtualization for optimal application performance and flexible delivery options. Presentation Server enables the best access experience for any user, with any device, working over any network. With the secure application architecture, organizations can centralize applications and data in secure data centers, reducing costs of management and support, increasing data security, and ensuring fast, reliable performance. Citrix software solutions improve on the fundamental principles of Terminal services (the multi user version of Remote Desktop Connection). Once implemented, documents and files that took 2 minutes to load across the WAN were available in 20 seconds or less. Also, IBS was able to also help Legacy deliver lending applications to all branches.
The next phase of the project was to deliver remote email access via Outlook over a secure SSL VPN solution. IBS implemented Citrix Access Gateway while incorporating their existing RSA SecureID system for secure authentication.
Citrix Access Gateway is the only SSL VPN to securely deliver any application with policy-based SmartAccess control. Users have easy-to use secure access to the applications and data they need to be productive. Organizations can cost effectively extend access to datacenter resources from outside the office while maintaining unprecedented control through comprehensive SmartAccess policies.
"Our initial need was to transmit large data files quickly to our front line staff, and it worked. We also achieved a side benefit that actually had greater benefits, which is the ability for management to remotely have access to select programs from their desktop with access to email from outside the institution all in a secure environment.
This side benefit will also be an intricate piece of our pandemic planning and how Legacy Banks can and will continue to provide banking services in a pandemic situation. As our business changes I foresee a Citrix environment with near endless possibilities. As always, IBS and their staff guided us in making the decision to utilize Citrix and did an incredible job with the implementation. "
Joseph Santora
Senior Vice President of Information Technology
Legacy Banks