Citrix DaaS (Virtual Apps and Desktops Service) is the cloud-managed version of Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (CVAD), driven from Citrix Cloud. It delivers virtual desktops and published applications via Workspace, with a SaaS control plane and VM resources hosted by the organisation or on Azure, AWS, Google Cloud. ITTA offers a Citrix CVAD, virtualisation catalogue and a virtualisation sub-domain. Sessions delivered in Geneva, Lausanne and interactive virtual classroom.
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Citrix DaaS, formerly named Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops Service, is the cloud-managed declination of the Citrix VDI / EUC offering. The control plane (administration, broker, monitoring, licensing) is hosted in Citrix Cloud and operated by Citrix, which offloads the organisation from maintaining Delivery Controllers, StoreFront, Studio and Director on-premise. The compute resources running virtual desktops and published applications remain under the organisation’s control: workloads in the on-premise datacenter, on Microsoft Azure, on Amazon Web Services, on Google Cloud, or in a hybrid mix. This separation between SaaS control plane and customer-side workload is typical of modern DaaS (Desktop as a Service).
Technically, Citrix DaaS relies on the same building blocks as Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops on-premise (CVAD): Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA) installed on target machines, HDX protocol to deliver the virtual desktop and applications, Machine Creation Services (MCS) for automated provisioning (cloud MCS on Azure, AWS, GCP), Citrix Workspace as unified user portal, Citrix Gateway for secure external access. Typical use cases cover persistent or non-persistent virtual desktops for users, legacy business applications published from an RDS server, isolation desktops (consultants, contractors, BYOD), and business continuity. Citrix DaaS competes with Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop / Windows 365 and with Omnissa Horizon (formerly VMware Horizon).
ITTA does not currently offer a dedicated Citrix DaaS course in the EN catalogue. The specific Citrix DaaS offering is mainly carried by Citrix dedicated training centres, by Citrix integrators specialised in EUC and by official Citrix resources (Citrix Learning, Citrix Tech Zone). For profiles interested in Citrix and EUC virtualisation, ITTA offers a Citrix catalogue structured around the on-premise version and the global virtualisation dimension.
Our Citrix offering fits into the root Citrix catalogue, with particular focus on Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (the on-premise version of CVAD, which shares most concepts with Citrix DaaS) and on Citrix Virtualisation which regroups the Citrix virtualisation offering. The virtualisation sub-domain regroups all transverse virtualisation courses (Hyper-V, vSphere, containers, Citrix).
Profile who historically manages an on-premise Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops platform and who must support migration to Citrix DaaS (Citrix Cloud control plane, workloads on Azure or AWS). Mastery of on-premise Citrix concepts (Studio, MCS, HDX, StoreFront) is transferable to DaaS, the control plane changing but the technical building blocks remaining close. Our Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops catalogue provides the common foundation.
Senior profile designing VDI / DaaS architecture: choice between Citrix DaaS, Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Omnissa Horizon. Sizing, security, economic model, identity integration (Entra ID, ADFS), network (ExpressRoute, Direct Connect). Our Citrix catalogue and the virtualisation sub-domain form a solid foundation.
Profile managing the Azure or AWS VMs on which Citrix DaaS desktops run. Requires mastery of the target cloud (Azure, AWS, GCP) and Citrix DaaS integration. For the Azure dimension, our Microsoft Azure catalogue is central. For the AWS dimension, the AWS catalogue.
Profile intervening on VDI / DaaS projects at various clients: audit, tool choice, deployment, support for on-premise to cloud migration. Requires multi-vendor vision (Citrix, Omnissa Horizon, AVD, Windows 365). Our Citrix catalogue and virtualisation offering form a useful base.
Several trends shape the Citrix DaaS and DaaS topic in 2026. The underlying VDI / EUC market trend orients toward DaaS (Desktop as a Service) with a SaaS control plane at the vendor and workloads on public cloud, to the detriment of traditional full on-premise deployments. Citrix DaaS, Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365 (Cloud PC), Omnissa Horizon Cloud structure most of this market in 2026. The Citrix acquisition by TIBCO / Cloud Software Group in early 2022 modified the Citrix portfolio, with a repositioning on enterprise segments and a repackaging of the offering (Citrix Universal Subscription). Generative AI gradually arrives in virtual desktops (Citrix Intelligent Workspace, Microsoft Copilot integration, AI assistants in user experience). On the direct competition side, Microsoft strongly pushes Windows 365 (turnkey Cloud PC) and Azure Virtual Desktop on its M365 customers, with a simplicity and native Microsoft integration argument. Omnissa (formerly VMware Horizon, acquired by KKR in July 2024) repositions its EUC offering against Citrix DaaS. Zero Trust architectures and identity integration (Entra ID, Okta, Ping) gain importance in DaaS projects.
What is the difference between Citrix DaaS and on-premise Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops?
The main difference is the location of the control plane. On-premise Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (CVAD) hosts the control plane (Delivery Controllers, StoreFront, Studio, Director, SQL database) in the organisation’s datacenter, which ensures its maintenance. Citrix DaaS hosts the control plane in Citrix Cloud (SaaS operated by Citrix), and the organisation only manages the workloads (virtual desktop VMs). Technical concepts (VDA, HDX, MCS, Workspace) are largely common.
Citrix DaaS or Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop / Windows 365: which choice?
The choice depends on context. Citrix DaaS is generally chosen by organisations that have historically built Citrix expertise (on-premise CVAD) and want to modernise to the cloud without changing vendor. Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365 are generally chosen by Microsoft-first organisations wanting native M365 / Entra ID integration and with no Citrix history. The choice is made according to the installed base, internal expertise, cloud roadmap and vendor sensitivity. Citrix DaaS provides mature HDX features for demanding user experience.
Does ITTA offer a Citrix DaaS course?
Not currently in the EN catalogue. For Citrix DaaS specifically, official Citrix training via Citrix dedicated training centres or Citrix Learning resources is better sized. Our pedagogical team can study custom in-house requests with external Citrix EUC specialists. For the common Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops on-premise foundation, our Citrix catalogue offers an entry door.
Does Citrix DaaS require a dedicated public cloud?
No. Citrix DaaS hosts the control plane in Citrix Cloud, but workloads (virtual desktop VMs and RDS servers) can run in the organisation’s on-premise datacenter, on Microsoft Azure, on Amazon Web Services, on Google Cloud, or in a hybrid combination. This flexibility is one of Citrix DaaS arguments against more single-cloud-integrated competitors (AVD / Windows 365 on Azure).
For profiles interested in Citrix and EUC virtualisation, here are the key resources:
Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, virtualisation and Microsoft Azure sessions take place in Geneva and Lausanne in person, and in interactive virtual classroom with a live trainer. For organisations steering an on-premise to Citrix DaaS migration project, we organise custom in-house sessions with content adapted to the technology choice and target cloud (Azure, AWS, GCP). This modality is particularly suited to banks, international organisations, administrations and large enterprises steering a structuring DaaS project.
ITTA offers a structured Citrix, virtualisation and cloud catalogue covering Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, Citrix Virtualisation, Microsoft Azure, and a complete virtualisation sub-domain. This continuity is valuable for profiles steering a DaaS project or an on-premise to cloud migration, and who want a multi-vendor vision (Citrix, Omnissa, Microsoft). Our Citrix and virtualisation trainers are consultants and integrators active on EUC projects in French-speaking Switzerland, able to share concrete cases and orient toward the right Citrix partners according to project context. Sessions in Geneva, Lausanne and interactive virtual classroom, in-house and inter-company.
Monday to Friday
8:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Tel. 058 307 73 00
ITTA
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1227 Carouge, Suisse
Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 06:00 pm.
