For many organisations, the move away from Citrix isn’t driven by enthusiasm for change, but by growing pressure. Rising licensing costs, increasing complexity and a wider shift towards Microsoft 365 and Azure are prompting a reassessment of existing virtual desktop platforms. Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is an increasingly attractive option, but migrating successfully is not a simple like-for-like swap. Understanding what a good AVD migration really involves is critical to avoiding unnecessary risk and complexity.

In this video, Helen Gerling joins the Cloud Decisions Microsoft Mentors podcast to share her career journey, leadership perspective and thinking on how cloud, AI and data can deliver meaningful outcomes when technology is grounded in people and purpose.

The conversation explores pragmatic cloud delivery, inclusive technology cultures and the opportunities emerging at the intersection of hyperscale cloud, artificial intelligence and data science.

Identity has become the control plane of modern security.

As cloud, SaaS, automation, and remote work reshape enterprise IT, the traditional network perimeter has effectively disappeared. What now determines access - for users, devices, workloads, and services - is identity.

This three-part expert series explains why Identity & Access Management (IAM) has moved from background infrastructure to a critical architectural concern. It looks at what’s driving the rapid rise in IAM demand, how cloud and Azure environments have made identity unavoidable, and why mismanaged identities now represent one of the most common and damaging security failure points.

Focused on real-world cloud and security challenges rather than theory or vendor hype, the series is written for IT leaders and architects who need to understand why identity became the perimeter, and what it takes to manage it well.

Shaping Cloud has been appointed by the Greater Manchester Diagnostics Network to modernise the region’s Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) portal, enabling faster, more secure sharing of radiology images across NHS trusts in the Northwest. By integrating the new portal with the Greater Manchester Identity (GMID) platform, the project will enhance collaboration between clinicians, speed up diagnostics, and support more coordinated patient care. Delivered in two phases from 2026, the upgraded portal will provide a resilient, scalable foundation for regional imaging access and represents a significant step forward in Greater Manchester’s commitment to world-class digital healthcare.

Ambition is firing on all cylinders - but costs, skills gaps, and overspend are still holding us down. 2025 isn’t about experimenting with AI anymore. It’s about proving its value. This is the year IT leaders must break free from the weights dragging transformation back to earth.

As IT leaders grapple with increasing licensing costs, regulatory changes, and business transformation pressures, a new conversation is emerging around revirtualisation vs. devirtualisation. With Broadcom’s recent changes to VMware’s licensing model and growing cloud adoption trends, it’s as good a time as ever to have a discussion on virtualisation strategy. That’s our cue to dive in and explore the real drivers of change in infrastructure strategy – and what IT leaders need to consider before making their next move. 

Expert insights as to how organisations can use cloud more efficiently, keep costs down, and maximise return on investment from cloud modernisation.  

As the financial year draws to a close, unused budgets could slip away - along with opportunities to optimise costs. Our proven cloud optimisation strategies can help organisations reduce unnecessary cloud spend and free up resources for critical priorities.

Cloud concentration risk can lead to vulnerabilities such as service disruptions, vendor lock-in, and innovation constraints. To safeguard your operations and ensure resilience, it's crucial to adopt strategies that mitigate these risks effectively. Our latest blog and report highlights some of the mitigation steps you should consider taking.

As we reach the midpoint of 2024, the IT sector faces significant uncertainty due to Broadcom's aggressive acquisition strategy with VMware, affecting both SMEs and larger enterprises. Our research highlights a trend where organisations are extending the life of their hardware while questioning the future of their VMware platforms. This climate of uncertainty is prompting many to consider cloud solutions more seriously, particularly Microsoft's Azure Virtual Machines and Azure VMware Solution (AVS). These options offer paths to modernise IT infrastructure, leverage cloud-native benefits, and maintain VMware familiarity. Our new AVS Business Case Accelerator service aims to help organisations confidently navigate these pivotal transitions.

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, organisations are increasingly turning to the cloud to optimise their operations, enhance scalability, and gain a competitive edge. As businesses strive to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI), migrating workloads to the cloud becomes a strategic imperative. Let’s explore why clients need to embrace this transformation and how it unlocks the full potential of AI.

Shaping Cloud is proud to announce that we have been named among the top UK’s Best Workplaces 2024 List by Great Place To Work.