Azure Virtual Desktop

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) can address a broad range of business needs.

• Security and Regulations which may need to be adhered to for organisations (charities, healthcare, government bodies)
• Flexible workforce with mergers and acquisitions, contractors, branch workers, BYOD and mobile devices
• Legacy and non-web enabled apps
• Specialised apps for groups to facilitate development and testing

In addition to addressing business needs there are several benefits specific to AVD.

Best User Experience:

• Connect from any device of your choice (Windows, MacOS/IOS, HTML5, Android, Linux)
• Like local Windows experience with extensive support for devices
• Enhanced RDP protocol providing support for Windows Hello for Business and smartcard authentication, dynamically adapting bandwidth utilisation and improved experience with graphics, resolution and scaling
• User profiles using FSLogix for faster logon times
• Native Office 365 performance (uncompromised O365 email and calendar performance, real-time Outlook search, seamless O365 co-authoring and collaboration in non-persistent environments)

Enhanced Security:

• Azure AD Identity Services providing sophisticated security services such as multi-Factor authentication and Conditional Access
• Reverse connect eliminates the requirement to open inbound ports to the virtual machines
• AVD role-based access control enables delegation of admin rights at a granular level
• Isolated user sessions in both single and multi-session environment

Simplified Management:

• Both desktop and RemoteApp are managed through one AVD service
• Familiar Azure AD credentials, to access resources
• AVD customers can leverage a broad set of VM management tools via AVD and Azure (VM deployment, OS and App update tools)
• Advanced Diagnostic Service to identify root cause and fix issues more efficiently
• 3rd party value-added services enabled by APIs

Built on Azure: Standardised, Global and Secure Cloud Platform

• Consistent infrastructure across regions
• Largest geographical footprint with over 55 regions
• Microsoft Cyber Defense Operations Center with over 3,500 security professional and $1 billion dollar annual cybersecurity budget

Cost Optimised Infrastructure:

• High utilisation and lower operational costs with Windows 10 multi-session in Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD)
• Pay for actual usage rather than having to provision for peak usage with on-premise
• Flexible compute costs with Pay as you Go or Reserved Instance VMs
• Pay for actual outbound data transfer instead of peak two-way data transfer
• WVD doesn’t require Windows Server license for session host VMs (i.e., session host VMs charged at Linux compute rate)
• Efficient Opex cost versus High Upfront Capex cost for on-premise
• Management services included with WVD (no additional management infrastructure required)
• No Remote Desktop Services CAL required for Windows 10 multi-session
• 3-year Extended Security Update is included for Windows 7 VMs running on Azure