Modernising Remote Work with Azure Virtual Desktop for Tischlein deck dich

The non-profit association Tischlein deck dich has operated an IT environment for many years that relied on software running in an RDS setup – using Remote Desktop Services to maintain and run applications remotely from various locations. A technology shift had now become unavoidable: Microsoft is discontinuing support for the RDS technology first introduced in 1998, along with its RDP protocol, which has become a popular target for hackers. At the same time, the Windows servers in use had grown too outdated to support the old environment going forward.

Modernising the Remote Environment

Working together, Baggenstos and the association migrated the line-of-business application within just five months to the future-proof Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) platform. AVD offers a more modern, secure and, above all, cloud-native approach to accessing centralised software remotely. It provides a unified interface offering desktops and applications across various Windows and Windows Server operating systems. This makes it possible to meet the infrastructure requirements of a volunteer-driven, decentralised organisation such as Tischlein deck dich.

Tischlein deck dich

For more than 25 years, the Tischlein deck dich association has been rescuing food from being destroyed and redistributing it to people affected by poverty in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein. At over 160 distribution points, supported by additional food-aid initiatives, staff reach people in need week after week. In 2024 alone, they provided rescued food for around 2 million people. Tischlein deck dich thus makes a significant contribution to treating food with respect – socially meaningful and environmentally sustainable.

«Baggenstos supported us with great care throughout this IT project and, thanks to the seamless transition, has earned our full trust to this day. That trust is essential for us, as our core competence lies in rescuing food for people affected by poverty in Switzerland.»

Alex Stähli, Managing Director

«The project lasted five months, during which the Baggenstos team looked after us meticulously and examined our unconventional IT environment with exceptional thoroughness.»
Nicolas Huber, Head of Central Services

Facts & Figures

Initial Situation and Objectives

The ageing and outdated RDS environment was to be replaced with Microsoft’s Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) technology. Remote Desktop Services are of critical organisational importance for Tischlein deck dich, a charity operating in a highly decentralised manner.

The initial situation required that the existing managed service remain unchanged, with only the remote environment being replaced during ongoing operations. An initial concept involving Domain Services, Windows 365 and Azure SQL – in other words, a serverless environment – had to be abandoned due to incompatibility with a key line-of-business application.

Key Figures

Users and clients: 120
Service Level Agreement in accordance with our Operation Care service for infrastructure and network

Solution and Implementation

The task required a thorough assessment to ensure a seamless transition on the designated migration day. The specialists at Baggenstos built a new Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) environment, and the Domain Controller (DC) was also rebuilt from the ground up. The extensive evaluation and testing phase proved invaluable: preparations were so precise that the switchover on the scheduled day was completed without any issues.

Challenges

The software landscape at Tischlein deck dich is rather unconventional and includes a legacy line-of-business application that cannot be migrated to the Azure Cloud. A thorough assessment with an extensive preparation phase was therefore necessary to ensure everything was ready for the day of the transition.

Results

With the new solution, staff can work from any location without restrictions and are ready for action at short notice. They are also prepared for future technological enhancements. The decentralised organisation, with more than 160 distribution points, benefits from a unified cloud-based interface that simplifies operations and increases productivity. This applies whether employees are working at the head office in Winterthur, in one of the seven regional logistics centres, from home or at the association’s distribution sites. In this way, Tischlein deck dich moves closer to its mission of reducing food waste and supporting people in need.

Reference Report as a PDF

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Why Baggenstos?

The collaboration with Baggenstos was characterised by committed and highly skilled staff whose dedication played a key role in the project’s success. The project highlights Baggenstos’ expertise in delivering modern, future-proof IT solutions that are precisely tailored to the needs of its clients.