The new front line for security and agility is your endpoint

Klaus Oestermann of IGEL outlines a fit-for-purpose vision for securing the enterprise in a new era of secure application and workload access.

Enterprise IT leaders are navigating seismic disruption across virtualisation, endpoint strategy, and cloud transformation.

What were once technical transitions are now board-level discussions—impacting cost control, cyber security, workforce agility, and regulatory compliance.

From infrastructure-heavy to cloud native: The virtualisation shift

We are at a pivotal juncture in enterprise IT strategy. Disruptive moves—such as Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, Citrix’s privatisation and the impending end of Windows 10 support—have upended the traditional EUC and VDI landscape. Pricing instability, strategic ambiguity and reduced vendor transparency are exposing enterprises to new levels of risk and diminishing their ability to negotiate from a position of strength.

Today’s IT leaders must re-evaluate long-standing technology commitments. Remaining locked into proprietary platforms is rapidly becoming a strategic liability—particularly as hybrid work, Zero Trust mandates, and cloud-first initiatives demand flexibility.

On-premises VDI—complex, costly, and resource-heavy—is giving way to Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) and SaaS-based workspace delivery. Gartner predicts that by 2026, over 80% of DaaS consumption will be managed by vendors, accelerating this transition from infrastructure control to service consumption.

Microsoft’s push towards Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365, coupled with the end of Windows 10 support, has added further pressure. This shift is not solely about cost optimisation—it reflects a broader pivot towards agility, endpoint simplification, and decoupling workloads from the vulnerable endpoint.

Yet, estimates suggest that nearly 27% of existing endpoints cannot support Windows 11. This reality leaves organisations facing increased vulnerabilities, potential compliance risks, and significant capital outlays to modernize hardware. As a result, many are actively reassessing their EUC strategy in search of vendor-neutral, cost-predictable and cloud-aligned solutions.

In this new reality, the winners will be those who pivot quickly, reduce complexity, and avoid vendor lock-in. EUC is no longer about managing devices—it’s about asserting strategic control over the digital workspace.

From generic to fit-for-purpose

Despite advances in endpoint security, attackers continue to exploit software sprawl and endpoint complexity. The more software layered onto the endpoint, the broader the attack surface, and endpoints remain among the most vulnerable assets in any network.

Zero Trust cannot thrive on bloated, general-purpose desktop environments. Legacy models reliant on antivirus, EDR and VPNs add cost and complexity while failing to eliminate fundamental vulnerabilities. It’s time to adopt lean, policy-enforced architectures that simplify security at the edge—a purpose-built, secure-by-design endpoint architecture for the modern digital enterprise.

A secure, orchestrated desktop represents a fundamental response to the inefficiencies of one-size-fits-all EUC models. These are task-specific, minimal environments aligned to user roles—whether clinical staff, financial traders, or field teams.

Klaus Oestermann is CEO at IGEL