Some IT leaders might not want to change from the familiar and costly Citrix platform to AVD, wondering if it fits their needs and how hard it will be to run the new environment. 

Let’s go through some real customer questions so you may take an informed decision about Citrix and AVD. 

Question 1: Is AVD Up To The Task?  

Microsoft has been working hard on its virtualized desktop offerings, such as AVD and Windows 365. These platforms are now fully prepared for enterprise use, as shown by their extensive adoption in businesses of all sizes. 

Points to consider  

• Cloud, on-prem, or hybrid? Hybrid environments, which are essential for information security in some industries, used to be a reason to choose Citrix. But by mid-2023, this is not unique anymore: Microsoft has launched Azure Stack HCI, a hybrid technology that integrates on-premises infrastructure and Azure Cloud Services. This technology could change the game and shows Microsoft’s dedication to virtualization.  

• User experience – With the right configuration, which Veracloud tools can help with, most virtual desktop admins find the AVD user experience comparable to the two environments side-by-side.  

• Compatibility – Apps may not work well on different systems; this applies to both commercial and in-house apps. Cloud deployment compatibility problems need fixing no matter the desktop virtualization platform. Microsoft has an edge here because of the size and scope of the Windows ecosystem – a strength that Gartner highlighted in the September 2023 Magic Quadrant DaaS report. 

 

Question 2: What About Resilience?  

Ensuring desktops stay online is a crucial issue for any organization that uses virtualized environments. Citrix has been offering the benefits of workload distribution and security for a long time — but it can be an expensive method to achieve resiliency if a fully automated failover that moves workloads in real time is required. 

Points to consider 

• Disaster recovery – The Azure Cloud is spread across more than 60 regions around the world. AVD allows users to set up a host pool that distributes workloads across them to provide disaster recovery. Veracloud may simplify, cross regional AVD setups which may become complex. Additionally, the arrival of Azure Stack HCI makes hybrid cloud a reality for AVD users.  

• Built-in security – AVD provides all the key security features, such as host pool copy/ paste restrictions, data download control, and data movement limits. Through our onboarding process Veracloud cover all the security measures from Conditional Access Policies to template updates ensuring secure access. 

 

This is a continuation on our Switching From Citrix to AVD series of Blogs. Follow us over the next few weeks to learn more.