With Citrix, the Italian National Institute of Statistics rapidly makes remote working possible for over 2,000 employees and improves the efficiency of all research activities.
Founded in 1926, the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) is an independent public research body whose purpose is to serve the population by developing and publishing statistical research studies to guide political decision-makers.
In recent years, ISTAT has implemented a significant digital transformation project, using technology to transition from a decennial population census to a continuous analysis of all aspects of Italian society; a significant advancement, made possible by new IT infrastructure.
More than 2,000 employees and 14,000 associates nationwide rely on innovative data collection and analysis platforms that provide in-depth insights into various social and economic phenomena. Today, thanks to the security and effectiveness of the Citrix Workspace solution, researchers can, for example, conduct interviews whilst on the move using tablet devices.
When lockdown measures were introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ISTAT had already implemented remote work capabilities for around 500 users, thanks to Citrix technology. However, the emergency meant that the rest of the workforce needed to be equipped with flexible tools to ensure business continuity.
“We first encountered Citrix in 2003,” recalls Mario Magarò, Head of Middleware Management at ISTAT, “and over the years we have worked together to develop increasingly innovative solutions, for remote working in the first instance, and then virtual desktop solutions. When the global pandemic occurred, it was natural for us to rely on Citrix to ensure that our organization was able to work remotely.”
A solid Citrix foundation ensures a rapid response to the crisis
When the Italian Government announced lockdown measures in March 2020, all organizations were forced to react quickly to ensure both the health of their employees and business continuity. ISTAT had already embarked on a long journey towards introducing remote work, and therefore decided to further accelerate this process.
“We were prepared for flexible working,” explains Magarò, “although we did have to implement a two-year project in just a few days! We made it possible for all 2,100 employees to work from home and Citrix enabled us to activate 1,600 licenses within hours, providing everyone with virtual desktop access.”
Centralized governance and secure remote access
“In addition to flexibility and security, it allowed us to continue providing vital information and statistics for our country during a business disruption such as the pandemic,” explains Magarò. “We could also see the value of Citrix technology in relation to governance: with just two terminals we were able to centrally manage a set of heterogeneous functions that, with different architecture, we would not have been able to control with our reduced IT staff.”
Cloud-based future centered on the Citrix Workspace
The COVID-19 emergency not only accelerated the implementation of remote working at ISTAT, it also gave IT a new strategic role: to be a ‘force’ that connects people and knowledge.
“Our next step will be focused on the private cloud and Citrix Workspace,” explains Massimo Fedeli, ISTAT’s CIO. “As we take this important step, which is not one that we underestimate, Citrix will support us with the usual expertise.”
