Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop - What is the Difference?
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What is the difference between Windows 365 and Azure virtual desktop?
Over the past couple of years, working from home has become incredibly important. In the past, everyone worked in the office, so that's where all the data lived. But now, with the big push for remote work and downsizing office space, how do we give people access to the data they need?
Sure, there's the traditional VPN, but you're still remotely accessing the office where all the data lives. What if we want to move to the cloud for its perks like resiliency and reliability? Enter Microsoft’s Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365.
Azure Virtual Desktop is essentially Windows workstations in the cloud. It offers Windows 10 and Windows 11 virtual machines that you, as an end user, can log into as your primary workspace. Think of it like the classic Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), but hosted in Azure. You log in and can have either a full desktop experience or just the applications you need to work on, accessing company data hosted in the cloud or on-premises. It's secure, backed by Microsoft 365, Azure AD, and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Plus, it has an awesome feature called auto-scaling. If you have 100 people starting work at 9:00 AM, you can light up all those virtual workstations at 8:00 AM, scale down at lunch, and shut most of them down at 6:00 PM, saving tons of money by not running things 24/7.
AVD is closer to the infrastructure-as-a-service concept, where your IT department manages the VMs, software installs, and the virtual networks they run on.
Windows 365 takes it a step further towards platform-as-a-service (PaaS). With Windows 365, you simply buy a license, pay a monthly fee, and get a personal cloud PC available 24/7. Microsoft manages the VM and the hardware, leaving you responsible only for logging in and accessing company data. It drastically reduces the management burden for IT departments, but it can be more expensive in the long run since you pay per user. However, it’s incredibly secure and offers a simplified setup compared to AVD.
To sum it up, Azure Virtual Desktop offers flexibility and control, making it great for businesses that want to manage their virtual environments closely. Windows 365, on the other hand, provides a hassle-free, managed experience that is easy to set up and secure, albeit at a higher cost per user. Both have their unique advantages, and the best choice depends on your specific needs and resources.
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