AppsAnywhere 3.3: Streamlining software delivery

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We're levelling up...

At AppsAnywhere, we’re always looking for ways to enhance the experience for both IT admins and students. That’s why we’re excited to introduce AppsAnywhere 3.3, the latest version of our platform, packed with improvements to make software delivery even more efficient and customizable.

AppsAnywhere Student Portal
AppsAnywhere 3.3 boasts two new features focused on streamlining software delivery for IT admins, and streamlining software access for students and faculty.

What’s New in AppsAnywhere 3.3?

This release brings two key new features: the Delivery Methods Dashboard and Custom Portal Links. Let’s dive into what they offer and how they can benefit your institution.

Delivery Methods Dashboard: Centralized management for IT admins

Managing software delivery across different technologies and configurations is at the heart of AppsAnywhere. With AppsAnywhere 3.3, we’re making it easier than ever for you to oversee and manage their delivery methods with the new Delivery Methods Dashboard.

This new view within the admin dashboard provides a centralized list of all configured delivery methods, allowing you to:

  1. View All Configured Delivery Methods: Gain a comprehensive overview of all delivery methods in use.​
  2. Apply Filters and Sorting: Organize and locate specific delivery methods quickly.​
  3. Optimize Software Delivery: Ensure each application reaches students via the most effective method based on device type, location, and other contextual factors.​

This enhancement empowers you to manage software distribution more effectively, reducing complexities and improving response times.​

AppsAnywhere Delivery Methods Dashboard.
Delivery Methods Dashboard

Custom Portal Links: Personalize and enhance user support

Every institution has unique needs, and AppsAnywhere 3.3 introduces Custom Portal Links to help tailor the user experience. This new feature allows you to place two custom links in key locations within the AppsAnywhere portal:

  1. Login Portal Link – Add a support link or any other helpful resource directly on the login page. This is perfect for assisting students who may have trouble signing in or need additional guidance.
  2. Custom Portal Link – Place a link within the AppsAnywhere portal itself, directing students and staff to any resource that benefits their experience, such as IT help pages, learning resources, or campus announcements.

With these customizable links, you can improve user engagement and support by guiding students and staff to the information they need, right when they need it.

Discover existing features for a fully centralized software management solution

AppsAnywhere 3.3 integrates seamlessly with our robust set of existing features, ensuring a comprehensive and user-friendly platform. Key features include:​

Smart Prioritization of Delivery Methods

Set multiple delivery methods for each application and prioritize them based on factors like device type, operating system, and user location. AppsAnywhere intelligently selects the optimal delivery method, ensuring efficient and context-aware software access.  

Automated App Licensing

Streamline the deployment of ready-to-use applications with automatic licensing upon launch, simplifying the user experience and reducing administrative overhead.  

Search-Driven User Interface

Enhance usability with a powerful search function that allows users to find and launch applications directly from the search results, saving time and effort.  

Categorization of Applications

Organize software into custom categories, such as course-specific or faculty-specific groups, simplifying navigation and access for users.  

Hardware Profiles

Detect device specifications such as RAM and GPU capabilities to tailor application delivery, ensuring optimal performance across diverse hardware configurations.

Pre-Launch Dialogs

Communicate essential information before application launch by creating custom messages for End User License Agreements, license keys, or usage instructions, ensuring users are well-informed.

See how Middlesex University are using AppsAnywhere for student-driven digital transformation

Middlesex University are proud users of AppsAnywhere focusing on student-driven digital transformation.
“We started with posters in AppsAnywhere-enabled labs and open spaces, and noticed students started gravitating towards those rooms. They were soon asking for AppsAnywhere labs, which then created momentum and helped with the cultural shift. Soon teaching staff were asking if they could use AppsAnywhere next semester, because it became so popular, and they could see the benefits” - Roger Fox, Operations Group Manager, Middlesex University.

Cloud Delivery

Our innovation doesn't stop with AppsAnywhere 3.3, we're constantly looking at ways to improve software access for students across the globe, and how we can empower IT admins to achieve this.

One of the key challenges for IT professionals in higher education is to deliver seamless access across all types of devices for all applications. With almost half of students using non-Windows devices, it is increasingly difficult for IT teams to balance competing demands with limited budget and resources, while maintaining student equity and enhancing experience.

Cloud Delivery is our answer to your VDI needs. You're able to launch any Windows app on a non-Windows device, and provide apps on under-powered Windows devices, without the need to set-up and manage your own VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure).

Native to AppsAnywhere, Cloud Delivery is a tailored, cost-effective, and scalable solution that is changing how applications are delivered and accessed. It delivers applications directly to users’ devices without the need to stream full virtual desktops, so you can better support hybrid learning and BYOD at your institution.

Centralised software delivery management

Interested to see how AppsAnywhere can help your institution with centralized software delivery?
Book a demo today.

Download our Cloud Delivery brochure

Cloud Delivery is our answer to your VDI needs and allows you to launch any Windows app on a non-Windows device. It’s also our answer to providing apps on an under-powered Windows device, without the need for an institution’s IT team to set-up and manage their own VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure).

FAQs

Is there an option to still auto-validate?

Auto validation is still available as an option. We aim to ensure there are as few occasions of attempting to launch but being unable to as possible, and where they occur, explaining why.

Directory path local execution, when does detection occur? During login? During validation?

Detection occurs during validation - the client is given a list of directories to look in and it returns what it finds.

Any CSS options like Dark Mode available for users to customize the look of the portal?

Dark mode wasn't something we were able to do for this version, but it is something that we are looking to include in the future.

Can Download the Client be hidden?

If client download is not available in that instance - such as in labs mode or if client install is suppressed, then the client link will not appear. The client download link will also only appear on platforms which have a client - i.e. Windows and macOS.

When can we get 2.12?

If you would like to upgrade to 2.12 please submit a support request and the team will be touch.

How to implement BYOD in schools

To implement BYOD in a cost-effective and sustainable way, schools will need a clear idea of a number of key data points to understand which technologies are necessary and how many licenses of each technology are required: Number of users/devices Weighting of device type/platform (Windows vs Mac vs Linux) Software titles to deliver Usage data on software titles for licensing User groups requiring specialist software You can read more about implementing BYOD policies in schools in the SecurEdge article, ‘How to successfully implement a BYOD program into your school’ > https://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/how-to-successfully-implement-a-byod-program-into-your-school

How communication is improved in school with BYOD?

With a BYOD policy implemented, schools can begin working to introduce centralized communication points such as Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) or Learning Management Systems (LMSs). Software delivery tools such as AppsAnywhere also provide areas that can be used to communicate with students. Once BYOD is enabled, schools can be more confident that students are actively accessing digital academic resources through specific channels, and that communication propagated through those channels is much more likely to be seen.

Does BYOD save schools money?

Yes, it can do. While BYOD technologies may be expensive, with the correct provisioning and tools implemented, the decrease in hardware investment required from schools by allowing students to bring their own device and insight from reporting data can help schools save money on their software delivery.

Why BYOD is good for schools?

BYOD policies in schools reduce the hardware investment of electronic devices, including mobile devices, needed for schools to offer equal access to digital academic resources to all students. By leveraging student-owned hardware, BYOD policies in schools can increase the resources available to students, such as software, digital media and digital learning environments, at a fraction of the cost of ensuring there are enough organization-owned machines for every student to use. Furthermore, BYOD allows students to access school resources outside of school and outside of teaching hours via their own device.

Why is BYOD important in schools?

BYOD policies in schools help to introduce students to completing work from their own devices in preparation for higher education and employment. In an ever-more-digital world, getting used to using personal devices to complete work can help desensitize students to the potential distractions offered by those devices. BYOD can also help students learn to manage their time effectively in a society where the lines between work time and free time are becoming more and more blurred.

When is AppsAnywhere 3.0 out?

We’re excited to be releasing AppsAnywhere 3.0 in December 2022, in time for January enrolment. Your dedicated Customer Success team will be in touch when it’s available to ensure your institution gets the most out of AppsAnywhere.

How can I get the latest version?

To get the latest version if you are currently using AppsAnywhere, schedule a call with your specialist implementations team and we can help you to start benefiting from AppsAnywhere 2.12 now.

Who can help me deploy VDI?

Most IT professionals get excited when considering new technologies and solutions. Without a doubt, the prospect of a VDI deployment project is likely to get your team’s juices flowing. However, deploying VDI is complex and often includes a host of new infrastructure and unique software management tools. The best advice is to engage with a vendor partner early on so that the design for your campus can be vetted by experts who work with VDI on a daily basis. A vendor partner can also help guide through different architecture scenarios, use cases, and potential pitfalls. All of the knowledge transfer gained will put the IT team in a far better position to successfully deploy and support VDI for your campus.

Which is better: DaaS or VDI?

As is the theme throughout the rest of this article, there isn’t really an objective victor in DaaS vs. VDI. However, when it comes to Higher Ed, we rarely see full DaaS deployments. They’re often saved for more limited use cases, such as temporary BYOD access, or delivering to satellite campuses. For the scale of delivery required by HEIT, VDI will usually come out on top. However, you still need to decide whether to go for legacy VDI, or newer, hosted solutions…

What is the difference between DaaS and fully hosted VDI?

DaaS refers to virtual desktops being provided to organizations as a service-based solution. It will include support for managing, upgrading and maintaining virtual machines. It is a more complete out-of-the-box solution with a price tag to match. Fully-hosted VDI is just like legacy VDI, except you don’t need on-premise server infrastructure, and they are often pay-as-you-go. Fully-hosted solutions are also referred to cloud-hosted solutions and they are the same as VDI, except hosted for you, as the name suggests.

Citrix or VMware?

Both VMware and Citrix have a robust product offering across many different solution suites. Historically, Citrix has excelled in the realm of remote app delivery or app remoting solutions. On the other hand, VMware leads the way with full desktop VDI delivery. Deciding on the right approach is solely dependent on the needs of the institution and what goals they are hoping to achieve with the project.

Why have a BYOD policy?

A formal BYOD policy helps to ensure a high chance of success and adoption as well as communicating practical information to users on how to interact with and use software on their BYO devices.

What is in a BYOD policy?

To put it concisely, a BYOD policy should include any or all of the following: Device type Operating system Available resources Security Usage conditions

What is BYOD policy?

A BYOD policy is a formal definition and agreement between the BYOD provider (universities) and the BYOD users (students). It is similar to an SLA (Service Level Agreement) between service-providers and outlines how users can expect to interact with their university's BYOD program, as well as any limitations, usage conditions, and compatibility information.

Related reading

AppsAnywhere Admin Dashboard and AppsAnywhere Portal
NEXT STEPS TO IMPROVING YOUR SOFTWARE DELIVERY

Your apps anywhere, anytime, on any device

Register your interest for a demo and see how AppsAnywhere can help your institution. Receive a free consultation of your existing education software strategy and technologies, an overview of AppsAnywhere's main features and how they benefit students, faculty and IT, and get insight into the AppsAnywhere journey and post launch partnership support.

AppsAnywhere Admin Dashboard and AppsAnywhere Portal
NEXT STEPS TO IMPROVING YOUR SOFTWARE DELIVERY

Your apps anywhere, anytime, on any device

Register your interest for a demo and see how AppsAnywhere can help your institution. Receive a free consultation of your existing education software strategy and technologies, an overview of AppsAnywhere's main features and how they benefit students, faculty and IT, and get insight into the AppsAnywhere journey and post launch partnership support.