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Business cloud PCs do not currently have a monitoring interface. This allows users to easily roam between session host VMs without losing their user state between sessions. Personal AVD desktops can be deployed without FSLogix, but even in persistent scenarios FSLogix profiles provide a valuable profile backup capability and make it easier to manage session host updates through images.

This allows for simplified management since no additional SMB storage or profile configuration is required. Without profile data redirection it is important to consider ways to back up user data.

One such strategy can leverage OneDrive to protect user data. IT admins fully control all aspects of Azure Virtual Desktop networking since it runs in a customer-managed Azure subscription.

Business cloud PCs, on the other hand, do not have any network flexibility. Microsoft fully controls the IP addressing, traffic flow, and security of Business cloud PC networking.

It is also possible to use Azure Reserved Instances to reduce costs and guarantee available capacity. Windows cloud PCs are priced on a fixed monthly basis. Even if a user does not log into their desktop at all during the month, the desktop will cost the same as if the user logged into their desktop every day. Therefore, the concept of auto-scaling does not apply to cloud PCs. This has significant impact on cost efficiency in different use-cases.

The end-user experience is almost identical in Windows and AVD. Windows is built on top of Azure Virtual Desktop global infrastructure and will be familiar to those with AVD experience.

Leveraging the same infrastructure as AVD provides users the advantage of a unified experience across Windows and Azure Virtual Desktop. Admins can control the resources visible to individual end-users and the user will see everything in a single feed using the same app. The authentication and multi-factor experience will also be very familiar since it leverages Azure AD, which is used for M and AVD authentication. With AVD and Enterprise cloud PCs it is possible to configure network-based printing and scanning with a site-to-site VPN tunnel between the Azure vNet and local network that hosts the printers and scanners.

It is not possible to use network-based printing and scanning with Business cloud PCs since IT admins do not have control of the network where the cloud PCs reside. Several third-party products exist that help simplifies printing and scanning. Azure Virtual Desktop has limited self-service capabilities for end-users.

For example, users cannot restart their own desktop VM or log off a hung session with the AVD client app. Third-party tools, like Nerdio Manager, provide users with a self-service portal where such actions can be performed. Windows cloud PCs can be restarted by the end-user without the need to contact support.

A restart button is built into the cloud PC web portal. Windows 10 Enterprise can be purchased as a standalone subscription e. This Windows subscription license includes the usage rights of the AVD control plane and entitles the user to connect to Windows 10 desktops hosted in Azure. All other costs are part of Azure infrastructure consumption e.

However, the compute costs are not purchased as usage-based Azure resources but rather as a M license SKU. Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure costs are based on Azure consumption. All costs are based on actual usage. If a VM is powered off, there is no compute charge. Windows cloud PCs are not purchased as Azure usage-based infrastructure. Rather, they are purchased as licenses through Windows Azure Virtual Desktop networking costs are incurred at the Azure subscription level where session host VMs run.

Enterprise cloud PCs require the customer to provide a network infrastructure within a customer-managed Azure subscription. Therefore, all network costs are the same as with AVD. Business cloud PCs do not leverage a customer-managed Azure network. Therefore, all network related costs are incurred by Microsoft and are included in the monthly cloud PC license. Intune can be optionally used to manage Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts. However, Intune is not required for an AVD deployment, and most environments are managed via images.

Enterprise cloud PCs require an Intune license. Since Intune is the management interface for these cloud PCs, the Azure AD tenant must have an Intune license and each user who is assigned to an Enterprise cloud PC must have an Intune license assigned. Windows Business standalone does not and, therefore, cannot be used in AVD. Any subscription to Microsoft is sufficient. There are several considerations that come into play when deciding on the right virtual desktop technology for your organization.

Microsoft provides customers with ample choice and meets customers where they are in terms of admin tooling, existing licenses, and Azure expertise. Windows license costs depend on the hardware specs that a user needs.

We can see that there is significant per-user savings with AVD pooled desktops using reserved instances RI. Combining pooled AVD desktops with auto-scaling provides the deepest savings when using Azure Virtual Desktop as compared to Windows Meaning that a license or VM is consumed for every user to whom the Cloud PC license or AVD personal desktop VM is assigned — regardless of whether this user ever connects to the desktop.

Pooled desktops, on the other hand, only consume infrastructure when concurrent users are logged in. If no users are connected, no session host VMs need to be powered on. As more users log in, more infrastructure is brought online to accommodate the demand. This means that the cost savings in a pooled desktop environment will be even greater, when concurrency is considered, than presented in the table above. By putting it all together, we see that Windows Cloud PCs are most cost effective when users need dedicated, persistent desktops and will be using them more than 50 hours per week.

With users who can be pooled together into AVD host pools, there is significant infrastructure cost savings to be realized by using auto-scaling. Deploy new or manage existing AVD environment. Create a brand new Azure Virtual Desktop environment or allow Nerdio Manager to discover an existing deployment, connecting to existing resources, and manage them. Wizard-driven AVD deployment in under 2 hours.

Deploy Nerdio Manager from Azure Marketplace and configure a new AVD environment with an easy to follow, step-by-step configuration wizard.

First group of users can access their AVD desktop in less than 2 hours. Automatic, scripted AVD deployment. Create complete environments with desktop images, host pools, and auto-scaling in minutes. Create and manage AVD environments that span Azure regions and subscriptions. Quickly link Vnets and resource groups and manage AVD deployments world-wide from unified portal.

User identities and session host VMs can run in separate tenants for maximum flexibilty and security. Cross-sovereign cloud support allows identity e. Complete session host lifecycle management. Hosts can be created manually or with auto-scaling, deleted on-demand or on a schedule, re-imaged to apply updates, run a scripted action, resized, put into or taken out of drain mode, and more.

User sessions. Manage user sessions across the entire AVD environment, within a workspace, host pool or on a single host. Monitor session status, disconnect or log off the user, shadow or remote control to provide support, or send user an on-screen message. End-user self-service portal. End users have the ability to log into Nerdio Manager with their Azure AD credentials and manage their own session, restart their desktop VM, or start a session host if none are started in a host pool.

Ability to resize and re-image own desktop is coming soon. Azure Files management. Create, link, and manage Azure Files shares including AD domain join.

Manage file lock handles and configure Azure Files auto-scaling to increase quota as needed. Azure NetApp Files management. Create, link, and manage Azure NetApp Files accounts, capacity pools and volumes.

Configure provisioned volume size, monitor usage, and use auto-scaling to automatically adjust volume and capacity pool size to accommodate the needed capacity and latency requirements. FSLogix configuration profiles. FSLogix configuration can be complex and overwheling, but not with Nerdio Manager.

Directory configuration profiles. Multiple identity source profiles can be set up and used automatically on different host pools. Choose the appropriate directory profile when adding a host pool and all VMs will automatically join this directory when being created.

Host pool cloning. Session time limits. Apply user session time limits at host pool level. Automatically log off disconnected sessions, limit the duration of idle sessions, control empty RemoteApp session behavior and more.

Assign and un-assign users to personal desktops. Un-assign personal desktops from users who leave the organization and re-use these VMs for new users. Automatic custom Azure tagging of all resources. Pre-configure custom Azure tags for all Azure resources associated with each host pool. Tags can be used for charge-back and cost allocation by host pool. Automatic GPU driver installation. Choose to whether to move or copy user assignments.

Existing session hosts are automatically migrated or new ones can be created in the ARM host pool. Automatically enable and configure AVD integration with Azure monitor.

Zero configuration required. Coming soon. Create image from VM, Marketplace, custom, or shared image gallery. Create desktop images from a single pop-up with just a few clicks. No need to Sysprep, capture, version or do any of the other complex Azure image management tasks.

Nerdio Manager fully automates the process. Desktop Images can start with a gallery image, existing custom image, or even an existing VM. Images can be stored as custom or Shared Image Gallery integrated objects. Local and cross-region image cloning. Duplicate desktop images by cloning them to either the same region or another Azure region. Make a clone before making major changes to the image so the changes can be tested without impact the production environment. All with one click.

Geo-replication of images. Distribute desktop images to multiple Azure regions by selecting the locations where the images should be available. Can be enabled on new or existing images. Automatic image patching and re-packaging. Schedule a recurring update to Desktop Images and automatically re-image host pools on a pre-defined schedule. System and application updates can be automatically applied after hours without manual intervention. Image refresh from Azure Marketplace.

Schedule a regular refresh of a desktop image from Azure Marketplace using the latest patched version. Customize the image with scripted actions and have it automatically deployed to host pools for full end-to-end update automation. Image VM backup and restore. Leverage native Azure backup to create versions of desktop image VMs before making changes and easily revert to prior versions.

Take a backup of an image VM while powering it on to modify or manually trigger a backup at any time. Gabriel [ Reply ]. Thato Mmokwe [ Reply ]. Geckoandfly [ Reply ]. S Bhuruguru [ Reply ]. Neno [ Reply ]. Assefa Biru [ Reply ]. Joe Henson [ Reply ]. Busted [ Reply ]. Contents Exit focus mode. What is Azure Virtual Desktop? Is this page helpful? Please rate your experience Yes No. Any additional feedback? Note If you need an Azure subscription, you can sign up for a one-month free trial.

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