Why Adopt Azure VDI?
Your workforce is mobile. Is your infrastructure? Microsoft Azure VDI is a complete desktop virtualization solution, allowing users to access Windows 10 and 11 desktops and applications from anywhere in the world. From remote app streaming to the Azure Portal, Microsoft Azure VDI makes the process of “going remote” even easier.
So, why should your organization adopt Azure VDI?
Access Windows 10 and Windows 11 Desktops and Apps from Anywhere
Azure Virtual Desktop provides a truly virtualized experience, allowing end-users to deploy desktops and apps from wherever they are. Organizations can leverage the strength, familiarity and compatibility of Windows 10 and 11 while also providing a cloud-based and scalable end-user experience. Organizations will be able to provide a consistent, coherent user experience to employees even if they’re logging in from their desktop computers, laptops or work computers.
Today’s remote workers are using their personal phones, tablets and more. Using the Azure Virtual Desktop system, users are able to access the exact same environment and the exact same experience whether they’re on Windows, iOS, Android or any other popular system. Even better, the Azure Virtual Desktop can be customized to your organization’s needs.
Fast and Easy Deployment
As a cloud system, the Azure VDI infrastructure can be launched with just a few clicks. Likewise, it can be scaled as needed. Organizations can scale their entire infrastructure upward when necessary and downward when necessary, thereby ensuring that their costs remain as flexible and elastic as their system. As organizations may need to adjust their operations based on seasonality or unpredictable markets, Azure VDI gives the stability and security needed to remain agile.
Secure Your Documents and Apps with Microsoft Azure VDI’s Security
Put your security in the hands of the experts. The Azure VDI solution comes with data security and application security already built in. You can detect and mitigate threats as quickly as possible, to reduce the possibility of disruption and improve business continuity. Microsoft Azure’s VDI solution will ensure that your system is secure by leveraging the power of the cloud for continual monitoring — making it less likely there could be security issues or errors on your side. Meanwhile, your organizations can also leverage Microsoft 365’s built-in security systems.
Reduce Your Costs Using Existing Licenses
Rather than purchasing additional licenses for a virtual desktop solution, use Azure VDI. Azure VDI pricing takes into account the fact that there are likely existing eligible licenses, which means that your virtual desktop solution may not cost you much. And because it’s a cloud solution, you only pay for the resources that your organization strictly needs, rather than having to pay a flat fee or having to upgrade because you need additional resources once.
Since Azure VDI pricing doesn’t require any additional licensing costs from the regular installation of Microsoft 365, many organizations already have access to Office 365.
Furthermore, organizations are able to reduce their resource usage by using Microsoft’s built-in tools to determine the resources that they need. Organizations can deploy greater resources for better efficiency and reduce the resources that are being used for improved costs. With Microsoft Azure VDI and Office 365, organizations are better able to control all their expenses — especially with the help of a managed services provider that can audit the resources used.
Integrate With Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Office 365
The Azure VDI solution has already been designed to work well with Microsoft Office 365 and collaborative solutions such as Microsoft Teams. If your organization already relies upon the Windows ecosystem, then you’ll find the transition to Azure VDI an extremely simple one. With the power of Azure VDI and Office 365, you can present your employees with easy-to-use, simple solutions that are intuitive and familiar.
Most employees are already accustomed to using the Microsoft infrastructure. And this means that organizations don’t need to spend time training and re-training employees. Employees will be able to hit the ground running with their new technology, there will be fewer support requests required and they’ll be able to utilize the best features of the platform to the fullest.
Manage Everything Within a Single, Consolidated Portal
Administrators are able to use the Azure Portal to manage the Azure VDI solution. Administrators will be able to add and remove users, configure permissions, change network settings, deploy applications and modify security configurations with ease. Administrators can do everything from load balancing to automated scaling to ensure that employees get what they need and that resources are appropriately managed.
With the Azure Portal, administrators are able to spend less time micro-managing and more time doing. Even better, since the Azure Portal is integrated into the Microsoft and Office 365 experiences, it creates a consolidated system under which security and permissions can be managed. The fewer systems that are involved, the easier it is to secure.
Leverage Integrations with the Microsoft Azure VDI Solution
Microsoft has integrated the Azure Virtual Desktop into other virtualized environments such as VMWare and Citrix. Organizations can take advantage of these extremely popular virtualization technologies without having to fully let go of their collaborative Microsoft 365 and Azure VDI suite. Organizations can produce hybrid deployments, consolidate their administration and otherwise integrate their virtualized environments in the way that makes the most sense to them.
Azure Virtual Desktop vs. Windows 365
Of course, Azure VDI isn’t the only solution available for organizations that want to move to the cloud. Azure VDI is a fully virtualized desktop infrastructure, with Windows 10 and Windows 11 multi-session desktops. Windows 365, on the other hand, is a software-as-a-service solution that streams personalized desktops to your devices. Of these, Azure VDI is the more flexible solution, but Windows 365 is the simpler solution.
Azure VDI and MSPs
A managed services provider can help you go over your virtual desktop options to assess which option is the most efficient, affordable and convenient for you. Organizations today have to prioritize many factors, ranging from employee convenience to infrastructure security. When properly deployed, Azure VDI gives organizations the flexibility and freedom they need to provide remote work while also securing and consolidating data access. Still, it can be difficult for any organization to manage such a complex transition internally. MSPs can help.
Not sure which system you need? Contact Red River today to learn more about Azure Virtual Desktop, Office 365 and which solution you most likely need.