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Organization may opt to use virtualization as a way of managing software applications. Virtualization software such as Citrix can virtualize applications (XenApp) or the machine / desktop (XenDesktop). In theory, any virtualization software that executes OpenFlows software locally and can get access to the full CPU/disk access of the end user system should enable the software to open and function. This would include applications like XenDesktop and Hyper-V.
Application virtualization such as Citrix XenApp is not currently supported (as of April, 2020) by either SELECTserver licensed versions (10.01.XX.XX and earlier) or Subscription Entitlement Services (SES) licensed versions (10.02.XX.XX and higher) of OpenFlows products. This type of virtualization typically reports only one machine name or IP address to Bentley regardless of the number of clients accessing the application, resulting in a breach of the license agreement since usage is tracked based on the machine name accessing the software.
Generally speaking, Bentley supports Desktop virtualization in that it is not considered against the license agreement and we will do our best to provide support if a problem arises. However, we are not “Citrix Certified” and we don’t test on Citrix as part of normal certification procedure. It is recommended that you conduct a test deployment.
Application virtualization has the effect of isolating the application from other parts of the client system and in effect running the application in a sand-box. This is fine for the Standalone platform of the OpenFlows products, but for the integrated platforms, they can no longer interact with other installed programs due to the way it would have been isolated from the rest of the system. So, you will likely run into problems if you need to work in the AutoCAD, MicroStation or ArcMap integrated platform.
Note: in at least one case, it was noted that the .MSI must remain in the Packagecache so it could configure for the user.
It all depends on what you are trying to achieve by virtualizing, but solutions that virtualize the entire operating system as opposed to trying to virtualize a single application, don't have the same limitations as the application specific virtualization. You could virtualize a complete desktop environment with interacting programs, run it on dedicated hardware, and have lesser powered client systems connect to the virtualized environment. For example if your virtualization software virtualizes the operating system, then integration with other platforms should work.