Citrix Systems Case Study Sample

The Challenge: Delivering and optimizing applications across the enterprise
In 2001, Constellation implemented Citrix Presentation Server to deliver its new Lotus Notes e-mail applications to the desktop. Anthony Pochmara, server operations manager, said, “At that time, the Lotus Notes client was too large to fit on our workstations. Our computers did not have enough memory, and sometimes the processors were a little undersized to serve that application.” After the success of that initial project, Constellation expanded its use of Presentation Server to deliver JD Edwards One World Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software because the two solutions are highly integrated. Subsequently, application delivery using Presentation Server expanded to include about 25 applications.

Each of these applications, including JD Edwards, is managed and delivered separately within the company’s four divisions. However, when the company chose the Hyperion Web-based financial planning and reporting application in 2006, the aim was to consolidate delivery across the entire enterprise. “Hyperion was our first global application,” Pochmara said. “We anticipated upwards of 1,000 users, which meant a sustained load of anywhere from 500 to 600 users at a time. So we needed a solution to load-balance those Hyperion users on our servers.”

Constellation faced other application challenges, including performance problems with its cluster Web servers used to support nearly 270 Web sites accessed by consumers, retailers and restaurants. “With our strong growth, we needed the ability to scale the platform without affecting the delivery of our service,” Pochmara explained. The company also needed to provide high availability and performance of its global intranet site and a new HR site featuring Flash video.