Think about the following use cases:

• Rapid increase in hiring that requires adequate systems for the new hires, whether it is bring your own device or company issued devices
• Meeting the constantly evolving software and other resource requirements for employees to stay productive
• Small business owners or managers without enough IT resources

A flexible cloud Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is the solution that meets the above use cases, helping businesses stay resilient and quickly comply with changing demands. We provide a proof of concept for VDI through this blog.

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), formerly known as Windows Virtual Desktop, is a Microsoft Azure-based service providing virtualized Windows desktops and applications securely in the cloud for enterprise users. Available generally from September 2019, AVD is a cost-effective cloud-based alternative to on-premise Remote Desktop Server (RDS), deployed in Azure Cloud as a virtual machine.

Consider this, a company that wants or needs to grow quickly can do so with AVD. You will not be hindered by new infrastructure setup, device procurement, or in the case of company-issued devices, creating an image, application packaging and deploying. Conversely, a business that is going through a re-organisation can easily downsize the number of users on WVD, and if it was a BYOD environment, it need not be stuck with devices and servers that will soon become outdated.

For businesses that require specialized resources, flexibility and constant connectivity, AVD provides the tools to help employees stay productive. Employees can access their desktop from any internet-connected location through a company-issued or personal device.

AVD is cost effective and technically appropriate for small businesses that don’t have adequate resources to focus on IT. It is more secure with built-in functionality and options that are ideal for small businesses.

Availability / Compatibility

Azure Virtual Desktop supports Windows 10 multi-session, Windows 10 single-session, Windows 7 single-session, Windows Server 2012 R2 and newer operating systems.

Key Capabilities

• With AVD, you can set up a scalable and flexible environment.
• You can deploy and manage virtual desktops
• You can also assign and connect users to your virtual desktops

What is AVD?

AVD delivers simplified management, multi-session Windows 10, optimizations for Microsoft 365 Apps, and support for Remote Desktop Services environments. Windows 10 may be used as a remote desktop session host server with multi-session Windows 10 that allows multiple concurrent users to connect. AVD saves money, time, and reduces risk for organizations through secure desktops from any device. Employees stay productive and secure from anywhere.

AVD makes governance and device management easier through user management and identity, network policies, and image, app, and profile management. Additionally, it allows control of virtual machine sizing, user density, and scaling policies.

For diagnostics, AVD uses Log Analytics through Azure Monitor, a single interface that admins can use for monitoring, identifying issues and alerts. The service creates activity logs for both user and administrative actions.

Architectural setup of AVD for enterprise

Image source: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/architecture/example-scenario/wvd/windows-virtual-desktop

Prerequisites

• Azure Active Directory
• A Windows Server Active Directory in sync with Azure Active Directory. It can be done through:
• Azure AD Connect
• Azure AD Domain Services
• Active Directory Domain Services (On-premises Domain Controller)
• A Virtual network connected to Windows Server Active Directory or Domain Controller machine

Steps to setup an AVD

Step 1: Create a tenant in AVD

Step 2: Create service principals and role assignments by using PowerShell

Step 3: Create a host pool by using the Azure Marketplace

Step 4: Manage app groups for Azure Virtual Desktop

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