On-Premises Application and Desktop Virtualisation, Deployed by South Africa's Leading Citrix Partner
Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (CVAD) delivers on-premises application and desktop virtualisation. OAS, Citrix Platinum Partner since 1987, provides end-to-end deployment.
Your organisation needs full control over virtualised applications and desktops — without handing your infrastructure to a cloud provider. Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (CVAD) delivers on-premises application and desktop virtualisation with complete session management, the HDX protocol, and multi-session Windows support. OAS brings 40+ years of Citrix Platinum Partnership to every deployment, from architecture through ongoing operations.
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What Is Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops?
Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (CVAD) is Citrix's on-premises platform for delivering virtual applications and desktops to any device, anywhere. Unlike the cloud-managed DaaS model, CVAD places all infrastructure components — Delivery Controllers, StoreFront, Licensing, Director — within your own data centre. You manage every layer, from hypervisor to user session.
CVAD supports both single-session (VDI) and multi-session Windows desktops, along with published applications. This flexibility lets organisations standardise on one platform for developers who need dedicated desktops and call-centre agents who share pooled sessions. The HDX protocol ensures high-definition session quality even over constrained networks, with adaptive transport adjusting automatically to bandwidth conditions.
For South African organisations that require air-gapped environments, strict data residency, or complete infrastructure sovereignty, CVAD remains the proven choice. OAS deploys CVAD across healthcare, financial services, government, and mining — sectors where on-premises control is not optional.
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Key Capabilities
CVAD 2511 — Current Release
The latest CVAD 2511 release introduces Microsoft Teams optimisation on macOS, Microsoft Entra single sign-on (SSO) support, and Windows Server 2025 compatibility. These updates address three persistent pain points: unified communications parity across platforms, modern identity integration, and readiness for the latest server operating systems.
Long Term Service Release — 2402 LTSR
Organisations that prioritise stability over feature velocity can deploy the 2402 LTSR track. Cumulative Update 3 (CU3) is now available, delivering security patches and reliability fixes without introducing new features. LTSR releases receive extended support, making them the preferred choice for regulated industries and large-scale production environments.
HDX Protocol Performance
The HDX protocol delivers high-definition application and desktop sessions across any network. Adaptive transport and EDT (Enlightened Data Transport) automatically adjust to bandwidth and latency conditions, ensuring consistent performance for head offices and remote branches. Graphics-intensive applications, video conferencing, and unified communications perform reliably regardless of connection quality.
Citrix Aidrien — AI-Powered Administration
Generally available since March 2026, Citrix Aidrien brings AI-assisted administration to CVAD environments. Aidrien translates natural-language queries into OData API calls, enabling administrators to troubleshoot session issues, analyse usage patterns, and generate reports without writing complex queries. This reduces mean time to resolution across your virtual desktop estate.
Enhanced Observability with AOT Logs
Always-On Tracing (AOT) logs provide continuous, low-overhead telemetry across CVAD components. Administrators gain deeper visibility into session launch sequences, connection failures, and performance bottlenecks — without needing to reproduce issues or enable verbose logging after the fact.
Enterprise Security and Identity
Microsoft Entra SSO support extends across Workspace app platforms. Citrix Gateway Service for StoreFront provides secure remote access without dedicated gateway appliances. Follow-me tagging tracks individual end-user VM usage via hypervisor-level tags, giving administrators granular visibility into resource consumption and licence allocation.
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Why OAS for CVAD
Citrix Platinum Partner — 40+ Years
OAS holds Citrix Platinum Partner status — the highest partnership tier available. With over 40 years of continuous Citrix partnership, OAS has deployed CVAD environments across healthcare, financial services, government, mining, and professional services throughout Southern Africa. No other South African partner matches this depth of experience.
End-to-End Delivery
OAS handles every phase of your CVAD deployment: discovery and assessment, architecture design, pilot deployment, production rollout, user onboarding, and ongoing managed services. Our structured engagement process ensures nothing is left to assumption.
Licensing Migration Support
The Citrix Licence Activation Service (LAS) deadline of 15 April 2026 marks the end of file-based licensing. Organisations still running legacy licence files must migrate before this date. OAS provides licence audit, migration planning, and execution support to ensure uninterrupted service.
VMware Horizon Alternative
The Broadcom acquisition of VMware has disrupted VMware Horizon licensing and roadmaps. Organisations re-evaluating their desktop virtualisation strategy now have a proven alternative in CVAD. OAS provides migration assessments for VMware Horizon customers looking to move to Citrix, including workload mapping, user-acceptance testing, and phased cutover planning.
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Deployment Options
| Model | Best For | OAS Role |
|---|---|---|
| On-Premises (Nutanix AHV) | Organisations eliminating VMware dependency with Nutanix hyperconverged infrastructure | Full CVAD architecture on Nutanix AHV, deployment, and managed services |
| On-Premises (Traditional) | Existing data centre environments with established hypervisors | Architecture design, CVAD deployment, integration with current infrastructure |
| Hybrid (CVAD + DaaS) | Organisations extending on-premises CVAD into cloud-managed DaaS | Integration design, phased migration, unified management |
| CVAD on Azure | Organisations running CVAD workloads in Azure South Africa regions | Azure IaaS deployment, data sovereignty architecture, optimisation |
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Schedule Your CVAD Assessment
Whether you are deploying CVAD for the first time, upgrading from an older release, migrating from VMware Horizon, or navigating the LAS licensing deadline — OAS provides the expertise to get your deployment right. Start with a free discovery conversation.
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