Citrix and Microsoft Develop Regional Roadmap to Help Businesses Embrace Digital Transformation

Dubai, UAE, October 19, 2016:  Citrix and Microsoft Gulf announce the regional expansion of a strategic partnership, set to help businesses digitally transform their operations through innovative technologies, including cloud-based secure app and data delivery. The partnership is in response to the growing digital needs of businesses to securely empower their employees with powerful new applications that enhance creativity and productivity. 

With the Gulf market now turning to cloud computing to enable more agile, on-demand IT services to their employees, it has spurred a search for more advanced cloud solutions to become globally competitive and expand their business and customer base. As cloud adoption continues to increase rapidly, research from Forrester shows, that the regional market will be valued at $241 billion by 2020. 

Citrix and Microsoft aim to help businesses develop a modern workforce with application and desktop virtualization in the cloud, network delivery and enterprise mobility management. The expanded Azure-based services in development include XenApp “express”, an exclusive cloud-based app delivery service, along with Windows 10 workspaces delivered via XenDesktop on Microsoft Azure. By choosing Microsoft Azure as the preferred platform, Citrix can streamline the process of migrating to the cloud while simplifying IT management for users that are comfortable with the Microsoft environment. 

Azure-based workspaces eliminate the need to set up and configure IT infrastructure, dramatically simplifying app and desktop virtualization, while making it easy for IT to respond to evolving demands from line-of-business managers.

In addition, Citrix and Microsoft are working together on new integrations between Citrix XenMobile Secure Apps, NetScaler and the Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite (EMS), based on customer requirements. As Citrix and Microsoft solutions can integrate and work seamlessly together, pre-existing customers can benefit from this added functionality to support their business ventures.

“By working alongside Microsoft, we are moving closer to our goal of enabling organizations in the UAE, to align themselves with the government’s vision of becoming a word-leading hub for technology and innovation. Companies of any scale are in the perfect position to incorporate digital transformation into their corporate strategy and give employees the freedom to work productively from anywhere at any time.” said Johnny Karam, Regional Vice President, Middle East, Turkey and Africa, Citrix.
 
“As long standing partners of Citrix, our relationship has always been focused on the best interests of our shared customers. In order for businesses to compete in a highly competitive market such as the Middle East, security and productivity within the workforce is key. By mobilizing their employees, organizations gain the edge required in order to outperform in today’s highly disruptive and ever-changing business environment to achieve more.” added Samer Abu-Ltaif, General Manager, Microsoft Gulf