For years, Citrix delivered secure remote access, and it did it well. Remember when “remote access” meant desperately hoping your VPN would connect before your coffee went cold? Good times… But if you're still spending more time managing desktops than making decisions, it might be time for a Citrix to Azure Virtual Desktop migration.
Microsoft’s Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) offers a modern, cloud-first approach to virtual desktops. It scales with your business, plugs right into your Microsoft 365 setup, and makes remote access smoother than ever.
If the idea of easier management and tighter integration gets your attention (and it should), then AVD is the strategic shift you’ve been waiting for.
Why migrate from Citrix to Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop?
Legacy VDI platform, Citrix, served a purpose, but for today’s cloud-first, cost-conscious world, AVD wins on performance, simplicity and scale. Here’s why IT leaders are making the switch:
No more on-prem hardware: AVD is fully cloud-native on Azure, no need for expensive on-premises hardware or maintenance contracts.
On-demand scale: Provisioning virtual machines (VMs) rapidly, with improved performance and cloud-scale.
One ecosystem, not many: Deep integration with Microsoft 365 and Entra ID streamlines everything.
Lower total cost of ownership (TCO): Eliminate Citrix license overheads and optimise usage with consumption-based billing.
Jason Vigus, Head of Portfolio Strategy, Commercialisation and Governance at Nasstar, said: “AVD replaces rigid, fixed-cost infrastructure with a secure, flexible platform - so your team stay connected, protected, and productive anywhere.”
How to Migrate Citrix to Azure Virtual Desktop without disruption
So, how do you migrate Citrix to AVD? Every virtual desktop migration is unique in terms of complexity and scale. But successful migrations follow a proven playbook, especially when user experience, security and uptime are non-negotiable:
Design & discovery workshops: We map your Citrix setup, identify apps, dependencies, and potential blockers.
Compatibility & licensing assessments: Spot legacy app risks and clarify Microsoft licensing requirements upfront.
Migration planning & proof of concept: Run AVD alongside Citrix, test workloads, and fine-tune before full rollout.
Execution & support: Minimise downtime, manage profiles and data migration, and train users for fast adoption.
Partnering with Nasstar for your Citrix to AVD migration means it will be handled by certified Microsoft specialists with a track record of successful enterprise-scale AVD projects.
What are the benefits of migrating from Citrix to Azure Virtual Desktop?
Reduced licensing and infrastructure costs
Migrating to AVD eliminates the need for separate Citrix licences. There’s also less need for expensive on-premises infrastructure. And by using Microsoft-native services, you consolidate vendors and reduce complexity with a simple, consumption-based pricing model.
With this, IT teams can optimise usage in real-time, allowing for significant cost savings over time.
Jason commented: “If you are already using Microsoft 365, staying on Citrix is like paying twice for the same functionality, just with more friction.”
Seamless Microsoft ecosystem integration
AVD integrates natively with Microsoft 365 and other Microsoft services. For users, this means consistency. Similarly, IT administrators benefit from simplified policy management through Microsoft app integrations.
With AVD as part of the Microsoft Cloud, there’s no need to bolt together different platforms or duplicate configurations.
Improved flexibility and scalability
With AVD, organisations can scale virtual desktop environments up or down according to business needs. Need new virtual machines or session hosts? They’re quick and simple to deploy. And, because it’s cloud there’s also no need to over-provision in advance - saving you both time and money.
Simpler security and compliance
Simply put, security is built into the fabric of Azure Virtual Desktop. You can use security tools like multifactor authentication, conditional access, and role-based access control out of the box.
With compliance-ready features aligned to major standards, businesses operating in regulated sectors also benefit from an enterprise-grade security model. This is all supported by Microsoft’s global security network.
Better performance for remote users
When using the Microsoft Azure network, your users connect to the nearest available data centre. This brings low-latency, high-speed access. For IT teams, this means improved uptime and fewer performance bottlenecks than may happen with legacy Citrix infrastructure.
Running resource-intensive workloads? AVD supports high-powered virtual machines, ideal for intensive work such as CAD or 3D rendering. The result is that end users experience a fast and responsive desktop, no matter where they are in the world.
Simplified IT management
AVD removes the need to manage multiple third-party components that are often required with legacy systems. Instead, your IT teams can handle everything natively within Azure, using built-in tools or scripting.
Likewise, your admins can push policies, automate updates, and manage host pools from a central cloud-based workspace. This massively improves your IT user experience and speeds up issue resolution.
Future-ready infrastructure
The combined result of all these benefits? Being on a cloud-native platform means you're better equipped to adopt future technologies, such as automation, AI or real-time analytics, with all their potential business advantages.
Challenges of migrating from Citrix to Azure Virtual Desktop
While there are many benefits of a Citrix to Azure Virtual Desktop migration, you should also consider the potential downsides.
Compatibility with legacy applications
Some older or highly customised applications may not behave as expected in Azure Virtual Desktop. This is especially true in multi-session environments.
A compatibility assessment will help identify risks. You should ideally carry this out during the discovery phase, looking into any potential fixes. Ignoring these legacy apps can lead to unexpected downtime, security vulnerabilities, or poor user experience later down the line.
Network and identity dependencies
Hidden dependencies may end up causing issues. And if your existing identity infrastructure isn’t integrated with Microsoft, you may need to move to a cloud-native model first. Other problems, like inadequate bandwidth, VPN bottlenecks, or misconfigurations, can all cause session instability and user frustration.
That’s why it’s so important to assess and modernise your network topology as part of the migration plan.
Managing user expectations (for effective adoption)
Change resistance is real. You might find that some users don’t embrace your upgrades at first, particularly if they’re used to Citrix interfaces or functionality (no matter how quirky).
Nasstar can help you with communication, training and support to make users feel confident in the new system and maximise successful technology adoption.
Licensing complexity
AVD removes the need for Citrix licences. However, understanding Microsoft’s licensing structure is still important. That’s because AVD usage rights are tied to specific Microsoft 365 and Windows licences, and you must also account for Azure infrastructure costs.
Without proper planning, it’s possible to over-provision resources or miss out on cost optimisation opportunities. Working with a partner like Nasstar can help you avoid unnecessary cloud spend.
Data migration and profile handling
The actual Azure migration itself has potential hurdles. Moving user profiles, shared data, and integrations requires care. Shared drives, printers, or mapped resources should also be available in the AVD environment. Testing these configurations thoroughly before go-live helps avoid any last-minute panic.
Best practices for a successful migration
At Nasstar, we’ve managed many Citrix to AVD migrations. Here are some best practices to make sure yours goes smoothly.
Start with a deep discovery and detailed design
Planning is key. A successful migration begins with a deep understanding of your current Citrix environment. Take inventory of your applications, users, dependencies, and licensing. Then, identify any workloads that aren’t compatible with AVD, and design an architecture that reflects user needs.
Initial workshops help to map everything clearly. They make sure no critical details are missed. A strong design phase also prevents any nasty surprises later and keeps the migration process on track.
Map dependencies across the full environment
Virtual desktop infrastructure relies on many other things - think storage, networking and app integrations. You should map these as part of your discovery process. For example:
Will cloud storage replace on-prem file shares?
Do any apps rely on legacy authentication?
Are there any latency issues to address?
Identifying these technical dependencies upfront minimises delays, broken workflows, or security gaps during migration.
Run an AVD proof of concept alongside Citrix
If possible, it’s a good idea to set up AVD alongside your current Citrix deployment. Then, you can trial apps, test performance, and gather user feedback without risking disruption.
Your end-users can also compare experiences in real-time, while IT teams can monitor behaviour, troubleshoot problems and refine the finer details before full rollout. This step helps reduce overall migration risk - especially for complex environments or regulated industries.
Prioritise automation and scaling efficiency
It’s also important to consider any new capabilities being cloud-native gives you. For example, Azure offers powerful tools to automate deployments, manage updates, and optimise resource usage. Could you use them? You may not have had - or even considered - these possibilities before.
Features like Azure Virtual Desktop templates can help standardise provisioning. You can also use auto-scaling so resources increase during peak hours and come back down during quiet times. This approach avoids waste, keeps costs in check, and delivers consistent performance while freeing IT staff from manual tasks.
Educate and involve users early
People are the key to any successful tech rollout. As such, it’s important to provide training and documentation to help users understand the move. They need to know what will change and what it means for them day-to-day.
You might offer hands-on support during the early stages. This is a good chance to collect feedback and refine the setup. And the more involved users feel, the more likely they are to embrace the new system, improving the long-term success of your AVD migration.
Jason said: “A successful migration isn’t just technical, it’s behavioural. Remember to bring your people with you.”
How Nasstar can help
A Citrix to Azure Virtual Desktop migration is a potentially complex project. However, with so many benefits of moving to a cloud-native infrastructure, modern businesses find the move extremely worthwhile.
Nasstar is a leading Microsoft partner with deep experience delivering Citrix to AVD migrations at scale. Whether you’re building new IT infrastructure, handling an EoL Citrix version product, or simply want to get more from your Microsoft investments, we’re here to help.
Contact Nasstar for Citrix to Azure migration and EoL support today.
