The On-Premise Foundations (2014-2017)
A decade ago, many New Zealand businesses relied heavily on traditional, on-premises Citrix deployments.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) was a well-established solution for centralising application and desktop delivery, offering benefits like enhanced security, easier management and improved access for users.
However, these environments often required substantial upfront capital investment in hardware, data centres, and dedicated IT teams for maintenance and upgrades. Scalability, while possible, often involved significant lead times and further capital expenditure.
Citrix, at this time, was largely seen as a robust on-prem solution for delivering a consistent user experience.
The Dawn of Cloud and Hybrid (2017-2020)
The mid-to-late 2010s saw the rapid ascent of cloud computing.
New Zealand organisations, like their global counterparts, began to explore the benefits of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). This marked a pivotal moment for Citrix environments. While some businesses continued to invest in expanding their on-premises VDI, a growing number started to experiment with hybrid models.
For Citrix users, this meant considering how to integrate their existing on-premises Citrix farms with public cloud providers like Microsoft Azure or AWS.
The promise was clear: greater flexibility, reduced capital expenditure by shifting to operational expenditure, and the ability to scale resources on-demand to meet fluctuating business needs.
This period saw a push towards simplifying management and looking for ways to extend the reach of virtualised applications and desktops beyond the corporate network. Security concerns, always present, became even more paramount as data traversed new boundaries.
Accelerated Cloud Adoption and the Rise of Hybrid Work (2020-Present)
The global events of the early 2020s, particularly the push for remote work, acted as a catalyst for even faster cloud adoption in New Zealand.
Businesses, including those with significant Citrix investments, were forced to rapidly enable their workforces to operate from anywhere. This accelerated the shift towards cloud-based solutions and further cemented the importance of hybrid IT strategies.
For Citrix environments, this translated into several key trends:
- Citrix Cloud Services: Citrix itself has evolved to offer cloud-based control planes and services (Citrix Cloud), significantly simplifying the management and deployment of virtual apps and desktops. This has allowed New Zealand organisations to offload much of the infrastructure management to Citrix, focusing instead on delivering value to their end-users.
- Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Citrix Integration: The integration of Citrix with Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) has become a popular pathway for many. This combination offers the benefits of AVD's native Azure integration for pooled or personal desktops, augmented by Citrix's advanced features for user experience, policy management, and application delivery.
- Focus on End-User Experience (EUX): With hybrid work models becoming the norm, the emphasis has shifted firmly to providing a seamless and productive end-user experience, regardless of device or location. Citrix's ongoing investment in features like Workspace Environment Management (WEM) and adaptive security controls reflects this, aiming to optimise performance and security for remote users.
- Security at the Forefront: The distributed nature of cloud and hybrid environments, coupled with a rise in cyber threats, has made security a top priority. New Zealand organisations are increasingly adopting Zero Trust models and leveraging enhanced security features within their Citrix deployments, including SSL protocols for NetScaler and robust access controls. Regular health checks and vulnerability mitigation have become essential.
- Simplified Licensing and Management: Recent changes in Citrix's licensing model, including the move to a universal subscription model, aim to simplify product packaging and provide greater flexibility for hybrid cloud readiness. This signals a move towards making Citrix more accessible and easier to consume.
- NetScaler's Evolving Role: NetScaler, a core component of many Citrix deployments, has expanded its role beyond just application delivery to encompass comprehensive security and end-to-end observability, becoming a leader in the enterprise application delivery market.
Looking Ahead
The New Zealand IT landscape, and Citrix's place within it, will continue to evolve. The increasing adoption of AI and automation will undoubtedly influence how virtual environments are managed and optimised.
The ongoing need for skilled IT professionals, particularly in cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure, remains a key challenge.
For organisations in New Zealand, the journey with Citrix over the past decade has been one of adaptation and strategic investment. From on-premises strongholds to agile hybrid cloud solutions, Citrix environments have proven their resilience and continued relevance in delivering secure, flexible and high-performing digital workspaces for the modern workforce.
The focus now is on continuous optimisation, enhanced security and leveraging the full capabilities of the evolving Citrix platform to meet the demands of an ever-changing digital world.