Azure Virtual Desktop URL: A Step-by-Step Implementation Guide

To set up Azure Virtual Desktop, you'll need to create a host pool, which is a collection of virtual machines that provide a shared desktop experience.

The host pool can be created in the Azure portal, under the Virtual Machines section.

You'll need to select the virtual machine size and configure the Azure Virtual Desktop agent.

Once the host pool is created, you can assign a name and description, and configure the load balancing settings.

Azure Virtual Desktop supports multiple session types, including pooled and personal sessions.

Pooled sessions allow multiple users to access the same virtual machine, while personal sessions provide a dedicated virtual machine for each user.

The Azure Virtual Desktop agent is required on each virtual machine in the host pool.

The agent is responsible for delivering the desktop experience to the user's device.

Azure Virtual Desktop supports a wide range of devices, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.

You can also integrate Azure Virtual Desktop with other Azure services, such as Azure Active Directory and Azure Monitor.

Azure Virtual Desktop on Azure Stack HCI offers a powerful solution for companies to overcome remote work challenges.

The pace of change in the workplace is accelerating, and flexible work is here to stay. Employees need to access necessary apps from anywhere, and IT administrators must set up VDI with remote connectivity, security, and management capabilities.

To get started, consider the benefits of moving to the cloud, including scalability, cost efficiencies, and near-limitless data capacity.

However, many industries have data-sovereignty needs and regulatory requirements that require keeping data on premises. Azure Stack HCI and Azure Virtual Desktop on Lenovo Systems can help bridge this gap.

This solution brings cloud benefits on premises using familiar tools and applications based on Windows with a fully managed, cloud-hosted VDI management plane.

To set up Azure Virtual Desktop, you'll need to meet some basic requirements. You'll need to fund the project with Azure subscription credits, which can be obtained with a valid phone number and credit card.

You'll also need access to your Azure Active Directory and a user account with Global Administrator access to Office 365, as well as the owner role on the Azure subscription.

To manage WVD, you'll need traditional Active Directory controls, which can be your existing AD or a new domain controller in Azure. You'll need domain admin access to your on-prem AD or to create a new one in Azure.

To set up Windows Virtual Desktop, you'll need to fund the project with enough Azure subscription credits to host the virtual machine resources. You can sign up for a free account if you don't have access to a subscription, but you'll need a valid phone number and credit card for identity verification.

You'll also need access to your Azure Active Directory, which is a crucial component of the setup process.

To manage your Azure subscription and Office 365, you'll need a user account with Global Administrator access to Office 365 and owner role on the Azure subscription.

You'll need to download and install the Windows Virtual Desktop cmdlets for Windows PowerShell on a Windows 10 machine to perform the actual work of setting up WVD.

Traditional Active Directory controls WVD, and you can use your existing AD or create a new domain controller in Azure. To do the latter, you'll need domain admin access to your on-prem AD, or follow a guide to make your own DC in Azure.

Here are the specific requirements you'll need to meet:

The pace of change in the workplace is accelerating, and flexible work is here to stay. This shift is pushing IT administrators to set up VDI with remote connectivity, security, and management capabilities.

Many industries are required to keep their data on premises due to data-sovereignty needs and regulatory requirements. This makes it difficult to move to the cloud.

But what if there were a way to bring all the cloud benefits on premises? The new Azure Stack HCI and Azure Virtual Desktop on Lenovo Systems can do just that.

This solution uses familiar tools and applications based on Windows with a fully managed, cloud-hosted VDI management plane. It's a powerful and efficient way to overcome remote work challenges.

Companies can enjoy scalability, cost efficiencies, and near-limitless data capacity, all while keeping their data on premises.

To prepare your environment for Azure Virtual Desktop, you'll want to start by wrapping up a few initial steps. This includes setting up your VM environment.

Before creating your VM environment, you'll need to download and install the Remote Desktop for Azure Virtual Desktop, which can be found at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2068602. This will provide you with a better experience compared to using a web browser to access AVD or RDP.

Before you can start creating your VM environment, you have to wrap up a few initial steps.

You'll need to prep your WVD environment, which involves creating a VM environment. This is a crucial step that lays the groundwork for your Windows Virtual Desktop deployment.

First, you'll need to create a VM environment. This will be the foundation of your WVD setup.

To create a VM environment, you'll need to set up a few key components, including a virtual network and a storage account. These will provide the necessary infrastructure for your VMs.

Creating a virtual network is a must-have for your WVD setup. This will allow your VMs to communicate with each other and the outside world.

A storage account will also be needed to store your VMs' virtual hard disks. This will ensure that your VMs have a reliable and scalable storage solution.

In addition to setting up a virtual network and storage account, you'll also need to configure your VM environment to use a suitable operating system.

If you're a Windows user, you have the option to install the AVD Client for a better experience.

You can download the client from https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2068602.

The client you'll need to install is Remote Desktop for Azure Virtual Desktop.

Installation instructions will appear, along with a clear Install button.

Just install the app, and make a note of the URL provided.

Creating Host Pools involves grouping identical virtual machines together for efficient management. You can create multiple host pools with distinct purposes, as seen in the example where two host pools are created for the "Desktop Application Group" and the "Remote Application Group".

To create host pools, you'll need to run specific cmdlets, which should be modified to reflect your organization's tenant name. This process is straightforward and can be completed by following the provided instructions.

When setting up host pools, you'll need to choose between Personal and Pooled host pool types. If you select Pooled, you'll need to specify the maximum session limit, which determines the number of users that can be load-balanced to a single session host.

Creating a Windows Tenant is a crucial step in setting up Windows Virtual Desktop. You'll need to run a command to create your tenant, using the Active Directory tenant ID, Subscription ID, RDSTenant name, AadTenantId, and AzureSubscriptionId.

To create a Windows Virtual Desktop tenant, you'll need to use the Active Directory tenant ID and Subscription ID you saved earlier. The RDSTenant name should match the name of your tenant, the AadTenantId should match the tenant ID string from your Azure portal, and the AzureSubscriptionId should match the Subscription ID string from your Azure portal.

You can copy and paste the command into Notepad and then edit it accordingly. Remember to replace "CompanyWVDtenant" with the correct name of your tenant.

Here are the required prerequisites for creating a Windows 11 desktop using Azure Virtual Desktop:

To set up Windows Virtual Desktop, you'll need to meet the following requirements:

To create host pools, you'll need to have two or more virtual machines that are identical. This is because host pools are collections of one or more virtual machines.

Host pools can be used for different purposes, such as for the "Desktop Application Group" and the "Remote Application Group". To keep things simple, you can create separate host pools for full desktops and published applications.

To create host pools, you'll need to run the following cmdlets after changing "CompanyWVDtenant" to the correct tenant name for your organization. Note that the commands are on two separate lines.

You can create multiple host pools, each with its own unique characteristics. For example, you can have one host pool with a maximum session limit of 10 users, while another host pool has a maximum session limit of 20 users.

Here are the prerequisites for creating a Windows 11 desktop using Azure Virtual Desktop:

When creating a new host pool, you'll need to choose the regions where the metadata for this host pool and its related objects will be stored. You can choose the regions inside the geography you want the service metadata to be stored in.

To deploy Azure Virtual Desktop, you'll need to click the "Deploy to Azure" button, which takes you to the Azure portal at https://portal.azure.com/#create/Microsoft.Template/uri/https%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2FAzure%2FRDS-Templates%2Fmaster%2Fwvd-templates%2FCreate%20and%20provision%20WVD%20host%20pool%2FmainTemplate.json.

For more information on creating host pools, check out Microsoft's documentation at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/create-host-pools-azure-marketplace.

Choosing the right disk type is a crucial step in setting up your virtual machine. The pricing for virtual machines is calculated based on the resources used, so be aware that higher performance or capacity options will cost more.

The disk type options available allow you to select the storage capacity that suits your needs. For instance, the example provided shows a range of options for disk type and capacity.

Higher performance or capacity options will indeed cost more, so consider what your virtual machine requires. The least expensive options should be sufficient for a demonstration.

Selecting the disk type is a straightforward process, simply choose the option that works for you and click "OK" to proceed.

Cloud Volumes ONTAP offers a 9-minute read on storage efficiencies, making it a great option for those looking to optimize their storage needs. Cloud Volumes ONTAP is part of an extensive series of guides about managed services.

Cloud Volumes ONTAP is a cloud-based storage solution that provides a high level of storage efficiency. Azure NetApp Files and Azure Storage are also mentioned in the article as being related to storage efficiencies.

By using Cloud Volumes ONTAP, users can experience improved storage efficiency. This is especially useful for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environments.

Cloud Volumes ONTAP is a solution that is specifically designed to address the needs of users looking to optimize their storage.

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) offers a range of capabilities to help organizations deploy and manage virtual desktops and applications. It allows for setting up multi-session deployments on Windows, which enables multiple users to connect to a single virtual machine (VM) simultaneously.

AVD includes optimization for Microsoft 365 applications, providing a high-performance and productive user experience. This means users can expect a seamless and efficient experience when using Microsoft 365 apps.

Creating scalable environments is a key feature of AVD, which provides a cloud-based infrastructure that can easily scale up or down based on demand. This flexibility allows organizations to adapt to changing business needs.

AVD supports the deployment of virtual desktops and applications from the cloud, providing a flexible and scalable solution for remote work. This enables organizations to provision virtual machines and storage resources in the cloud.

AVD makes it easier to deploy, manage, and access virtual desktops by providing multiple options for configuration and management. These options include the Azure portal, CLI, or REST API.

AVD also enables displaying the whole desktop or specific apps remotely, giving users flexibility in how they access their virtual desktops and applications. This flexibility is particularly useful for users who need to access specific apps or data remotely.

Here are some of the key features and capabilities of AVD:

To set up Azure Virtual Desktop, you'll need to extend your on-prem network into Azure using Azure ExpressRoute. This allows you to manage your application endpoints from your on-prem network.

Azure Active Directory Connect (AD Connect) integrates your customer's Active Directory domain services with Azure. This is a crucial step in the setup process.

Your customer is responsible for managing Azure AD and AD DS, as well as Azure subscriptions, Azure files, Azure NetApp files, virtual networks, and the AVD workspaces and host pools. This includes increasing capacity by using multiple Azure subscriptions in a hub-and-spoke architecture.

The architecture of Azure Virtual Desktop is a complex yet crucial aspect of its setup.

The application endpoints reside on your on-prem network, which can be extended into Azure using Azure ExpressRoute.

Azure Active Directory Connect (AD Connect) integrates the customer's Active Directory domain services with Azure, streamlining authentication and access.

The control plane in Azure Virtual Desktop manages web access, diagnostics, extensibility, the gateway, and broker components, including any REST APIs.

You're responsible for managing Azure AD and AD DS, as well as Azure subscriptions, Azure files, Azure NetApp files, virtual networks, and the AVD workspaces and host pools.

Increasing capacity can be achieved by using multiple Azure subscriptions in a hub-and-spoke architecture and connecting them with virtual peering.

Azure Stack HCI is a key component in Azure Virtual Desktop's architecture. It allows for the deployment and scaling of Windows desktops and apps in minutes.

With Azure Stack HCI, IT administrators can create a full Windows 10, Windows 11, or Windows Server desktop virtualization environment. This environment can be used on any device, providing secure remote work capabilities.

Azure Stack HCI simplifies management and user support by providing a managed service. Organizations don't need to deploy a VDI themselves or worry about upgrading infrastructure.

Azure Virtual Desktop for Azure Stack HCI is currently in public preview. This means it's not yet recommended for production workloads due to limitations in Azure Stack HCI's support for certain Azure Virtual Desktop features.

To connect to Azure Virtual Desktop, you'll first need to install a remote desktop client on your device. This client will allow you to access your virtual desktop.

You can find the direct link for Azure Virtual Desktop at https://client.wvd.microsoft.com/arm/webclient/. This link will give you access to various options that enable your virtual desktop to interact with your local computer.

To enable these interactions, you can check options like Printer, Clipboard, and File Transfer. Checking Don’t ask me again will remember your settings for future connections.

Your virtual desktop will come equipped with Office 365, including Outlook and OneDrive, as well as mapped drives to SOMFiles and other commonly used programs. This setup is designed to be similar to your on-campus workstation experience.

VDI on Azure refers to the deployment and management of virtual desktops using Microsoft Azure's cloud infrastructure.

Azure Virtual Desktop is the primary solution for deploying VDI on Azure, offering an application and desktop virtualization service that allows Azure customers to access Windows apps and desktops from anywhere.

Azure Virtual Desktop is also known as AVD, and it was previously known as Windows Virtual Desktop or WVD.

Azure Virtual Desktop is designed to provide a scalable and flexible solution for virtual desktop needs, allowing businesses to take advantage of the Azure cloud platform's cost-effectiveness.

The Azure Virtual Desktop features and capabilities include a range of benefits, such as improved security, increased scalability, and enhanced user experience.

Here are some key features and capabilities of Azure Virtual Desktop:

VDI on Azure allows organizations to create virtualized desktop environments that can be accessed remotely by users on various devices, such as laptops, tablets, and thin clients.

Azure Virtual Desktop uses Microsoft's Azure cloud infrastructure to provide a secure and reliable platform for virtual desktops.

Azure Virtual Desktop is designed to work with various Azure services, including Azure NetApp Files and Cloud Volumes ONTAP.