IT efficiency: 10 ways to do more with less

Your budget is being cut, your team is shrinking, and the pile of demands is constantly growing. We feel your pain, and we can help! We have done so for over 300 institutions across 22 countries in the last 15 years. Here’s how:

1. Reimaging computers

Reduce the time spent every summer on rebuilding your computer estate by up to 70%. AppsAnywhere enables you to deploy thin images for both Windows and Mac devices, instead of locally installing everything. Keep a few basic apps, and the rest can be deployed through the AppsAnywhere cloud, streamed on demand through the client or web browser. You can reduce heavy-load images up to 10 times.

Case study: Michigan Technology University

2. Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)

Reduce your reliance on VDI and achieve significant savings on virtual infrastructure setup and administration, licensing fees from VDI providers and VDI consumption. With AppsAnywhere your setup costs are clear and upfront, and your ongoing costs are predictable, at a fraction of the VDI cost. And you don’t have to compromise on performance and experience quality, as your students and staff will love streaming the application they need, without having to load a whole virtual desktop.

“I feel lucky we didn't go all in on VDI in the early stages. Thanks to AppsAnywhere and application virtualization, we're now able to use VDI as a gap filler, NOT as our primary application delivery mechanism” - Tim Pearson, Pittsburgh State University

Case study: What's after VDI? Pittsburgh University

3. Packaging applications

AppsAnywhere customers save up to 60% packaging time, by using over 150 pre-packaged applications. With Automated licensing, it is even easier to deploy, patch and manage your software assets, saving you time and resources.

4. Hardware lifespan

Lighter images mean increased peak performance for managed devices, with less repairs and disruptions, and extended life span. You can add on average 2 years of quality performance to your computers before needing to replace it. Further reduce investment in fleet maintenance and provision through secure BYOD or laptop loan schemes.

Case study: Middlesex University

5. User licenses

Reduce your software licensing spend by 10% through AppsAnywhere Analytics. Only pay for actively used applications and active users, by mapping your whole software estate on the AppsAnywhere dashboard. With Automated Licensing you can also save time and resources in applying and updating user licenses, as you can easily automate this process to match license types to software delivery methods.

6. Cybersecurity and compliance

Cyberattacks can cost universities millions, and any breaches, vulnerabilities and compliance issues can result in financial loss, not to mention loss of commercially sensitive intellectual property or personal data. AppsAnywhere enables you to prioritise, test, and apply patches across hundreds of applications in one platform. Your students will access vetted software, mitigating the risk of unauthorised software access or security breaches through downloads from unknown websites. In case of an unfortunate attack, you can instantly switch off and then back on access to specific applications, users or locations, to isolate any incidents without too much disruption to unaffected areas or business functions.

7. IT support and troubleshooting

AppsAnywhere makes end user experience seamless. We standardise and consolidate delivery, so your users encounter fewer issues than with locally installed software. Access is instant, students and faculty just need to launch the AppsAnywhere client or web browser, without needing to wait for IT to install the software on a specific machine on a specific location. Your IT team receive fewer software-related tickets, that they can resolve quicker, giving them more time to focus on mission-critical work.

8. Sustainability

AppsAnywhere is your ally in reducing your carbon footprint and your journey to Net Zero. Compared to virtual desktops and on-premise servers, AppsAnywhere consumes less energy, as it virtualizes one application at a time, instead of a whole desktop. Your existing machines will run smoother, for longer and you can save even more by replacing desktops with laptops or student-owned devices. You also save on consumables such as CDs or USB drives, often use in rebuilding computers, which can add to e-waste.

9. Lab space

Transform your computer labs into vibrant collaboration spaces. Students prefer to use their own devices, so replace your expensive and maintenance-heavy desktops with monitors or smart boards to unleash your students’ creativity, so they can do their best work. Repurpose your valuable real estate and increase connections with your local community by hosting events, industry hubs with local employers or community organisations.

‍Case study: Queensland University of Technology

10. Student success

Student engagement and satisfaction are key to improving student retention and outcomes. By providing a seamless digital journey, and tracking their engagement with their course work, you can better support students and remove any IT-related frictions.

Enabling students access to their coursework and software anytime and anywhere will allow them to combine study with part time work, which can lead to higher retention and graduation rates.

“Student expectations are that they get the software they need when they need it. They don’t have regular schedules, they’re not 9-5, they’re up all hours, they have jobs, we have a lot of students who have families, so for their experience to be the best, they need to be able to access software at home, at any time!” - Lynne Wood, Director of IT, Georgian College, Canada