Corrections creates future-ready frontline desktop platform

• Migrated 7,000+ users from Citrix to Azure Virtual Desktop

• Created a modern, scalable Windows 11 platform with greater control and resilience

• Partnered with Datacom to deliver a nationwide rollout, including on-site prison support

The programme's focus was on moving more than 7,000 frontline staff from a managed Citrix desktop service to a modern cloud-based platform running in Microsoft’s New Zealand North data centre and covered virtual desktop users, most of whom work inside prisons. However, there is also a smaller number of other users within community centres, training sites and at the Department’s National Office. Staff are also able to access the AVD platform using the Windows App to provide a secure connection from any non-Corrections device.

For an organisation that operates critical services around the clock and throughout the week, maintaining digital service continuity for frontline staff is essential. Staff use thin client desktops to access core operational systems, including Corrections’ offender management software, so a stable, secure session is fundamental to day-to-day frontline work.

"The priority was to modernise our platform without disrupting the people who rely on it every day," says Murray Thomson, Director of Foundation Delivery Digital at the Department of Corrections. "We wanted to move to a modern cloud environment, provide a consistent Windows 11 experience across thin client and PC devices and position ourselves for the future. Datacom helped us achieve that without interrupting day-to-day operations.”

Corrections had been running its Citrix environment for more than two decades. However, the All-of-Government managed desktop service it relied on was being withdrawn, creating a hard deadline to move to a new platform. At the same time, the organisation wanted to modernise its technology estate, improve scalability and gain greater visibility and control over desktop management. 

Working closely with Corrections, Datacom, which was already the Corrections’ PC desktop platform provider, designed and implemented a new AVD (Azure Virtual Desktop) environment built on Windows 11. The resulting solution also cateres for staff, vendor support and development staff working in non-production environments. The solution uses Microsoft Intune, Entra ID, FSLogix and Nerdio to deliver a modern, scalable and centrally managed desktop experience.

One of the programme's biggest challenges was the scale and complexity of the Corrections’ environment. More than 7,000 staff depend on virtual desktops to access critical operational systems, with many prison officers sharing Wyse thin-client terminals across multiple shifts every day of the year. 

Rather than replacing all devices nationwide, Datacom helped Corrections retain most of its existing thin-client estate with only a small number of older devices requiring replacement. All the devices first had to be upgraded to a new operating system and Wyse Management Suite and were then reconfigured from Citrix to AVD site by site, allowing staff to continue working from the same terminals they had always used. 

A key differentiator was Datacom's on-the-ground support model. Datacom and Corrections project teams travelled to prison sites around New Zealand to assist with deployments, resolve issues and provide immediate support where needed.

The migration was delivered through a combination of detailed planning, pilot testing and phased rollouts. Early testing at Otago Corrections Facility helped identify application and compatibility issues before the wider deployment began. Datacom and the Department teams then worked together through site-based migration waves, supported by dedicated field engineers, service desk teams and local stakeholders.

"For our prison environments, being physically present made a real difference," says Ron Sederel, Department of Corrections Senior Project Manager. "The project team and Datacom staff worked alongside our people on site, helping resolve issues quickly and ensuring facilities remained operational throughout the transition. That hands-on accessible approach was highly valued."

The result is a platform that provides greater flexibility, resilience and control. Unlike the previous environment, AVD can automatically scale resources to meet demand, while the move from Windows 10 to Windows 11 and modern Microsoft management tools delivers consistent user experiences across physical and virtual desktops. 

The new environment also enables capabilities that were difficult to support previously, including improved Microsoft Teams calling and meetings across prison sites, while creating future opportunities for secure access from a wider range of devices.

"Today we have a modern desktop platform running in Azure, with consistent experience across our environment and a single support model through Datacom," says Thomson. "The user experience is excellent and we've created a foundation that can evolve with the organisation's future needs." 

Bill Clancy, Director, Datacom User Experience, says, “For Datacom, this project demonstrates the value of combining technical expertise with a strong national field services presence. By working side by side with the Corrections’ teams and supporting staff where they work, Datacom helped deliver a major technology transformation while maintaining business continuity across some of New Zealand's most critical facilities."