It is a big day for Microsoft Windows 10 customers. Today, September 6, marks the official start of new subscription offerings in the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program for Windows 10 virtualization use rights. Now, Microsoft customers will be able to choose from five subscription offerings in the CSP program with Windows 10 virtualization use rights that enable Windows 10 VMs to be hosted in Azure or with a qualified multitenant hosting provider. Read the full announcement here.
Citrix is making today even better for Windows 10 customers by announcing expanded availability of XenDesktop Essentials to align with the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider program.
In many cases, hosting Windows 10 Enterprise desktops on Azure can be the ideal solution for your organization’s productivity, security and infrastructure needs. However, managing and securing access to hundreds or thousands of individual instances of Windows 10 Enterprise desktops on Azure is a daunting endeavor, but this is exactly where XenDesktop Essentials can help.
XenDesktop Essentials simplifies the migration to Windows 10 Enterprise on Azure, expedites the deployment of Windows 10 Enterprise on Azure instances, and streamlines ongoing management at scale while delivering a rich user access experience from any device. Available directly from the Azure Marketplace, together Citrix and Microsoft offer you a single transactional interface to deliver a complete Windows 10 Enterprise on Azure digital workspace.
Expanding the availability of XenDesktop Essentials
Today, access to XenDesktop Essentials in the Azure Marketplace is restricted to Microsoft Enterprise Agreement customers with Windows Per User License (Windows 10 E3/E5 Per User or Windows VDA Per User). Now that Microsoft has initiated the Microsoft CSP program for Windows 10 virtualization rights, Citrix will be enabling Microsoft CSP partners to purchase XenDesktop Essentials on behalf of their customers directly from the Azure Marketplace. After Citrix implements this change to XenDesktop Essentials, you will be able to work with your Microsoft CSP to purchase both your Windows 10 Enterprise virtualization rights and XenDesktop Essentials side-by-side, giving you: the full combination of Windows 10 Enterprise virtualization use rights; XenDesktop Essentials provisioning, management and access tools; and the technical services from your favorite Microsoft CSP.
How will it work?
You will work directly with your Microsoft CSP to determine which subscription offering best aligns with your overall Windows 10 strategy. Once you have Windows 10 virtualization use benefits, you will continue to work with your Microsoft CSP to purchase XenDesktop Essentials once Citrix implements these upcoming changes. Your Microsoft CSP will be able to purchase XenDesktop Essentials on your behalf and leverage the robust provisioning, management and security benefits of XenDesktop Essentials to seamless deliver Windows 10 Enterprise on Azure instances to any user worldwide.
Citrix is actively working with Microsoft to implement these pending changes to XenDesktop Essentials in the Azure Marketplace. Customers interested in learning more about XenDesktop Essentials, as well as all of our Citrix Cloud Workspace Services for Azure, are encouraged to visit the Citrix Booth at Microsoft Ignite in Orlando, Florida from September 25-29, 2017 or visit http://www.citrix.com/microsoft.
