Azure Virtual Desktop: A Complete Overview

Key Takeaways

  • Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) allows you to secure a remote desktop experience from virtually anywhere.
  • You can deploy and manage your IT infrastructure and scale swiftly according to your business needs.
  • AVD keeps your data and apps secure and compliant with security capabilities that vigorously identify risks and take remedial measures.

Harnessing the power of Microsoft’s cloud services, Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is an instanced virtual machine (VM) hosting an application and desktop virtualization service running on the cloud. AVD provides a complete virtual desktop experience and remote applications to any computing device.

Depending upon its configuration, the platform can bring together Azure and Microsoft 365 to offer customers a multi-user Windows 10 experience. Microsoft launched AVD (which was previously known as Windows Virtual Desktop, or WVD) in 2019. The product is the latest evolution in the tech giant’s Remote Desktop Services (RDS) technology.

AVD helps companies effortlessly scale their virtualization needs while leveraging state-of-the-art security features on Azure coupled with the cost efficiencies of its subscription-based model. With AVD, users get to enjoy a much better virtualization experience for accessing hosted apps compared to the conventional Windows Server-based RDS platform that utilizes Microsoft Partner community support for similar purposes.

What Sets WDV Apart From Others?

Deploy and Scale in Minutes

Shifting workplace IT infrastructure to the cloud streamlines operations for both the end-users and the IT crew. End-users can access their applications and desktops from various browsers and devices. As Office 365 applications have now been fine-tuned to work with AVD, the end-user experience has become even smoother.

After shifting to the cloud, the IT department doesn’t need to spend time handling local networks and physical machines. You can add users, configure network settings, enable security, and deploy desktop apps within a few clicks. Desktop applications are easier to handle as AVD supports Windows 7 OS or Windows 10.

Because Azure Virtual Desktop is managed via the Microsoft Portal, your business can scale virtual desktops to fulfill your requirements in a flash. Administrators just need an admin login account and they can add virtual RAM, increase virtual CPUs, and allocate more virtual hard disk storage, and so on, within minutes.

Furthermore, you can trigger automated scaling and handle your images effectively with Azure Shared Image Gallery. Focus on your desktop policies and apps while Azure takes care of the rest. As the user apps and profiles are stored in separate containers In AVD, this can improve scalability and flexibility.

Easy on Your Bank Balance

By shifting your systems and apps to Azure with AVD, you can effectively contain your costs for running virtual desktops with Windows operating system (OS).

AVD reduces your capital and operational expenditure in the cloud by allowing session-based systems on Azure VMs, leading to better usage of costly resources. By streamlining licensing for the use of Windows 10 on the AVD ecosystem and not requiring additional client access licenses (CAL) for access, AVD reduces Microsoft licensing costs.

You can curb your IT infrastructure expenses even further by right-sizing VMs and “unplugging” them (in order words, spinning down the virtual desktop sessions) when they are not in use. AVD lets you increase the usage of VMs with Windows 10 multi-session. You can keep overheads costs at bay and align operational expenses (OPEX) to business utilization.

If your business has already subscribed to Microsoft 365 or a corporate version of Windows, you can set up a virtual desktop for all users for free with AVD. As such, at no additional costs, your remote workforce can access a ready-to-use VM running Windows from anywhere, from any device, at any time.

Access Desktop and Apps Anywhere, Anytime

Owing to COVID-19, today’s workforce is rapidly becoming mobile and remote. To access the required apps and systems to do the jobs, employees are relying more and more on VMs and cloud platforms that they can access – irrespective of location, time, and device.

WDV enables you to ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) and access your applications and desktop over the internet with an AVD client that can run on any major operating system, including Mac, Windows, Android and iOS mobile. Pick up the right Azure VM to optimize the performance and exploit the Windows 10 multi-tenant benefit on Azure to handle numerous user sessions in sync and save on cash.

With WDV, you can deliver the same experience to your workforce they would have on a local PC – whether they are sharing files in OneDrive, managing their inbox with Outlook, or interacting with colleagues on Microsoft Teams.

Stringent Security Practices

Microsoft has equipped AVD with loads of security capabilities that will keep your business safe and sound. It takes security very seriously. The tech titan spends more than $1 Bn on research and development (R&D) related to cybersecurity and assigns 3,500 security pros for data privacy and security.

AVD lets you deploy VMs, configured exactly how you want them to be, that are safely virtualized in the Azure cloud. Confidential info is never transmitted out of the business’s control framework as any data transmissions are just between Azure cloud instances. The Azure cloud protects the data by all means of in-built security protocols, including Azure Security Center, Azure Firewall, Microsoft Defender ATP, and Azure Sentinel.

Under AVD, access to desktop instances is managed by conditional access protocols, such as multi-layered authentication. AVD infrastructure can be deployed to enable role-centered access control (RBAC) and identify risks using Azure Security Center. AVD is compliant with ISO 27018, 27001, and 27701, FedRAMP High for Commercial, PCI, HIPAA, and more.

Furthermore, AVD comes with several default complex security aspects, including Reverse Connect, which levels up the safety of remote systems.

Endnote

Businesses are going through their digital transformations to become more agile, and AVD sets a prime example of smooth flexibility. Given its distinct advantages, Microsoft AVD is now in widespread use, despite having been on the market for just a few years.

If you’ve shifted your data and applications to the cloud, why not host the desktops there as well? Centralization keeps everything aggregated and boosts performance potential. With software defining the system, you trim your reliance on diminishing product life cycles and rigid hardware.

Anunta’s Desktop Ready is an extensive cloud desktop based on Windows 10 and Azure Virtual Desktop that is built on a flexible and secure Azure platform. The virtual desktop solution is compliant with PCI, HIPAA, and SOC2 and offers round-the-clock access to the service desk. What’s more, DesktopReady lets you improve your business resilience by offering a cost-efficient and modern workplace environment.

AUTHOR

Anunta
Anunta

Anunta is an industry-recognized Managed Desktop as a Service provider focused on Enterprise DaaS (Anunta Desktop360), Packaged DaaS, and Digital Workspace technology. We have successfully migrated 600,000+ remote desktop users to the cloud for enhanced workforce productivity and superior end-user experience.