Avon Calls on Citrix for Remote Connectivity

To Avon Products Inc., the world's leading direct seller and marketer of beauty products, networking is their business. The $4 billion company relies on its extensive, worldwide network of 1.7 million independent Avon representatives to spread the word to women in more than 100 countries. Supporting their efforts are 30,000 world-wide associates, who provide the products and tools necessary to keep Avon's representative and customer networks growing.

Recruiting, hiring and creating successful associate relationships is the lifeline to Avon's continued global success.  "Avon is committed to providing the training, support, motivation and earnings opportunities that will attract new eassociates and help them be successful," says Bruce Teichman, Senior Systems Consultant, Human Resources Information Systems.

Avon relies on its human resources departments to successfully carry out the training, compensation and benefit programs that support their associates. Headquartered in New York City, Avon has seven satellite human resources departments scattered throughout the United States. An application used within human resources is a DOS database, called Salary Administration System (SAS), which aids salary planning for all U.S.-based associates. Because this database application is a centralized system, outside departments had difficulty trying to access this mission-critical application. As Teichman explains, "The other departments outside of New York needed access to the database we have here, but we couldn't give them copies because it's a centralized system. We needed to find a way for them to dial-in and connect."

Avon called on CitrixTM Systems and WinViewTM for Networks application server software to provide its satellite human resources departments with efficient and economical access to its centralized database application in New York. "We went with WinView for Networks from Citrix Systems because we needed a high-speed Windows remote access solution for the long haul," states Teichman. "Although our database application is not yet available for Windows, it will eventually migrate to this platform. We are a Windows shop that needed a good Windows remote access solution. More important, we went with Citrix because of the bottom line. With the other products, the cost per user was much higher than with WinView."

Some of the alternatives Avon considered included traditional remote control packages, clustered CPU hardware and remote node software. Remote control software allows a remote PC or terminal to capture a networked PC and remotely control it. This type of solution requires one dedicated PC for every dial-in line supported. Teichman quickly realized that this method of remote access into their NetWare network would be cost-prohibitive. "This alternative was unsuitable, since it required that I line up ten individual systems for each dial-in line."

Teichman also found the clustered CPU solution to be costly as well. Clustered CPU products provide a hardware platform for standalone remote control software. These "PCs on a card" appear to be complete PCs to remote control software. Each board features one or more onboard computers that appear to be individual PCs to NetWare. The number of remote users is limited by the number of available slots in the file server, bridge or expansion chassis. While the amount of hardware is reduced (compared to remote control software), it is replaced by hardware that is not industry standard. 

Remote node products were also evaluated by Teichman. These products provide remote access to the LAN by extending the entire underlying network support out to the remote client. Under this approach, all the application processing occurs on the remote workstation; actual files are transmitted over the phone line. If applications used remotely must be loaded from the network's file server or if large amounts of networked data, such as database information, must be accessed, remote node solutions suffer from performance problems.

Before WinView became the remote access standard for Avon's human resources department in September 1993, Teichman was forced to take the database and chop it up it, dividing it between what the users' needed at each of the seven locations. "This information was copied onto floppy disks and mailed out to each site," recalls Teichman. "This solution didn't last for very long. This database is fed by our mainframe and updated weekly, so changes could not get back out to the field on a timely basis. The difference between information availability then and now is like night and day. WinView is great!"

Unlike traditional network applications, which reside and execute on local workstations, WinView for Networks application server software provides centralized, high-performance Windows, DOS and OS/2 application execution services for local and remote users across standard telephone lines, local and wide-area networks. Based on a form of client/server computing, called Distributed Presentation Management, the entire application program is loaded and executed on the WinView application server, while only compressed screen images are transmitted between the client workstation and application server.

High-speed is achieved over low bandwidth connections through WinView's exclusive Intelligent Console Architecture (ICA), which minimizes data traffic by sending only keystrokes, mouse and Windows graphics commands between the client and server. Based on a 32-bit preemptive, multitasking system, WinView allows up to 20 concurrent users to run multiple Windows, DOS and OS/2 applications and switch between them using a simple hot-key.

In its simplest form, WinView for Networks addresses both the communication and application needs of remote/mobile LAN users. In its more advanced configurations, however, WinView facilitates the development, deployment and management of Windows applications, and provides the flexibility and functionality to meet a whole host of other PC-LAN problems.

One such problem, experienced by Avon's human resources departments, was most recently resolved through the use of WinView. Their department has one LAN connected into a wide-area network to provide access to another database application. According to Teichman, "Accessing this database across a WAN T1 connection was like a dog." Using WinView's LANLINK IPX/SPX protocol, they now directly connect to the New York-based LAN through the WAN. "The application itself is running in New York, while the end user only gets the results," Teichman explains. "WinView is as fast as anything straight over the line. What took 8 minutes to transmit now takes 10 seconds."

By adding a single WinView application server to a wide-area network, the amount of data traveling over the wire can be dramatically reduced. Instead of transferring large amounts of data across the WAN, WinView enables remote offices to run applications on the central corporate network, sending only Windows graphics commands, compressed video images, keyboard and mouse updates over the wire. As a result, WAN bottlenecks are eliminated and performance is improved.

Teichman is also finding WinView useful for its many administrative tools, such as session shadowing and disconnect recovery. When end users need help, WinView's DOS session shadowing allows Teichman to remotely dial-in and take over a user's workstation to monitor their activities and check on things like the printer queue, drive mappings and more. With WinView's advanced disconnect recovery feature, disconnected sessions are maintained and password protected. Remote users can reconnect from any workstation and, with the proper password, pick up right where they left off. WinView's extensive set of network utilities, including resource management, event logging, user messaging, and print spooling, enables administrators to manage resources and security privileges of the WinView application server from any network workstation or remote PC.

"The response to WinView has been extremely favorable, both from end users and management of other departments," Teichman suggests. "WinView is now our standard remote access solution within human resources, and other departments are considering its use. Our future plans are to expand the number of dial-in connections by using WinView application server software with clustered CPU hardware. This way, we can turn 3 processors into 30 connections."

Application Profile:
Company: Avon Products, Inc.
Industry: Cosmetics Retail
Problem: Needed high-performance, cost-effective remote access to centralized database application
Solution: Citrix WinView for Networks application server software
WinView Application: Remote access to centralized human resources database 
Enhanced database application performance over wide-area network

WinView for Networks Features:
Client/server architecture minimizes data transmission across telephone lines, LANs and wide-area networks by sending only keystrokes, mouse events and Windows graphics commands between the remote client and server, providing high-speed remote computing services.
A 486 application server can support up to 20 concurrent users running multiple Windows, DOS and OS/2 applications, resulting in tremendous hardware savings. (Actual performance is application dependent).
Eliminates bottlenecks and significantly increases WAN performance by reducing the amount of data that travels over the wire.
Gives low-powered PCs (286 and higher) full access to Windows applications, enabling you to sustain your current hardware investment.
Incorporates full multi-level security, including security classifications, login and password management, security auditing, and reboot protection, giving you peace of mind and confidence in the integrity of your network.
Maintains and password protects disconnected remote sessions, allowing users to reconnect from any workstation and, with the proper password, pick up right where they left off.
Includes extensive set of integrated network utilities, including DOS session shadowing, resource monitoring, event logging, user messaging and resource management, providing the flexibility you need to manage your growing base of remote users.
Open architecture complements communication servers and remote node products from other leading vendors, such as Centrum, DCA and Novell.