Azure Virtual Desktop: Connection Managed Services

How is your organization providing remote access to desktop environments?

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is a Desktop as a Service (DaaS) solution provided by Microsoft as part of the Azure cloud-computing program. It allows organizations to create and manage virtualized desktop environments in the cloud, enabling them to deliver Windows desktops and applications to end users on various devices such as computers, tablets, and smartphones. With so many organizations continuing to embrace hybrid working environments, AVD is a useful way to provide remote work solutions like delivering legacy applications, consistency across desktop experiences, and secure access to confidential and sensitive data.

Key features of AVD that enable you to create a scalable and flexible environment:

Create a full desktop virtualization environment in your Azure subscription without running any gateway servers.
Publish host pools as needed to accommodate diverse workloads.
Bring your own image for production workloads or test from the Azure Gallery.
Reduce costs with pooled, multi-session resources.
Provide individual ownership through personal (persistent) desktops.
Manage costs by using auto-scale to automatically increase or decrease capacity based on time of day, specific days of the week, or as demand changes.

Ready to Get Started?

Connection is a Microsoft-certified Azure Expert Managed Service Provider, and we are here to help you design, implement, and manage your AVD environment. Our AVD Managed Service supports your organization through five core components:

Managed Implementation: Whether you need management for a new environment or an existing infrastructure, your Connection Account Team will configure and administer every aspect of your AVD.
Cost and Performance Optimization: We will help to auto-scale resources to make your performance more efficient, while reducing compute and storage costs by adjusting resources to user demand.
Security and Compliance: By enabling Azure Active Directory multi-factor authentication (MFA) and conditional access, Connection will ensure that your environment is safe. We also provide network security, anti-virus configuration, and operating system patch management.
Image Creation and Management: We will assist you in the creation of desktop images from gallery, VM, or existing custom images and manage AVD image host pools, versioning, backup, and disaster recovery.
Monitoring and Support: Take advantage of our proactive incident and problem management. Your AVD environment is backed by our 24 x 7 x 365 customer support team of engineers who are certified Azure Experts.

Azure Hybrid Benefit

As you consider migrating to Azure to support your organization’s remote workers through AVD, you may also want to take advantage of Azure Hybrid Benefit to offset costs if you qualify. If you have existing on-premises Windows Server or SQL Server licenses with active Software Assurance or Linux licenses, you can bring those licenses to Azure and create a more cost-effective way to maintain a flexible hybrid environment. By reusing your existing licenses with Azure Hybrid Benefit, you’re only paying for the additional infrastructure, whereas, with cloud services from other providers you would be required to pay for both the infrastructure and the server licenses.

How Can You Qualify for Azure Hybrid Benefit through Connection?

Achieve Cost Savings by applying your existing Windows Server, SQL Server licenses, and Linux subscriptions to Azure Hybrid Benefit. Customers can realize up to 76% in savings with Azure Hybrid Benefit for Linux.¹
Modernize and Manage a Flexible Hybrid Environment by utilizing Azure services with your on-premises infrastructure. Connection can help you modernize and manage your infrastructure and test cloud specific services with Azure solutions.
Leverage adjacent Azure services and benefits with Azure Hybrid Benefit. Offers and updates are available to maximize cost savings and optimize your business applications.

Your Account Team at Connection can help you navigate your Azure needs, from migrations to benefits and the optimization of your environment.

_{¹The 76% savings is based on one standard D2s v3 Azure VM with RHEL or SLES subscription in the East U.S. region running at a pay-as-you-go rate vs a reduced rate for a 3-year Reserved Instance. Based on Azure pricing as of October 2022. Prices subject to change. Actual savings may vary based on location, instance type, or usage.}

Makayla Mota

Makayla Mota is a Partner Marketing Specialist at Connection with a background in educational technology training on Microsoft solutions in the classroom. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, antiquing, hiking, and watching movies.