Citrix Workspace Overview

Citrix Workspace is a digital workspace solution that delivers secure and unified access to apps, desktops, and content (resources) from anywhere, on any device. The resources can be any of the following:

  • Citrix DaaS
  • Content apps
  • Local and mobile apps
  • SaaS and Web apps
  • Browser apps

How Citrix Workspace works

Citrix Workspace aggregates and integrates Citrix Cloud services, enabling unified access to all the resources available to your end-users (subscribers) in one resource location. End users of Citrix Workspace are called subscribers because you “subscribe” employees to the services you make available to them through their workspaces.

For an overview of the services available through Citrix Workspace, see Cloud-hosted services through Citrix Workspace.

Subscribers see a complete, unified view of each resource you make available to them through these services in the Citrix Workspace user interface (UI). For more information on the subscriber experience of the Citrix Workspace UI, see Manage your workspace experience.

Subscribers access the services that you configure and enable in Workspace Configuration either through the browser with the Workspace URL, or through the Citrix Workspace app, which replaces Citrix Receiver. For more information on how users access their workspaces, visit Workspace access.

Subscribers authenticate to their workspaces using the primary identity provider that you configure in Identity and Access Management and then enable in Workspace Configuration. The subscriber is then automatically authenticated to each cloud-hosted service purchased for Citrix Workspace. It helps increase security and reduces usability challenges. For more information on configuring Workspace authentication, visit Secure workspaces.

Get started overview

Citrix Workspace is set up through the Citrix Cloud console, in which there’s an Identity and Access Management administration screen and a Citrix Workspace management interface called Workspace Configuration. Getting started with Citrix Workspace involves the following tasks.

  1. Verify that you’re set up to implement Citrix Workspace in the Citrix Cloud console, where you:
    • Onboard to cloud-based services.
    • Assemble your deployment team.
    • Configure your infrastructure and resources.
  2. Define identity providers and accounts in Identity and Access Management for:
    • Citrix Cloud administrators.
    • Citrix Workspace subscribers.
  3. Configure your workspaces in Workspace Configuration, including:
    • Internal and external access.
    • Integrating services that you configured in the Citrix Cloud console into your workspaces.
    • Customizing the workspace appearance and the subscriber experience once they sign in.

Beyond this basic setup, you have other security, privacy, and optimization options to choose from. The most common are:

Note

FAS is typically adopted if you’re using a federated authentication method, such as Okta or Azure Active Directory.

For an overview of the tasks and the information needed as you progress in your deployment, see Get started with Citrix Workspace. Each step guides you through the Citrix Cloud console for tasks like configuring your identity provider. The walkthrough also provides quick access to technical information needed for assembling your deployment team, and configuring your infrastructure and resources.

Cloud-hosted services through Citrix Workspace

Subscribers use Citrix Workspace to access the resources provided by cloud-hosted services. Existing Citrix Cloud customers can transition to the full digital workspace experience by taking these services with them into the Citrix Workspace solution.

This section describes the main cloud-hosted services that can be enabled for Citrix Workspace, depending on your entitlements. For information on how to configure and enable access to your purchased services, visit Get started with Citrix Workspace. For a complete description of each Citrix Workspace edition and included features, see the Citrix Workspace Feature Matrix.

Citrix DaaS

Citrix Workspace is the multitenant, cloud-hosted access point to Citrix DaaS. To set up the Citrix DaaS, follow the steps outlined in Citrix DaaS.

If you’re an on-premises Virtual Apps and Desktops customer, there are different options for accessing your resources through Citrix Workspace. The option you choose depends on two factors. The first factor is whether you want to migrate fully to the cloud or adopt a hybrid solution. The second factor is whether you plan to allow external access. For more information on these options, visit Deliver DaaS with Citrix Workspace.

SaaS and Web apps, secured with the Citrix Secure Private Access service

Citrix Secure Private Access (formerly Secure Workspace Access and the Access Control Service) provides single sign-on (SSO) to Web and SaaS apps that are integrated into Workspace. The service also allows you to manage access permissions and control policies. It helps sanction appropriate levels of access to enterprise-hosted web apps based on the subscriber’s credentials.

For more information on the benefits of the Citrix Secure Private Access service, visit Tech Brief: Secure Private Access.

Citrix Gateway service

The Citrix Gateway service (formerly the NetScaler Gateway Service) is used with Citrix Secure Private Access for a fully cloud-hosted environment, managed by Citrix.

The Citrix Gateway service delivers a unified experience to SaaS apps, and Virtual Apps and Desktops, by providing external connectivity to workspaces based on an advanced policy infrastructure.

Follow the steps to set up the Citrix Gateway service, then test and share the Workspace URL with your subscribers to give them remote access. For more information on configuring SaaS apps within the Citrix Gateway service, see Support for Software as a Service Apps.

Citrix Remote Browser Isolation service

Integrate Citrix Remote Browser Isolation service into your workspaces to isolate web browsing and protect the corporate network from browser-based attacks. When subscribers navigate to the Workspace URL, their published browsers are shown, along with other apps and desktops that are configured in other Citrix Cloud services.

To give subscribers access to a remote isolated browser, set up Remote Browser Isolation. After that, test and share the Workspace URL with your subscribers.

Citrix Endpoint Management

Citrix Endpoint Management allows you to manage device and app policies with strict security for identity, devices, apps, data, and networks. Integration with Citrix Workspace differs for new and existing customers. For more information on integrating Endpoint Management with Citrix Workspace, visit Integration with Citrix Workspace experience.

Citrix Analytics

The Citrix Analytics service gathers and provides insights on all your Citrix Workspace subscribers. There are different Citrix Analytics offerings available to you depending on your entitlements. The offerings include Citrix Analytics for Security, Citrix Analytics for Performance, and Citrix Analytics (Usage). To learn more about these services, visit Citrix Analytics.

Citrix Workspace Overview