Microsoft’s Pending DaaS Launch Poised to Impact Citrix Ecosystem

… Microsoft’s Enterprise Mobility and Security (EMS) and Citrix Xen Mobile.

However, various industry observers have privately wondered if customers will bypass Citrix when WVD becomes available. Others say that Microsoft is really taking another stab at offering a DaaS to go after Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Pete Downing, chief marketing and technology officer at XenTegra, a digital-workspace consultancy and Citrix and Microsoft partner, believes it’s the latter.

“Citrix will become a pseudo systems integrator to fill the gaps that the Windows Virtual Desktop service can fill,” Downing said. “Amazon seems to have a lead in the space, but in reality, [its] offering has always been limited because of the cost per desktop.”

Microsoft also has an edge over AWS because its Amazon WorkSpaces renders a Windows desktop and user experience from Windows Server, while Microsoft WVD is an actual Windows 10 desktop, Downing added.

“In either case, Citrix can fill the gaps that Microsoft and Amazon cannot,” he said. “Enter Citrix Workspace. At the end of day, an end-user only cares about their identity, their data and their apps. You ensure they can log in with a single password, have access to their data, and have access to their apps; the desktop is irrelevant. Citrix will be a huge asset to Windows Virtual Desktop service.”