TL;DR
Citrix VDI is familiar, but rising costs and complexity are driving organizations to consider Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). This article covers:
Imagine this: you're an IT manager tasked with overseeing a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) system that’s crucial to your company's daily operations. Every day feels like you're juggling endless server maintenance, navigating capacity issues, and squeezing your budget to its breaking point.
But what if there is a simpler, more flexible way to manage your virtual desktops?
During a recent conversation, Greg Dodge, Strategic Solution Architect at ProArch, painted a clear picture of how AVD is revolutionizing the way companies manage virtual desktops.
In his words, AVD brings a level of simplicity to virtual desktop management that Citrix VDI often struggles with. "We recommend starting with proof of concepts," Greg added. "It lets businesses explore AVD’s benefits without committing to a large upfront investment."
Real talk from our experts on what's shaping the future of IT
As companies navigate this transition, Jim and Greg's insights serve as a helpful guide to embracing modern technology and staying competitive in today’s digital landscape.
With AVD, we’ve moved away from the old model of maintaining on-premises servers. Everything is in the cloud now, which takes a huge weight off the IT team
— Greg Dodge, Strategic Solutions Architect at ProArch
Moving from Citrix to AVD: More Flexibility, Lower Costs
Citrix has long been a staple in the virtual desktop landscape. But for organizations looking for tighter Azure integration, operational flexibility, and measurable cost control, Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is increasingly the more practical choice.
AVD is designed to work with Azure’s native cost controls from day one. When architected correctly, it allows teams to scale usage on demand, optimize compute and storage consumption, and move away from the fixed infrastructure and licensing overhead common in Citrix environments.
This is where an Azure Cost Optimization Assessment becomes critical—helping identify waste, right-size workloads, and design an AVD environment that aligns with real usage, not assumptions.
For organizations planning a move from Citrix, AVD isn’t a lift-and-shift replacement. It’s a chance to redesign virtual desktops around cloud economics and long-term efficiency.
Businesses migrating to AVD from Citrix find they can reduce operational costs while seamlessly integrating with Microsoft’s cloud ecosystem. It’s a win for flexibility and future-proofing
— James Spignardo, Director of Cloud Strategy and AI Enablement
Key Challenges with Citrix VDI
As Jim noted at the start of their discussion, "Citrix has been around forever, so it's a well-known company." However, this familiarity brings its own set of challenges. Greg identified several key issues organizations face when considering a transition from Citrix:
- High Costs: Maintaining Citrix's extensive infrastructure can lead to significant expenses that strain budgets. Jim acknowledged this, stating, “I gotta imagine a lot of companies think that's a pretty big, huge thing.”
- Complicated Setup: Deploying Citrix environments often requires specialized expertise, resulting in what Greg describes as “licensing headaches.” This complexity can slow progress and distract teams from their core objectives.
- Licensing Burden: As organizations grow, the licensing costs associated with Citrix can escalate quickly, adding to the burden on IT departments.
How AVD Offers a Better Solution
Transitioning to AVD can address many of these challenges. Jim and Greg shared several compelling reasons why AVD stands out:
- Cost Efficiency: Greg emphasized the advantages of AVD’s pay-as-you-go model, stating, “It’s a great way to kick the tires and not make a huge investment.” This approach helps businesses optimize resources and avoid unnecessary expenses.
- Simplified Management: AVD shifts virtual desktop management to the cloud, allowing companies to focus on strategic initiatives rather than reacting to server breakdowns. “Managing virtual desktops is no longer about firefighting; it’s about driving the business forward,” Greg explained.
- Seamless Scalability: With AVD, organizations can easily scale their virtual desktop environments based on actual usage. Greg noted, “You’re not stuck with a fixed infrastructure; you can easily scale up or down as your needs change.”
- Built-in Security: Security remains a top priority, and AVD comes equipped with robust features. “Microsoft handles all the security patches and updates, so you’re always protected,” Greg mentioned, emphasizing how AVD surpasses traditional Citrix VDI solutions.
The transition from Citrix to Azure Virtual Desktop isn’t just a change in technology; it’s a strategic move towards a more flexible, efficient, and secure future. As businesses look ahead, embracing a solution like AVD can alleviate the burdens of high costs, complicated setups, and licensing headaches.
Need guidance on your Citrix to AVD move?
Is Your Environment Ready for Azure Virtual Desktop?
Azure Virtual Desktop isn’t just a platform shift—it’s an opportunity to rethink how secure, scalable virtual work should actually operate.
Whether you’re planning a move away from legacy VDI or simply validating what’s next, an Azure Readiness Assessment is the right place to start. With a focused AVD Proof of Concept, you can evaluate performance, cost, security, and user experience before making a full commitment.
ProArch’s Microsoft AVD advanced specialists help you move forward with clarity—from readiness and design to deployment and long-term optimization.
