2024 EUC Prediction: What’s on the Horizon

January 3, 2024

Let’s dive into the tech trends and peek at what’s coming in End User Computing (EUC). A shift is happening beyond the familiar session-based Windows apps and terminal servers. EUC has become this diverse universe, covering everything from Digital Employee Experience (DEX) and mobile management to Mobile Threat Defense (MTD), automation, and grand-scale coordination. Things are changing fast, and in 2024, we are betting on a wild ride.

Here are the Top 3 EUC Trends Unveiled:

AI and Automation Shaking Things Up

Starting with the buzzword of the day, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being leveraged by businesses for many use cases, and it’s moving more deeply into EUC spaces. Business leaders are looking for three words in 2024: streamlined, uninterrupted operations–and AI may be the ticket to tackling routine tasks. 

Think of it this way: imagine your regular call center, where AI is gearing up to make things smoother. Remember the days of “Press 1 for customer support, press 2 to talk to someone who knows their stuff”? AI might revolutionize that because it can reduce things like task-based workers, which is a significant use case for things like VDI and Multi-session environments. 

If AI can handle the call trees and automated responses, we might see a shakeup in the number of seats and not just in call centers. 

Hybrid Models Keep Growing (Blame It on the Costs)

After the chaos caused by COVID-19, companies are rethinking how they handle apps and access. Those VDI and EUC seats we all grabbed during the pandemic are hitting the three-year mark, and it’s time for a second look at cloud-hosted desktop solutions. According to a survey by IDC, 71 percent of respondents expected to move at least some of the operations from the cloud to on-premises within the next two years.

This doesn’t mean saying goodbye to Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) or Windows 365. It’s more like a budget reality check. Some folks, especially in this economic climate, might lean towards saving money over the allure of cloud benefits. 

Others, with less investment in the old infrastructure or deep into the depreciation cycle, might see the cloud as their golden ticket. The challenge? Figuring out the cost-benefit dance when everyone’s watching their wallets.

Security Gets Serious (Yes, Even in EUC Workloads)

Security is getting a major upgrade, and the EUC realm is tightening its defenses. Legacy models were all about SSL gateways and verification before letting anyone in—an old-school perimeter defense strategy.

IT is moving towards the future with Zero Trust concepts, where we don’t just guard the perimeter. For many, this means beefing up security at the app and protocol level and validating device posture, location, time of day, apps being used, access history, etc. Windows apps, the backbone of VDI and EUC, bring their challenges to this security dynamic. In 2024, organizations will tackle these challenges head-on, introducing solutions to ensure your sessions are monitored, clients are verified, and data access is controlled. This will be a small step, but as these new requirements are implemented, EUC teams must adapt and find those technologies. 

The EUC Landscape is in for a Makeover

From AI and automation playing the backstage crew to the steady rise of hybrid models and companies rethinking cloud desktops to ramping up security measures, big things are happening in the EUC world in 2024. Navigating this new landscape will be challenging and beneficial; everyone must be ready to adapt.

EUC teams need a backstage pass for pre-production and production visibility to monitor these changes. That way, they can make expert decisions and keep everything in their virtualized environments running seamlessly. Throughout the year, we at Login VSI are here to keep you in the loop with insights into performance across different platforms—VDI, DaaS, Cloud PCs, and more.