Virtualization Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is a software technology that separates the desktop environment and associated application software from the physical client device that is used to access it. VDI offers huge advantages for the business such as user mobility, ease of access, flexibility and greater security. The well-known VDI benefits from IT management and operations perspective are remote access, cost savings, security and centralized management. In the past all the VDI solutions were tailor for on premises infrastructure set up.

Based on the “State of The Union” 2019 survey, most VDI environments are running in production for almost 5 years with a growth of approximately 20% (based on environments with 1.000 to 4.999 users).  With the need to adapt to cloud workloads and the usage of Windows 10 and Office 365 ProPlus, legacy VDI environments don’t deliver the full support and compatibility for cloud services to the end-users. Therefore, Microsoft promoted its Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) / VDI solution based on Azure, which is called Windows Virtual Desktop in 2019.

Windows Virtual Desktop can be defined as a “born in the cloud” VDI solution, which provides the only Office 365 ProPlus and Microsoft Store App support while using the exclusively built Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session operating system. WVD offers the possibility to virtualize Desktops and Applications, while delivering a unique integration in your on-premises end-user workloads; security, high availability and the necessary infrastructure are built in by default.

In addition to typical benefits from classical VDI environments, like shared compute resources, companies benefit from the seamless intregration into on-premises and already existing cloud workloads without managing the security and high avaialbility for the computing workloads themselves. If end-users are already equipted with professional devices, such as laptops or mobile phones, Windows Virtual Desktop delivers the only built-in experience, which makes applications feel like they were locally installed even if they’re fully hosted in the cloud.

The simplified and managed infrastructure lets you provide desktops and applications within minutes without carying of complex gateway servers or requirements in your data centre. Besides, you can publish as many Host Pools to your environment as needed to accommodate your workloads. With the possibility to bring your own image to the cloud, Windows Virtual Desktop is compliant with your local policies and comes with all business related applications installed on it.

Regardless if your users are FirstLine workers on the road, or just forced to provide performance from the home office or the coffee shop, Windows Virtual Desktop provides your users with a highly available platform to increase your productivity on any device and be able to work everywhere.

Elgon’s Azure experts had already successfully performed integrations of different sizes from various on premises Virtual Desktop Solutions towards Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop; we developed a methodology to guide you from the first assessment till the impementation with a tailor-made consultancy service for your optimized, secured, compliant cloud environment.

Do you want to know more about Windows Virtual Desktop? Register to our webinar on the 19^th May 2020:

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Patrick Köhler recently started an article series about “The modern workplace in times of Corona Virus”, which is focussed on Windows Virtual Desktop. If you´re interested in how the technology looks like, please visit his articles here:

Part 1 “The modern workplace in times of Corona Virus – How to adapt, if Microsoft Teams alone is not a feasible solution for your home workers?”

https://wvdlogix.net/the-modern-workplace-in-times-of-corona-virus-how-to-adapt-if-microsoft-teams-alone-is-not-a-feasible-solution-for-your-home-workers

Part 2 “The modern workplace in times of Corona Virus – How to configure the “perfect” golden image for WVD”

https://wvdlogix.net/the-modern-workplace-in-times-of-corona-virus-part-2

Part 3 “The modern workplace in times of Corona Virus – The (easiest) way of managing Host Pools in Windows Virtual Desktop“

https://wvdlogix.net/the-modern-workplace-in-times-of-corona-virus-part-3