Complete mobility across the city
The most immediate impact of the Citrix solution is on ADM’s 400-plus inspectors. Each has been issued with a tablet, and can now access a range of corporate applications from anywhere in the city. For instance, it means inspectors can check building permits, health & safety inspections, or code violations, and then input data directly into ADM’s core systems.
“We have many applications, all Windows-based, and to physically load these on to every device would be unmanageable,” says Azmi Afifi, IT Project Manager, Abu Dhabi Municipality. “Using Citrix means this task can be managed centrally. As an IT team, we’re more productive, and our users are more productive.”
It is also easier for staff to move between ADM offices. Citrix Virtual Desktops allow staff to log in at hot desks in different offices; there are new shared printers and scanners available for mobile workers.
Hardware cost savings and less time wasted travelling
There is also a significant cost saving. By standardising tablet devices and switching to thin clients, Afifi says the hardware refresh cycle has stretched from three years to five: “We have the same features and functionality but on lower cost hardware.”
By being able to work effectively from the field, staff are having to travel less. With less time wasted returning to the office to file reports, staff have time for more visits. Senior management can also access applications from home which were previously restricted to the office.
“At all levels, staff have access to the applications they need, when they need them,” says Afifi.
More robust disaster recovery
ADM data is also more secure. In the event of a tablet being lost, devices can be locked down centrally. Virtualizing the applications environment makes it easier to roll-back, says Afifi, and disaster recovery is more robust.
“The project was completed in less than a year. We’re now more secure, more effective and more mobile. We’ve demonstrated that you don’t need to be hitched to a physical desktop to be productive.”
