Native HTML5 Applications vs. App Virtualization:

A Stream Cannot Rise Above Its Source

t r a n s p o s i t i o n The Application Rewriter. Machine Guided. Human controlled.

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Table of Contents

Desktop-Centric Applications in the Age of Distributed Workforce

Applications Virtualization: The Choice of No Choice

The Cost of Virtualization CAPEX vs OPEX Technical Debt Native vs. Non-Native User Experience

Is there an alternative to application virtualization?

Transposition: The New Native Application Rewriter

Is Transposition Right for You?

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Desktop-Centric Applications in the Age of Distributed Workforce

Recent years have seen many organizations prompted to support a more distributed workforce and customer base. Mobile, cloud and web-based access to vital business applications have become essential. Where critical business applications were originally designed for desktop use, application virtualization has emerged as the rabbit-in-the-hat solution.

Application virtualization (remoting) is a technology domain, focused on delivering built-for-desktop applications to remote and mobile end-users, over the web.

Applications Virtualization: The Choice of No Choice

The past two decades have seen constant development in both Internet networks capacity and web-browsing technology. HTML5-compatible web browsers can now better support rich-UI, data-intensive applications with data-hierarchies and sophisticated grids, multi-state processes, such as execution of data entry, data sorting, multiple transactions, changing subscriber status and real-time data updates .

Historically however, organizations have been slow to adapt and reluctant to rely on native web applications for business needs. Poor browser support for data-intensive applications, a shortage in skilled web developers in the early 1990’s, network latency issues and the complexity of server-client architecture, were some of the main barriers faced by organizations, in their quest to empower a distributed workforce with a 24/7 access to business data.The then nascent state of web-browsing technology on the one hand, and the unrelenting need to accommodate a distributed workforce on the other hand, led to the hybrid, suboptimal solution of application virtualization.

Virtualized applications are executed but not installed on the user’s device. A virtualized application would run on a remote computer, somewhere in the data center or on a network share that executes on the user’s device. Through virtualization, designed-for-desktop applications can be accessed remotely, via the Web. Moreover, IT teams can centrally manage, provision control, patch and update virtualized applications. The mainstream adoption of HTML5, circa 2010, gave way to a host of new application capabilities, previously supported exclusively by PC desktops. Today, thanks to HTML5 features like browser local storage that enable offline work, and support for rich data controls, data-intensive web applications can be accessed via browsers and provide a desktop-like user experience.

As a rule, applications tend to run most efficiently, providing an ideal user experience, in their native environments. Virtualized applications are now the cumbersome relic of a pre-HTML5 era. Organizations that earlier chose to go down the virtualization route are now starting to consider other options.

Below is a brief summary of the main disadvantages of application virtualization.

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The Cost of Virtualization

Virtualization is no longer the only feasible way to enable enterprise software on web and mobile. In fact, the ongoing costs associated with application virtualization, such as licensing fees, maintenance and the heavy server infrastructure needed to support multiple users, are becoming an unnecessary burden. A typical server would support around 60 application virtualization users, while a typical web server would support at least ten times that number of users. Despite the standardization of HTML5, organizations that have traditionally avoided developing web applications may still perceive virtualization as the more cost-effective option. A closer look at the real costs of virtualization reveals a less conclusive picture.

CAPEX vs OPEX

Companies like Citrix and VMware in particular, have done a great job evangelizing the benefits of application virtualization. The main bragging-points in their pitch are expedited implementation, low-risks, low-cost and full support of rich UI, data-intensive applications.At first glance, virtualization may seem inexpensive, compared to native web application development. A more farsighted approach reveals that the comparison is more of a CAPEX vs OPEX paradigm. Application virtualization requires perpetual licensing and high maintenance packages. Native application development, on the other hand is an upfront, lump sum investment.

Neither option is cost-effective. Development projects are multiannual risk, cost and labor-intensive. Virtualization of desktop applications is immediate, but involves high, ongoing costs per user. These costs include server resources, added scalability server fees, high licensing and maintenance, in addition to a poor mobile user experience, resulting in lost time and business.

Technical Debt

In addition to the direct costs of virtualization, organizations choosing to virtualize built-for-desktop applications rather than writing them as web apps, will face a condition known as accumulation of technical debt.

Technical debt is a metaphor referring to the eventual consequences of poor system design or software architecture. The debt can be thought of as work that needs to be done before the architecture can fully support the organization’s new business needs. If the debt is not repaid, it will keep on accumulating interest, making it harder and more costly to implement changes later on, because the gaps grow. Unaddressed technical debt increases software entropy.

For example, the decisions to maintain obsolete code and compromise on poor user experience through app virtualization would accumulate technical debt, consequently decreasing business efficiency.

This debt includes licenses, security and the employment of IT developers trained on outdated programming languages, incompatibility with new applications, the inability to upgrade and finally, loss of business opportunities.

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2003 2009 2013

2011 2016

1997

2000 2006

web becomes mainstream

mobile becomes mainstream

end-of-support for Windows server 2003

cloud becomes mainstream

Wondows 10 to be shipped

app virtualizationintroduced

VB6 end-of-support

IOS and Android introduced

Maintenance of obsolete technologies

Loss of business opportunities

Lost IT efficiency

Application virtualization maintenance

Extended support fees

Cost of incompatibility

$100 BILLION A YEAR!

Native vs. Non-Native User Experience

Business applications are designed to solve strategic business issues. A useful business application would typically incorporate field service with other business processes within the company such as the Sales, Marketing, Support and the back-office ERP system. A super-fantastic business application would also include social collaboration with different teams as well as reporting & analytics capabilities that are readily available “out of the box”.

While application virtualization provides end-user device connectivity, the user experience it offers is undeniably subpar and insufficient in today’s business world.

Elements of Technical Debt

Software Evolution Events Impacting Technical Debt

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Performance and Latency

Native web applications communicate more efficiently between server and client. Rather than pixel-pushing every user-generated bit of input back and forth to and from the server, native applications process data locally in rich JavaScript clients, only communicating necessary information to the server. In addition, they employ more efficient standard web protocols and scalable web servers. The result is a snappy, intuitive UI.

Usability

Virtualized application UI usually feels like an ill-fitting suit. Wrong form-factoring, as well as missing touchscreen and gesture input impede user experience where mobile devices are concerned. Mobile devices have various resolutions and physical screen sizes, which are all very different from the resolution and aspect ratio of desktop screens. Furthermore, mobile devices can operate in both portrait and landscape modes, which is not the case on a Windows desktop UI. When a legacy application screen is pushed as-is to the mobile device, the user oftentimes needs to zoom in and out as well as scroll up-down and sideways in order to access the different functions of the applications. Non-web-native apps can be easily recognized by the following UI features:

Much scrolling is needed, due to lack of responsive design

Navigation is often controlled by the ‘Back’ button

Input method does not fully utilize native device controls (speaker, camera, touch, gesture, etc.)

Slow UI response

To recap, application virtualization is not only ten times more expensive to deliver (per user), but it also delivers a suboptimal user experience on various levels.

Is there an alternative to application virtualization?

So far, the most commonly plausible alternative to virtualization has been a manual rewrite and reengineering of entire applications - to be delivered over web or mobile platforms. Manual rewrite projects are traditionally deployed for modernizing complex applications, containing vital business logic that must be preserved. However, many organizations shy away from such projects, fearing the high cost and risk involved. Organizations typically go down the virtualization route when they want to avoid the capital expenditure and risks involved in rewriting their desktop application for the web.

Recently however, enterprises are becoming aware that manually rewriting their applications is not the only path to a web-native user experience.

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Transposition: The new Native Application Rewriter

Transposition, a digital application refactoring tool, fully addresses the need to enable web and mobile access to business applications, without causing additional software entropy.

Transposition is a patent pending digital application rewriter. It employs semantic code understanding, for context-aware application reengineering. Enterprises and independent software vendors (ISVs) use it to preserve applications’ business logic and functionality, or when applications need reengineering or refactoring onto a new platform and user experience.

Transposition is a software-guided and human controlled process that algorithmically ‘understands’ legacy applications. At the pre-engagement phase of the modernization process, it can provide optimized analysis, assessment and gap bridging suggestions. Transposition delivers a fully re-engineered and customizable application –all at around 10-20 percent of the time and costs typically associated with a manual rewrite project.

Transposition minimizes common human errors like integration collisions or non-repetitive code patterns. In addition, it is a ‘White-box’ technique, meaning that customization is possible at any stage and optimized for the target platform and desired user experience.

For example, rewriting Windows applications such as VB6, VB.NET, C#, Classic ASP, PowerBuilder and others to native ASP.NET MVC (HTML5), is now as easy as pushing a few buttons on a sophisticated machine. Finally, costs are negligible compared to manual rewrite, making for surprising cost-efficiency. The move to native ASP.NET MVC (or any other web or mobile technology of choice) is equivalent to your legacy software’s one to three-year maintenance costs. The result is a native user experience, maintainable at minimal cost.

Here is a sample ROI calculation, based on 100 users, 100K lines of published desktop app

Transposition to ASP.NET MVC ROI

Application Virtualization

CAPEX(server infrastructure,

licenses, set up…)

OPEX [annual](support, maintenance)

100%20% Per 100K Lines of Code

Equal in two or three years

20% Per 100K Lines of Code

25-30% of CAPEX

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Is Transposition Right for You?

Like most IT executives, you are probably more familiar with application virtualization than with Transposition. How will you know if this technology would work well with your specific application and business needs?

Gizmox Transposition provides an enterprise level solution for bringing business applications to the latest platforms and operating systems such as the latest desktop Win8, 10, or web, cloud and mobile. Gizmox Transposition is fast and risk-free, using an innovative, patented solution and service.

We offer simple downloadable wizard, to assess your legacy app portfolio readiness for transposition. It will take minutes to run each app, and generate a report. Based on the wizard output, we will deliver Proof of Concept (POC) within days. To learn more, you can also contact us at consult@gizmoxts.com.