How to deploy Azure Virtual Desktop in Azure Portal

In this article, I take you through how to deploy Azure Virtual Desktop in Azure Portal. In the current hybrid work landscape, companies are looking for efficient, secure, and scalable virtual desktop solutions. Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) offers a cloud-based virtualization platform that supports remote work while minimizing reliance on on-premises infrastructure. This article delves into AVD in more detail. It highlights its benefits over traditional Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). Please see how to correctly uninstall Nextcloud from Mac, and how to Create a User and Custom Domain in Entra ID.

It further explores its similarities with on-prem VDI, the prerequisites for deployment, and a detailed guide on how to deploy AVD. Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) offers a comprehensive desktop and application virtualization service hosted on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. It allows organizations to deliver a full Windows experience to users, enabling remote work and enhancing productivity.

Also, see How to Migrate RDS CALs, How to sync on-premises AD with Azure AD via Azure AD Connect, and “Repair or Uninstall Azure AD Connect: How to uninstall Azure AD Connect“.

What is Azure Virtual Desktop?

Azure Virtual Desktop is a cloud-based service that provides virtual desktops and applications to users. It allows organizations to provide remote access to Windows desktops and applications securely from anywhere.

AVD supports both Windows 10 and Windows 11 multi-session with Microsoft 365 Apps. This allows multiple users to share the same virtual machine while maintaining a personalized desktop experience.

Differences Between AVD and On-Premises VDI

While both AVD and on-premises VDI provide virtual desktop solutions, there are key differences:

Infrastructure Management: AVD is managed by Microsoft, reducing the need for organizations to maintain physical servers and infrastructure. On-premises VDI requires significant investment in hardware and ongoing maintenance.
Scalability: AVD offers greater scalability as it leverages Azure’s global infrastructure, allowing organizations to quickly scale up or down based on demand. On-premises VDI scalability is limited by the physical hardware available.
Cost: AVD operates on a pay-as-you-go model, which can be more cost-effective for many organizations. On-premises VDI involves upfront capital expenditure and ongoing operational costs

Similarities to On-Premises VDI

Despite the differences, AVD shares several similarities with on-premises VDI:

User Experience: Both provide a full desktop experience to users, including access to applications and data.
Security: Both solutions offer robust security features, such as multi-factor authentication and conditional access policies.
Management: Both can be managed using familiar tools and processes, such as group policies and remote desktop protocols. In one of my previous posts, I discussed how to Create VDI Collections on Windows Server 2022
Deployment Methods: Azure Virtual Desktop can be deployed manually in the Azure Portal. You can also use other automation tools such as PowerShell, Azure RM Templates, and Azure CLI. On-prem VDI can be deployed manually or using automation tool scripts to streamline the setup process, including provisioning hardware, installing software, and configuring virtual desktops.

Deploying Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD)

Let’s carry out the deployment of AVD through Azure Portal.

1: Log into the portal, search for and click on Azure Virtual Desktop.

Step 2: Create host pools – To create a host pool, click on “Create a host pool” on the AVD dashboard.

Step 3: Define the specifications based on your requirements. As shown below, I selected the validation environment as Yes, desktop as the preferred app group type, and pooled as the host pool type.

			
Validation host pools let you monitor service updates before the service applies them to your standard or non-validation environment.This is helpful in prevent unsolicited updates from appying to your environment could lead to downtime for users.

Next, when you select the host pool type, Load balancing algorithm and Max session limit appear. For the load balancing algorithm, I choose breadth-first. You can choose depth-first depending on your usage pattern. For Max session limit, I specify two (2) as the maximum number of users that I want to load-balanced to a single session host.

Step 4: Configure session hosts

As shown on the above screen, click on Next to configure session hosts. From the configure session hosts, select Add virtual machines. Use this screen to configure your VM.

Next, select the VM image, size, number of VMs, and disk type, and specify the virtual network. Note, that keeping the Public Inbound Port open is not recommended in a production environment. All public inbound access should pass through a private endpoint.

Specify Access Method

The next step in the session host configuration is to choose whether you want to access your VM using Active Directory or Entra ID. Choose what works best for your use case. As shown below, I chose Microsoft Entra ID and specified a username and password.

			
Note: These are known limitations for Microsoft Entra joined VMs: 
- Microsoft Entra joined VMs don't currently support external identities, such as Microsoft Entra Business-to-Business (B2B) and Microsoft Entra Business-to-Consumer (B2C).-Microsoft Entra joined VMs can only access Azure Files shares for hybrid users using Microsoft Entra Kerberos for FSLogix user profiles.
- The Remote Desktop Store app for Windows doesn't support Microsoft Entra joined VMs.

Finally, click next to head to configure workspace. Here, I didn’t configure the workspace or carry out additional configuration after this phase. I headed straight to Review + Create.

As shown above, the validation phase successfully passed, and I proceeded to click on Create to begin the deployment.

Once the deployment is successful as shown above, click Go to resource. You may take note of the recommended actions and perform them as deemed necessary for your environment.

Host Pool Summary

On the host pool overview page, you will see the summary of your resources, such as number virtual machines

Expand the Manage tab and select Session hosts to view the number of your running VMs.

Step 5: Connecting to your session host. To connect to session hosts, you must assign a user. To do this, from the Azure Virtual Desktop, select host pool, and application groups, and select the default Desktop Application Group (DAG).

Select the assignment tab and click Add to select a Microsoft Entra ID user.

Check an Entra ID User and then click on Select to assign the selected user.

The next step is downloading and installing the Microsoft Remote Desktop app from the Microsoft Store on your Windows PC. After the installation, follow the below steps to subscribe to the Azure Virtual Desktop: