We've been using Citrix for remote access at our engineering firm, but after moving away from VDI during the pandemic, we've found that it complicates our setup. We mainly need remote access for our physical desktops in the office. We're trying to transition to Entra-only devices, as our laptops are managed well with Intune and Autopilot, but Citrix is the last hurdle since it relies on domain join and Active Directory. From a user standpoint, Citrix has been decent, but it's creating admin challenges. I'm looking for suggestions to make Citrix work better or other solutions entirely. Any recommendations?
5 Answers
Azure Virtual Desktop could really simplify your setup. The licensing is included with Business Premium and above. It’s manageable with Intune, and auto-scaling can keep costs down. Let me know if you need more info!
Have you looked into BeyondTrust Secure Remote Access? It supports several methods, like agent-based connections or using RDP via a proxy. Another option could be the Entra Global Access VPN client paired with RDP, though I haven't personally used it that way.
I decided to move away from Citrix and switched to Netskope, which offers cool features for remote access, including a version of Apache Guacamole. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to Citrix, which I can't stand anymore.
For a really straightforward setup, consider adding a Linux box to your network with SSH enabled for secure access. Just use SSH keys for login and configure the users' laptops to connect through Mobaxterm. If you want something similar without all the complexity, try NoMachine—it’s pretty solid too.
Have you checked out Parsec? It’s popular among engineering firms for remote access, and it integrates well with Autopilot. It’s optimized for graphics-heavy applications and provides a great user experience without the hassle of Citrix.
Thanks for the Linux idea! I'll explore setting up an SSH server for secure access.