Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Implementation

Utilize Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) to deploy and scale virtualized Windows desktops and applications on Azure, eliminating the need for on-premises infrastructure management. Focus more on optimizing desktops and applications to enhance business efficiency and enable remote productivity.

AVD provides scalability, flexibility, and security within a consumption-based operating expense model. Emergent Software offers support from initial design to full-scale production rollout.

Benefits of AVD Implementation

• Easily scale VMs up and down
  Easily scale resources based on business requirements. Automate scaling up AVD infrastructure during peak business hours for a consistent end user experience during your busiest times and scale down as your AVD usage drops to maintain cost control.
  
  
• Right size virtual machines for cost-effectiveness
  Use only the resources that you need when you need them for AVD. Right size your virtual machines and optimize your Windows 10 or Windows 11 desktops. The centralized management service reduces overhead costs and increases visibility. Using Reserved Instances offers cost savings from 20-35%.
  
  
• Maximize flexibility for remote work and BYOD
  Empower your workforce with the flexibility to work from any location and device, seamlessly accessing their standard set of applications and data. For organizations with a BYOD policy, AVD can streamline the end user experience by using any endpoint device they like. Users can be quickly onboarded and offboarded, accessing AVD without a dedicated physical device—perfect for temporary or seasonal workers.
  
  
• Optimize for Teams and Office
  Get the Windows 10 or Windows 11 experience optimized for the Microsoft 365 applications your users know and love. Microsoft Teams is specifically optimized for leveraging in an AVD environment.
  
  
• Simplify management
  AVD provides remote desktop services so you only need to manage your users, applications, and virtual machines. The days of gateways, brokers, and special licensing are over. If you already have Microsoft 365 licensing, you may have AVD licensing available to you. AVD supports various operating systems including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
  
  
• Streamline image management
  In other virtual desktop offerings, “Gold Image” management was complex and time consuming. Microsoft Azure Shared Image Gallery and Azure DevOps provide automated and straightforward ways to build, maintain, and support gold images.
  
  
• Facilitate user profile management
  Shared storage for user profiles is a necessity. A user could be accessing a different VM every time they login to AVD so their profile needs to be available and responsive. FSLogix in combination with Azure Files storage solves this challenge efficiently. The profiles can be managed by FSLogix, which is simple to deploy and manage.
  
  
• Strengthen your security
  Leveraging AVD keeps your data in your cloud environment and off endpoints like laptops, tablets, and cell phones that can be lost or stolen. This allows your security team to protect your data more efficiently. Organizations can benefit from Azure's compliance certifications, encryption, and identity management tools to enhance data security.
  
  
• Integrate seamlessly with other Azure Services
  AVD integrates with other Azure services that you may already be using. Features like Entra ID, Azure Monitor, and Azure Backup are just a few examples.
  
  
• Prevent disaster with high availability
  High availability in AVD is not just a feature, it's a cornerstone of its design, ensuring uninterrupted access to critical applications and data. AVD's flexibility in providing high availability ensures that users can access their virtual desktops and application anytime without disruption.
  
  
• Transition smoothly from Citrix or Horizon
  It's a natural transition from Citrix and Horizon Desktop to a cloud native approach. You can use the entitlements of your Microsoft 365 licensing to produce an advanced product at an unmatched price.
  
  

Our Migration Plan using the Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF)

Using the Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF), Emergent Software's approach will take you through six primary phases. Statements of work (SOW) can be written to include one or more phases.

1. Discovery & Assessment
2. Solution Design
3. Azure Landing Zone Setup
4. Proof of Concept (PoC) Testing and Validation
5. AVD Production Rollout
6. Handoff & Closure