Citrix announced at Microsoft Ignite 2018 that we are developing a new cloud-based desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) offering with Microsoft designed to meet business demand while keeping IT budgets in line.

At Citrix, we recognize that businesses are under increasing pressure to deliver a wide set of applications and data to their workforces. They must reduce capital expenditures and keep up with fast-paced business changes. Many organizations need a simple, efficient way to enable seasonal workers, contractors or newly acquired employees with access to critical business resources. Citrix desktops-as-a-service offering, developed on Windows Virtual Desktop and hosted in Microsoft Azure, enables businesses to deliver virtual applications and desktops hosted in the cloud to any device, from anywhere, with simplified IT management.

Designed & Developed with Simplicity in Mind

The Citrix desktops-as-a-service offering will be an end-to-end solution that provides everything an organization needs to quickly deliver desktops to workers and accelerate user productivity. Designed for Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop, this new service was developed with simplicity in mind. Targeted at a wide audience of varying IT skill levels, this Citrix service enables our customers, from business users to IT experts, to rapidly provision virtual desktops on Azure from one simplified integrated Citrix solution.

As part of our larger digital workspace strategy, Citrix has been empowering organizations to deliver a do-it-yourself DaaS solution for years and is recognized in the industry for our advanced image management, security, and user experience technology. However, this Citrix desktops-as-a-service offering will be unlike anything Citrix has ever offered before.


New to VDI and DaaS? Learn the essentials in our comprehensive guide: Digital workspaces 2.0—Desktop and application virtualization.


For the first time, Citrix will offer an end-to-end DaaS solution that includes:

  • Citrix prepared Windows Virtual Desktop with Windows 10 hosted on Azure
  • Secure remote access from any device via multi-factor authentication
  • A high-definition user experience that make it easy to work from any device, anywhere
  • Intelligent management and monitoring for simplified on-going maintenance
  • Plus, the associated Azure compute and storage for the virtual desktops

Citrix also plans to become a reseller of Microsoft 365 licenses to simplify the purchasing experience while also enabling customers and partners to bring their own licenses and desktop images to maximize IT productivity.

High-definition User Experience You’ve Come to Expect

Of course, the Citrix desktop-as-a-service offering is built on Citrix HDX technology. That means you can count on a high-performance virtual desktop experience with optimized remote access to Azure hosted Windows Virtual Desktop resources from corporate headquarters, branch locations or a home office.  With the Citrix desktop-as-a-service offering, your Azure hosted Windows Virtual Desktops will seamlessly adapt to deliver a stunning user experience over distant networks while providing high-fidelity access to voice and video applications, across multiple displays of varying size, and leveraging various types of accessories and peripherals.

Easy Access, Convenient Sign up

Citrix is also announcing its intent to become a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP). This will ensure that the new Citrix service can include all the associated Azure compute for the virtual desktop and Microsoft 365 licenses required to deliver Windows Virtual Desktop on Azure and Office 365. By becoming a Microsoft CSP, Citrix will enable customers and partners to transact with Citrix to purchase everything they need to deliver on-demand virtual desktops as part of their larger digital workspace strategies. In addition, Citrix has partnered with Microsoft to ensure that the new Citrix desktop-as-a-service offering will be available on the Azure Marketplace for easy access and convenient sign up.

For organizations that need a more comprehensive desktop delivery service, tailored for a specific business vertical or use case, our network of Citrix Service Providers will be able to leverage the new Citrix desktop-as-a-service offering and Windows Virtual Desktop capabilities to provide a customized, fully managed desktop solution designed to meet your individual needs. If you are new to DaaS, or just interested in learning more today, work with your favorite Citrix partner to see how this new Citrix desktop-as-a-service offering fits into your larger digital workspace strategy.

This Citrix desktop-as-a-service offering will be an exciting addition to our Citrix Workspace product line. Designed to meet customers’ needs for speed and simplicity of deployment, it also fits side-by-side with the rest of our enterprise solutions making it even easier to embrace new cloud technologies.

Meet Modern Workspace Challenges

Citrix has long been recognized as the industry leader in application and desktop virtualization. The new Citrix desktop-as-a-service offering will be one more way Citrix makes it easier to address the modern workforce’s business challenges with simple, easy-to-deploy solutions based on Microsoft technology.

See us at Microsoft Ignite

Sign up to receive notifications of Citrix desktop-as-a-service offering tech preview invitations, future launch dates, release information, and more.

For those attending Microsoft Igniteand interested in a live demo of Citrix desktop-as-a-service offering, visit the Citrix Booth 414 at Microsoft Ignite.


For Citrix Investors 

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