transfair gets its workplace ready for the future

The existing private cloud environment with Citrix virtualisation no longer met the requirements of a modern digital workplace. At the same time, the framework conditions had changed significantly in recent years. This resulted in the following key requirements:

• Flexible working: Increasingly mobile and location-independent working needed to be possible regardless of device or location.
• Security and data protection: Growing requirements for data protection and secure access to applications and information.
• Cost efficiency: The rising costs of the existing Citrix licensing and operations needed to be reduced sustainably.
• Modern collaboration: A need for modern tools for communication, document management and collaboration.

The existing architecture could only meet these requirements to a limited extent and, at the same time, resulted in rising operating and licensing costs. transfair’s objective was therefore clear: employees should be able to work easily, flexibly and securely, regardless of their location or device.

Together with Axians, transfair opted for a fully cloud-based Modern Workplace solution built on Microsoft Azure. At its core is Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), which serves as the central platform and provides secure access to applications and data at any time and from any device.

The solution is complemented by Microsoft 365, particularly Microsoft Teams and SharePoint, enabling modern collaboration and efficient information sharing. The Hydra platform is also used to operate the virtual desktop environment. It simplifies and automates operations, patch and lifecycle management, for example when distributing updates, managing images and provisioning new virtual workplaces.

With this new architecture, the previous Citrix-based private cloud solution was completely replaced by a modern, scalable public cloud environment.

The project was implemented between April 2025 and January 2026 using an agile approach. The various sub-projects were continuously coordinated, prioritised and implemented step by step. This iterative approach made it possible to incorporate new insights and requirements that emerged during the project directly into the ongoing planning.

From the outset, the Digital Workspace and Cyber Security teams worked closely with the customer and external application partners. During the initial planning phase, Azure Virtual Desktop was intended to be provided exclusively as an interface for the Navision application. However, during the due diligence phase, it became clear that this approach would not adequately meet future requirements, as the planned security requirements did not comply with the defined architecture and security blueprint, which sets out the fundamental requirements for the secure design of the IT solution. The concept was therefore revised and the architecture developed into a more comprehensive Modern Workplace solution.

The architecture was subsequently realigned and expanded into a comprehensive Modern Workplace solution. A key element was replacing the previous BYOD concept with Fully Managed Devices in order to standardise security, compliance and endpoint management. At the same time, modern Microsoft 365 services were introduced and the technological foundation for secure, location-independent and efficient collaboration was established. In addition to the technical migration, transfair invested specifically in enabling its employees: workshops on Microsoft Teams and SharePoint as well as training for key users ensured a high level of acceptance, a smooth transition and rapid adoption of the benefits of the new workplace environment.

The solution went live in December 2025.