Replacing ageing remote support tools with a unified solution
When a hospital trust began planning its Windows 11 migration, it recognised an opportunity to simplify remote support at the same time. VNC® Connect enabled the organisation to replace legacy tools with a single, scalable platform capable of supporting Windows, Android and iOS devices. The result was a more consistent support experience, reduced complexity, and a smoother path for ongoing device modernisation.
The situation
Remote support across a mixed estate, on ageing software.
The trust’s endpoint and service desk teams supported staff across a multi-site acute estate. That estate was mixed. Windows desktops and laptops alongside a growing fleet of mobile devices, both Android and iOS.
Remote support was central to how the teams worked. But it ran on an older version of their remote access software, and the estate underneath it was moving. The tooling was due a refresh before the ground shifted.
The complication
A Windows 11 migration forced the remote tool into the open.
The trigger was a Windows 11 migration. As the trust moved its estate to Windows 11, the older remote access version started to show its age, and the service desk reported it did not behave well on the new machines.
This is the moment many IT teams will recognise. A platform migration you have to do anyway surfaces every tool that is not ready for it. The remote access software went from background utility to an active problem, to be solved on the migration’s timetable.
The requirement became a remote support tool that was current, worked cleanly on Windows 11, deployed across Windows and mobile through existing management tooling, and met NHS information governance.
What mattered. The shortlist they drew up.
- Clean compatibility with Windows 11, deployed through their existing management stack.
- Cross-platform reach. One approach across Windows, Android and iOS.
- Simplicity and a light footprint. A tool the service desk and end users could run without friction, rather than a heavier platform with more than they needed.
- Security fit for a regulated NHS environment, aligned with DSPT expectations, permitting only secure connections.
- Manageable licensing across users and a large managed device count.
The Solution
A version upgrade and a unified cross-platform rollout.
The trust standardised on RealVNC Connect, upgrading from an older version to a current one specifically to support Windows 11 cleanly and to clear out legacy configuration in the process.
Deployment was unified across the estate. Windows through SCCM and Intune, Android and iOS through Intune and Apple Business Manager, using a single connectivity approach across platforms rather than a separate method per device type. Access was secured with enforceable encryption and Azure AD single sign-on, and On-Demand Assist covered off-network and unlicensed devices.
The compliance driver throughout was NHS information governance, including DSPT expectations for secure remote access, with a requirement that only secure connections be permitted.
Where it stands.
A migration-driven rollout in progress.
- A current remote support tool deployed cleanly onto Windows 11, resolving the compatibility problem the migration surfaced.
- One consistent deployment and access approach across Windows, Android and iOS, replacing a fragmented setup.
- End-user training delivered to endpoint and service desk teams to support adoption.
The trust chose RealVNC over heavier alternatives for its simplicity and light footprint.
The Future
If this looks like your estate.
Large acute trusts are being pushed into the same decision. A tool they relied on is deprecated, an incumbent is due for review, and the replacement has to prove itself across tens of thousands of devices without unsettling a live service desk. This trust met that moment with one secure tool, deployed through the management stack it already ran.
