Windows 365 vs. Azure Virtual Desktop - A Comprehensive Comparison of DaaS Options

Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop are two popular Desktop as a Service (DaaS) options that offer a cloud-based solution for accessing Windows desktops. Windows 365 is a cloud-based version of Windows 10, which can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.

Azure Virtual Desktop, on the other hand, is a managed desktop service that allows users to access virtualized Windows desktops from anywhere. It's built on top of Azure, Microsoft's cloud platform, and offers a scalable and secure way to deploy virtual desktops.

Both options offer a range of benefits, including improved flexibility, reduced costs, and enhanced security. Windows 365, for example, allows users to access their Windows 10 desktop from any device, at any time, while Azure Virtual Desktop offers a more customizable and scalable solution.

In this comparison, we'll delve into the key differences between Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop, so you can make an informed decision about which option is best for your organization.

Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop both leverage similar Microsoft cloud technologies, but they have distinct differences in their technical architecture. Windows 365 is built on top of existing Azure Virtual Desktop components but has a different transactional model.

There are two versions of cloud PCs: Enterprise and Business. Enterprise cloud PCs are designed for organizations that have invested in Microsoft Endpoint Manager and require an Intune license for each user assigned a cloud PC M365 SKU.

The Enterprise Cloud PC architecture is Azure and Active Directory dependent, requiring an Azure subscription with a properly configured network and access to Active Directory with Azure AD Hybrid Join enabled. This is a key difference between Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop.

Here's a summary of the Enterprise Cloud PC pre-requisites:

Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop share a similar technical architecture, leveraging Microsoft cloud technologies. This architecture is built on top of existing AVD components, but has a different transactional model, with Windows 365 offering a fixed price versus a consumption-based model.

There are two versions of cloud PCs: Enterprise and Business. Enterprise cloud PCs require an Intune license for each user, while Business cloud PCs do not.

Enterprise cloud PCs are designed for organizations that have invested in Microsoft Endpoint Manager and are using it to manage their existing Windows 10 desktops. They are Azure and Active Directory dependent, requiring an Azure subscription with a properly configured network and access to Active Directory with Azure AD Hybrid Join enabled.

The VM itself runs in a Microsoft-managed Azure subscription, with the network interface card (NIC) "injected" into a vNet in a customer's Azure subscription. Egress transfer costs are incurred by the customer.

To set up Enterprise Cloud PCs, you'll need to configure Azure AD Connect, enable Intune, and create an "on-premises network connection" in Microsoft Endpoint Manager. You'll also need to upload a custom Windows 10 Enterprise image or use a clean Microsoft-provided gallery image.

Here are the Enterprise Cloud PC pre-requisites:

Azure Virtual Desktop, on the other hand, has a more complex architecture, requiring a Microsoft Azure account with an active subscription, an identity provider, and a supported operating system and licenses.

A machine is essentially a device that can perform tasks, like a virtual machine, which is software that acts like a physical computer. It runs its own operating system and can be used to run multiple applications at once.

A machine can be as simple as a toaster or as complex as a robot.

Infrastructure is a crucial aspect to consider when choosing between Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop. A Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) hosts desktop environments on a centralized server, deploying them to users on request.

This setup allows users to access their desktops remotely with any internet-connected device, without needing expensive devices with specific hardware requirements. All processing is done on the host server, making it a cost-effective option.

VDIs can be persistent, meaning users connect to the same desktop every time, providing a seamless experience across devices. This is particularly useful for users who need to access the same desktop from different locations.

In a non-persistent VDI, users connect to generic devices, and no changes are saved, making it simpler and cleaner to maintain. Every session is fresh, which is beneficial for users who don't require customized desktops.

The end-user experience is almost identical in Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop, thanks to the same client app being used for both.

Users can connect to both services using the same app, available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and as a HTML client. This means a unified experience across both services, which is a big plus.

Leveraging the same infrastructure as AVD provides users with a seamless experience, with admins controlling the resources visible to individual end-users.

Users can navigate to https://cloudpc.microsoft.com to connect to their cloud PC in Windows 365, just like they would with Azure Virtual Desktop.

Both services support printer and scanner redirection via the Remote Desktop client app, making it easy to use peripherals remotely.

However, network-based printing and scanning is only possible with Enterprise cloud PCs in Azure Virtual Desktop, due to IT admin control of the network.

Universal Print is a cloud-based print solution that can be used with both AVD and Windows 365 cloud PCs, simplifying printing and scanning.

Windows 365 cloud PCs offer more self-service capabilities for end-users, such as restarting the cloud PC without needing to contact support.

This is a big improvement over Azure Virtual Desktop, where users have limited self-service capabilities and may need to rely on third-party tools for tasks like restarting their desktop VM.

The main difference between AVD and Windows 365 is that Windows 365 is mainly managed by Microsoft, but the Enterprise edition gives organisations control over Azure network resources, including static IPs, Azure firewall, VPNs, and more, at an extra cost.

AVD allows simultaneous users/sessions per VM, but Windows 365 only allows a 1:1 assignment of a license through Microsoft 365 admin portal.

This means that with AVD, multiple users can access the same VM, but with Windows 365, each user gets their own dedicated VM, which can be beneficial for organisations that require high security and isolation.

The Enterprise plans for Windows 365 are actually cheaper than the Business plans, despite the extra cost of network resource consumption.

Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop have different licensing requirements. Windows 365 requires a Windows 10 Enterprise subscription, which can be purchased as a standalone subscription or as part of a Windows 365 suite subscription.

Both Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop require a Windows 10 Enterprise subscription for users connecting to a session. However, Windows 365 cloud PCs require a Windows 10 Enterprise subscription just like AVD desktops, but the compute costs are not purchased as usage-based Azure resources.

Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure costs are based on Azure consumption, including compute costs of running AVD session host VMs and the cost of OS disks. Windows 365 cloud PCs, on the other hand, are purchased as licenses through Windows 365, providing a certain amount of compute, RAM, and storage capacity.

Enterprise cloud PCs require a customer to provide a network infrastructure within a customer-managed Azure subscription, incurring all network costs. Business cloud PCs, however, do not leverage a customer-managed Azure network, and all network-related costs are incurred by Microsoft and included in the monthly cloud PC license.

Azure Virtual Desktop requires a subscription to Windows 365 Apps with Shared Computer Activation entitlement, which is included in all Microsoft 365 packages with Office Apps. Windows 365 Business standalone does not include Shared Computer Activation, making it incompatible with AVD.