Cortex is at the heart of the launch of AWS WorkSpaces Core Managed Instances—an efficient way to migrate your existing VDI environment to the cloud. It allows you to maintain complete control over your EC2 instances, while AWS takes care of patch management, monitoring, and maintenance—for as little as $0.02 USD per hour per instance. Continue using your current Citrix environment, expand globally, and reduce costs with Reserved Instances or Savings Plans.
The new reality of traditional VDI
Traditional virtual desktop infrastructures (VDI) are becoming increasingly unsustainable. Frequent hardware refresh cycles, high data center leasing costs, and skyrocketing GPU prices are forcing IT leaders to reconsider on-premises solutions. A Forrester study reveals an average ROI of 241 % for optimized cloud environments, clearly highlighting the need to migrate to cloud VDI.
Understanding AWS WorkSpaces Core Managed Instances
AWS WorkSpaces Core MI makes it easy to migrate your Windows or Linux desktops directly to Amazon EC2 instances. AWS handles critical back-end responsibilities, including hypervisor management, OS patching, and monitoring.
Cost details:
- Standard EC2 pricing, plus a modest $0.02 USD/hour per instance for management.
- Use Reserved Instances or Savings Plans to further reduce costs.
AWS WorkSpaces Core MI is ideal for gradual migrations : it allows organizations to gradually transfer their workloads to the cloud before scaling up globally.
The best of both worlds: Citrix + AWS
By combining the powerful desktop management capabilities of Citrix with the extensive infrastructure of AWS, you get a seamless and powerful VDI solution.
Functionality | Advantage |
Citrix Studio Control Plane | Maintain your existing administration processes. |
Citrix HDX Protocol | High-quality graphics, optimized for Teams and other collaborative tools. |
AWS Global Regions | Less than 50ms latency for over 90 % users worldwide. |
Five key benefits for IT and finance leaders
- Significant cost reduction : reduction of TCO up to 52 % compared to traditional VDI.
- Fast provisioning : positions deployable in a few hours, even minutes.
- Simplified patch management : AWS supports system updates.
- GPU flexibility : dynamically adapt GPU power to needs, without replacing hardware.
- Integrated Disaster Recovery : Easily enable DR across multiple Availability Zones or AWS Regions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between WorkSpaces Core and traditional WorkSpaces?
WorkSpaces Core runs workstations directly in your AWS account with full EC2 control, while traditional WorkSpaces is a fully managed solution with little infrastructure control.
Can I continue to use my existing Citrix configurations?
Absolutely. WorkSpaces Core integrates seamlessly with Citrix DaaS, allowing you to keep your existing policies, image management tools (MCS/PVS), and optimizations unchanged.
What kind of savings can I expect?
Organizations typically see savings of 38 % to 52 % by eliminating data center infrastructure and using EC2 Reserved Instances.
Does the solution comply with regulatory requirements?
Yes. WorkSpaces Core desktops benefit from AWS IAM protocols, data encryption, and regional compliance frameworks (ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA, etc.).
Ready to modernize your virtual desktops?
Schedule your free architectural consultation today
and enjoy your exclusive launch partner credits before July 15, 2025.
Author :
Michael Guiblain, Product Director, Cortex
(AWS Advanced Partner, Citrix Certified Expert)