With the increasing number of companies around the world moving to remote work environments, cloud services are gaining momentum. Organizations need their information being accessed at managed and secure environments. Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) is a desktop as a service (DaaS) offering that provides remote access to modern desktop applications from any device, anywhere, and at any time. It is the only virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) that delivers simplified management, multi-session Windows 10, optimizations for Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, and support for Remote Desktop Services (RDS) environments.
Using Windows Virtual Desktop, enterprises can give their employees access to virtualized applications and remote desktops, including the ability to provide multi-session Windows 10 experiences, something that sets Microsoft’s own apart from other vendor’s virtualized Windows desktops and applications offerings. Being able to access a full Windows 10 desktop on any device with only your Microsoft 365 account is incredible. There is no user VPN required, no complex PKI required, and no Remote Desktop Services CALs required.
Key capabilities:
- Create a full desktop virtualization environment in your Azure subscription without having to run any additional gateway servers.
- Bring your own image for production workloads or test from the Azure Gallery.
- Provide individual ownership through personal (persistent) desktops.
- Reduce costs with pooled, multi-session resources. With the new Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session capability exclusive to WVD and Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) role on Windows Server, you can greatly reduce the number of virtual machines and operating system (OS) overhead while still providing the same resources to your users.
Some of the specific purposes for Windows Virtual Desktop are:
- Security and regulation: Allow employees to work remotely without storing company information on their personal device.
- Financial services: Enables data separation so that information stays on the server rather than the endpoint.
- Healthcare: Ensures optimal HIPAA compliance.
- Short term employees, contractors, and partners: Companies can provide access to their network without device provision.
- Run a business 24/7: Keep your business up to day with modern tools for collaboration, productivity, and communications.
- BYOD policies and mobile access: There is access and additional security for workforce members who prefer to use Android and iOS devices.
Requirements:
For you to get started with WVD, there are some requirement you may want to consider:
- An Azure Active Directory tenant
- A Windows Server Active Directory in sync with Azure Active Directory. You can configure this with one of the following:
o Azure Active Directory Connect (for hybrid organizations)
o Azure Active Directory Domain Services (for hybrid or cloud organizations) - An Azure subscription that contains a virtual network that either contains or is connected to the Windows Server Active Directory
Security
Regarding security, what makes cloud services different from traditional on-premises virtual desktop infrastructures (VDIs) is how they handle security responsibilities. When you use WVD, it is important to understand that while some components come already secured for your environment, you will need to configure other areas yourself to fit your organization’s security needs.
Windows Virtual Desktop has many built-in security controls to keep your users and data safe:
- Require multi-factor authentication
- Enable Conditional Access
- Collect audit logs
- Use Remote Apps
- Monitor usage with Azure Monitor
Here are the security needs you are responsible for in your Windows Virtual Desktop deployment:
If you want learn more about security, check out this Microsoft blog here.
About licensing
Purchasing licensing for Windows Virtual Desktop is simple. Here is a list of each SKU that includes WVD:
Why trust on WVD?
There are 3 ways Windows Virtual Desktop benefit your trust while addressing your specific business needs:
- Secure Access: Windows Virtual Desktop delivers enhanced security with Azure Active Directory integration, reverse connect technology, and role-based access control.
- Compliance: Compliance with regulations such as FSI or HIPAA is easier with WVD.
- Elastic Workforce: Windows Virtual Desktop allows you to scale up or down as needed if your organization has an elastic workforce.
Also, WVD can help you save your company’s investments, make you more efficient and secure, and give you access to key features to improve your operations. If you haven’t tried Windows Virtual Desktop yet, VNEXT has a special offer for you to get started. We can design and implement a WVD solution for your organization in 4 days. Click here to get started.
