In our current hybrid work environment, staff are not only working from home, they’re onboarding, changing roles, and switching between multiple devices to do their work - without ever entering the office.

So how do you provide them with secure access to all the applications they will need, along with the support they deserve?

You take the devices they already have and give them secure access and visibility to everything they need, with the knowledge that the data is still safely stored in your environment – not on their device.

The key is virtual machines (VM). In a virtual machine environment, compute resources use software instead of a physical resource to run programs and deploy apps. In Azure Virtual Desktop, applications are centralized within Azure in an environment optimized for Windows 10 and Microsoft 365. Staff can use any device – iOS, Windows, Android or HTML5 - as a window to their virtual desktop environment. Their experience will be the same regardless of device, location, or what tasks they’re performing, whether they are working in Outlook or collaborating with colleagues or customers on Microsoft Teams

From a central location, your technical team can deploy and upgrade new applications to everyone on the network at one time while minimizing user downtime, ensuring compliance and maintaining your established security and service standards.

Virtual Desktop - simplified

Within AVD, organizations layer on additional services to make the most of their virtual environments. One of the most popular app and desktop virtualization services is Citrix. A key advantage is the inherent cost optimization for your Azure deployment - with combined savings from licensing, operational and infrastructure amounting to cost reductions of up to 25%.

Another advantage is the simplified management of a hybrid or multicloud that software like Citrix on Azure enables. Both hybrid and multicloud infrastructures, are popular strategies because of the freedom and versatility they allow. With the ability to securely deploy apps to the cloud with specific strengths or maintain data on prem when local presence is key, organizations have both control and flexibility over their data. Email can go on one cloud, CRM on another, while sensitive applications can remain in-house. An environment running Citrix can be administered through a single pane of glass.

Hybrid workforce?

An increasingly mobile – and hybrid - workforce is a compelling motivator for virtualization. A familiar and secure desktop experience that does not let the new remote work reality bog down your staff’s productivity. Business continuity is an equally important driver, and one that has been brought into the spotlight in recent years businesses continue to evolve their approach to work. Citrix Workspace puts all these elements to the forefront in an aggregated employee experience, with Teams integration, microapps and intelligent feed integrations.

Curious to find out more? We have gathered some resources on Azure Virtual Desktop on this page for your review. If you have further questions or would like to hear more about who is embracing this tool and how, reach out, our team would love to chat. To get you started click on the below infographic to learn how to deliver the ultimate Windows 10 and Office experience.