Executive Summary

Finiper Canova Group deployed the IGEL Adaptive Secure Endpoint Platform™ to replace a heterogeneous, aging endpoint estate across its Iper La Grande Hypermarket and UNES Supermarket businesses. The organization sought a more consistent approach to configuring, deploying, and supporting endpoints while maintaining the flexibility to support different hardware manufacturers and models.

Using a single customer-managed IGEL Universal Management Suite (UMS) environment, Finiper deployed approximately 1,000 IGEL-powered endpoints supporting both Microsoft Windows Server RDS and Citrix delivery models. Profiles were centrally defined and assigned through UMS, enabling endpoints to automatically receive the appropriate configuration based on business and location requirements.

Today, Finiper benefits from a centralized and consistent endpoint management model across both businesses. The organization has improved endpoint provisioning, streamlined remote support, enabled internal teams to manage routine administration independently, and delivered a more consistent user experience across a previously diverse endpoint estate. The primary business value comes from more effective operations, faster provisioning, and greater flexibility.

The Challenge: Modernizing a Diverse Endpoint Environment

Finiper needed to replace a heterogeneous and aging endpoint estate spanning its Iper and UNES businesses. The environment included Windows 10 PCs, some remaining Windows 7 PCs, and legacy thin clients that could no longer support newer Citrix connections and platform versions.

The organization also required a consistent approach to configuring, deploying, and supporting endpoints across both businesses.

“As our environment grew, managing endpoint configurations through largely manual processes became increasingly difficult to scale. Configuration changes on legacy thin clients were often performed nearly device-by-device, and while we developed an FTP-based process to distribute configuration files, the approach remained manual. We needed a more consistent and efficient way to deploy, manage, and support endpoints across both Iper and UNES,” said Antonio Fasciano, CTO, Finiper.

Another priority was maintaining flexibility in hardware purchasing decisions. Rather than standardizing on a single manufacturer, Finiper wanted to select devices based on the best fit for the business and manage them consistently across the environment. That required a software-based platform capable of supporting multiple hardware vendors without adding management complexity.

This requirement reflected the reality of Finiper’s endpoint environment. At the time of deployment, the organization’s endpoint estate included a mix of HP and Lenovo devices, including HP ProDesk 4 Mini G1i Desktop AI PCs, HP Pro Mini 260 G9 Desktop PCs, HP Pro Mini 400 G9 Desktop PCs, and Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 50q Gen 5 systems. Hardware was purchased in batches based on the most suitable commercial offer available at the time, provided each device met the required technical specifications.

The Solution: Standardizing Endpoint Management Across Iper and UNES

To support endpoint modernization across its retail operations, Finiper standardized on the IGEL Adaptive Secure Endpoint Platform, managing its environment with the IGEL Universal Management Suite (UMS), which serves both the Iper and UNES businesses. The deployment focused on store and back-office workstations.

Rather than forcing a common application delivery approach across the organization, Finiper used IGEL to bring both businesses under a single management framework while preserving their existing environments. Iper continues to deliver applications through Microsoft Windows Server RDS, while UNES provides access through Citrix. For portions of the UNES environment, Microsoft Entra ID and multifactor authentication are also integrated into the access process, helping strengthen authentication controls without changing the user experience.

As part of the initiative, Finiper replaced general-purpose Windows 7 and Windows 10 endpoints in store and back-office environments with a centrally managed, locked-down operating environment. Applications and business data remain in remote Citrix or Microsoft RDS environments, while UMS applies consistent endpoint profiles and configurations across the estate.

The result is a more standardized and scalable endpoint operating model that supports both the Iper and UNES businesses while preserving their existing application delivery environments.

To accelerate the transition, IGEL supported the large-scale replacement of approximately 1,000 workstations. Endpoint profiles were defined in IGEL UMS before deployment, enabling systems to automatically receive the appropriate configuration based on the network they connected to. Once powered on, endpoints received centrally assigned configurations, allowing users to begin working immediately.

“Through practical training delivered during the project, our internal teams developed the skills needed to manage profiles, adapt configurations, and deploy endpoints independently,” added Antonio Fasciano, Finiper.

Partnering with Surftech

Finiper worked with Surftech, a long-standing technology partner of UNES. Surftech introduced IGEL, supported the solution design and implementation, helped create and apply endpoint profiles, and delivered practical training that enabled Finiper’s teams to become self-sufficient in profile management, configuration, and deployment.

Architecture-at-a-Glance

• Customer-managed Universal Management Suite (UMS)
• Citrix Cloud and Citrix Workspace
• Microsoft Windows Server Remote Desktop Services
• VMware-hosted on-premises workloads
• Microsoft Entra ID
• Microsoft Edge
• HP ProDesk 4 Mini G1i Desktop AI PCs
• HP Pro Mini 260 G9 Desktop PCs
• HP Pro Mini 400 G9 Desktop PCs
• Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 50q Gen 5 devices

The Result: Improved Operations, Flexibility, and Consistency

By standardizing on the IGEL Adaptive Secure Endpoint Platform, Finiper transformed a fragmented endpoint environment into a more unified, manageable, and flexible operating model across its Iper and UNES businesses.

“Beyond the technology itself, one of the biggest benefits has been operational. Our teams have become more self-sufficient, support processes are more streamlined, and we have a more consistent way to manage endpoints across the organization,” said Antonio Fasciano, Finiper.

Centralized Management and Greater Flexibility

Finiper now manages both its Iper and UNES endpoint environments through a single UMS platform while continuing to support Citrix for UNES and Microsoft Windows Server RDS for Iper.

The centralized management model, combined with hands-on training from Surftech, has enabled Finiper’s IT teams to take ownership of routine configuration, profile management, and endpoint deployments. As a result, teams can handle day-to-day administration independently and rely less on outside support.

Hardware independence offers flexibility in endpoint sourcing and lifecycle management. Finiper can buy devices from various manufacturers and manage them via a single platform, supporting future web, SaaS, and progressive web app initiatives.

Improved Support and Operational Efficiency

Centralized endpoint visibility enhanced Finiper’s support operations. Under the previous model, support staff could assist users only after they had successfully connected to a Citrix or RDS session.

With IGEL, administrators can determine whether an endpoint is online and connect to the device before the user signs in. This helps IT teams quickly distinguish configuration or credential issues from local problems such as disconnected network or power cables, enabling faster remote diagnosis and reducing the need to dispatch technicians to store locations.

Finiper’s experience with support has also been positive. When a newly purchased license package was not visible, the organization worked directly with IGEL support, which resolved the issue quickly and provided a positive early support experience.

Faster Provisioning and a More Consistent User Experience

IGEL simplified the deployment and ongoing management of Finiper’s approximately 1,000 endpoints. Endpoint profiles were preconfigured in UMS and automatically assigned based on location and business requirements, allowing systems to be deployed quickly and consistently across stores and back-office locations.

At the same time, users benefit from a more consistent endpoint experience across devices. In the UNES Citrix environment, a customized Microsoft Edge workflow passes credentials into Citrix Workspace, reducing authentication steps and simplifying application access.

Consistent User Experience

IGEL offers a more consistent endpoint experience across a previously diverse environment. Users see the same operating system and application display no matter which device they use, eliminating the inconsistent experiences that previously occurred across different endpoint platforms.

In the UNES Citrix environment, authentication was streamlined through a customized Microsoft Edge workflow that passes credentials into Citrix Workspace, reducing the number of authentication steps required before users can access applications.

Security and Operational Resilience

By replacing general-purpose Windows endpoints with a centrally managed, locked-down operating environment, Finiper established a more consistent approach to endpoint security across its distributed retail operations. Applications and business data remain in remote Citrix and RDS environments, while restrictions on unauthorized software installation help reduce endpoint risk.

For locations with multiple workstations, operational resilience is supported by the ability to move users to another available device while a failed endpoint is repaired or reprovisioned.

Why IGEL

• Hardware-independent platform supporting multiple endpoint manufacturers
• Centralized endpoint management through a single UMS environment
• Support for both Citrix and Microsoft Windows Server RDS delivery models
• Consistent endpoint configurations across the estate
• Simplified endpoint provisioning and deployment
• Improved remote support capabilities
• Flexible foundation for future application delivery models

Story Summary

• Endpoint modernization: Finiper replaced an aging and diverse endpoint estate across its Iper and UNES businesses.
• Centralized management: IGEL UMS provides consistent endpoint management across multiple hardware platforms and application delivery models.
• Operational efficiency: IGEL improved provisioning, remote support, and day-to-day endpoint administration.
• Flexible architecture: Finiper supports both Citrix and Microsoft Windows Server RDS environments while maintaining a consistent endpoint experience.

About Finiper

Finiper Canova Group is a leading Italian retail and real estate company founded in 1974. For more than 50 years, the organization has focused on making high-quality products accessible to consumers, with a strong emphasis on Italian-sourced goods.

The Group operates across four core business areas: hypermarkets, including the Iper La grande i brand; supermarkets, through the UNES network and its premium private-label brand, il Viaggiator Goloso; food service, with restaurant concepts including Ristò, Rom’antica, and CremAmore; and real estate and logistics, which includes the development and management of major commercial properties such as IL CENTRO in Arese.

About Surftech

Surftech S.r.l. is an Italian IT consulting and services company specializing in the design, implementation, and management of enterprise IT infrastructure. As a long-standing technology partner of UNES, Surftech supported the design, deployment, and enablement of Finiper’s IGEL environment.

About IGEL

IGEL® is a global software company delivering the IGEL Adaptive Secure Endpoint Platform, a trusted and governed endpoint platform for secure access to cloud, VDI, DaaS, SaaS, Secure Browsers, enterprise applications, as well as OT endpoints. At its foundation is IGEL OS, an immutable operating system that helps reduce endpoint attack surface, preserve a known-good endpoint state, and support secure access across distributed work environments. Through the IGEL Preventative Security Model®, the platform adds attested workload delivery, centralized governance, and contextual enforcement, aligning endpoint security with Zero Trust and SSE/SASE architectures from key IGEL Ready partners.

IGEL Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery™ (BC&DR) helps organizations restore secure access on Windows endpoints affected by ransomware, other cyberattacks, or outages. Founded in 2001, IGEL is headquartered in Germany with U.S. offices in San Francisco and Fort Lauderdale, working with an ecosystem of 130 leading technology brands. Learn more at www.igel.com.