Case Study: Schönbrunn Palace achieves centralized, reliable 365-day operations and simplified IT management with VMware

The Crown in Schönbrunn Palace’s Digital Transformation

Schloss Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsgesellschaft runs Schönbrunn Palace and several other UNESCO heritage sites in and around Vienna, welcoming millions of visitors each year. With sites open 365 days, a small IT team supporting 160 users, 50 cash desks and large events faced the twin challenges of ensuring uninterrupted availability, centralizing multiple locations and keeping administration simple.

The team implemented a VMware-based, software-defined infrastructure (vSphere 6.5, Horizon, NSX) with three clusters and mostly thin clients, supported by partner Bechtle. Virtualization and NSX micro-segmentation enabled fast, centralized deployment and robust security, seamless user desktops across locations, reduced weekend stand-by needs, and a stable platform ready for future digital services and GDPR-related initiatives.

Schönbrunn Palace

Michael Leonardelli

Chief Information Officer