Now Available: Windows Virtual Desktop!
Friday 11th October 2019
In September, Microsoft announced the launch of Windows Virtual Desktop. Windows Virtual Desktop is the only service that delivers simplified management, a multi-session Windows 10 experience, optimizations for Office 365 ProPlus, and support for Windows Server Remote Desktop Services (RDS) desktops and apps. To quickly deploy and manage your virtualisation environment you must have an Azure account.
Why Windows Virtual Desktop?
- Traditionally, deploying and maintaining desktop and app virtualisation has been complex and expensive, but with Windows Virtual Desktop, Microsoft host the VMs and infrastructure roles in Azure, which will improve experience
- Windows Virtual Desktop offers the flexibility of Azure, as well as the cost-savings that come with Windows 10 and Windows Server (RDS) 2012R2+
The key features of Windows Virtual Desktop
- Delivers the cost advantages of server-based virtualisation
- The best service for virtualised scenarios in Office 365 ProPlus
- Ability to bring your existing Remote Desktop Services (RDS) and Windows Server desktops and apps
- The only service that provides Windows 7 virtual desktop with free Extended Security Updates
- You can use Azure for compute, storage, rich diagnostics, advanced networking, connection brokering and gateway
- Ability to virtualise desktops and apps in a unified experience
- Ability to virtualise Windows 10 multi-session, Windows 10 single-session, Windows Server 2012R2+, and Windows 7
How to access Windows Virtual Desktop
You can access Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 7 Enterprise desktops and apps at no additional cost if you have an eligible Windows or Microsoft 365 license. As well as free Extended Security Updates until January 2023 for your Windows 7 virtual desktops.
You are eligible to access Windows 10 and Wndows 7 with Windows Virtual Desktop if you have one of the following licenses*:
- Microsoft 365 E3/A3
- Microsoft 365 E5/A5
- Microsoft 365 F1
- Microsoft 365 Business
- Windows 10 Enterprise E3/E5
- Windows 10 Education A3/A5
- Windows 10 VDA per user
You can also get access to desktops powered by Windows Server Remote Desktop Services desktops and apps at no additional cost if you are an eligible Microsoft Remote Desktop Services (RDS) Client Access License (CAL) customer.
You are eligible to access Windows Server 2012 R2 and newer desktops and apps if you have an RDS CAL license with active Software Assurance.
You only need to pay for the virtual machines and storage you use, also take advantage of options such as one-year or three-year Azure Reserved Virtual Machine Instances, which can save you up to 72% compared to pay-as-you-go pricing. Reserved Virtual Machine Instances are flexible and can easily be exchanged or returned.
Work with partner Citrix or others to deploy Windows Virtual Desktop
To accomodate for different capabilities Microsoft have built Windows Virtual Desktop as a platform that can be easily extended by partners in the following ways:
- Citrix can extend Windows Virtual Desktop capabilities in their Citrix Cloud offerings
- Windows Virtual Desktop will provide highly mobile firstline workers with access to a full Windows 10 and Office 365 ProPlus experience with Samsung DeX
- Extend Windows Virtual Desktop to offer targeted solutions in the Azure Marketplace with software and service providers
- Microsoft Cloud Solution Providers (CSP) can deliver end-to-end desktop-as-a-service offerings and value-added services
Microsoft are partnering with Citrix on Windows Virtual Desktop to provide the benefits of Windows Virtual Desktop in their value-added cloud services hosted on Microsoft Azure. By hosting on Azure with integrated Citrix Workspace and Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, Windows Virtual Desktop will provide the most seamless experience for Microsoft 365.
For more information please read here or contact your Bytes Account Manager.
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