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What Is Azure Virtual Desktop?

A full Windows desktop streamed from the cloud to any device.

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is a Microsoft service that runs Windows desktops and applications in Azure and streams them to any device, so users get a full, managed work environment on a laptop, thin client, tablet or home PC. The data and applications stay in the cloud; only the screen travels.

What it is good for

  • Remote and hybrid staff who need a consistent, secure desktop from anywhere.
  • Contractors and seasonal workers who should not have company data on personal machines.
  • Demanding or sensitive applications (finance, CAD, practice management) that are easier to run in one controlled environment than on dozens of laptops.
  • Compliance. Data never leaves the cloud desktop, which simplifies device security and offboarding.
  • Replacing an aging Remote Desktop Services farm. AVD is the modern successor for most RDS use cases.

AVD vs RDS vs DaaS

Remote Desktop Services (RDS) is the on-premises predecessor: servers you own, hosting shared sessions. AVD is the Azure-native version with multi-session Windows 11, Microsoft 365 integration and Entra ID sign-in. "DaaS" (desktop as a service) is the generic category; AVD and Amazon WorkSpaces are both DaaS. See Amazon WorkSpaces vs Azure Virtual Desktop.

What it needs to run well

  • Reliable internet at each user's location; latency matters more than bandwidth.
  • Correctly sized session hosts and a plan to scale them down after hours to control cost.
  • Profile management so users' settings follow them.
  • Licensing through Microsoft 365 or Windows Enterprise per-user plans.
  • Security controls: MFA, Conditional Access, and the same endpoint protection you use on physical machines. See how to secure a remote workforce.

When it is not the answer

Users with poor connectivity, heavy graphics work without GPU-enabled hosts, or a small office where everyone is on-site with well-managed laptops.

Azure Virtual Desktop and Remote Desktop Services are part of Mentis Group's Managed Cloud Services, supported by our Azure consulting in Dallas-Fort Worth. See what Azure is used for for the broader picture.

Have a question about your own environment? Schedule a consultation with Mentis Group or call (866) 901-7808.