{"id":59989,"date":"2020-09-15T12:06:29","date_gmt":"2020-09-15T11:06:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/?p=59989"},"modified":"2021-04-20T15:06:34","modified_gmt":"2021-04-20T14:06:34","slug":"getting-hands-on-with-windows-virtual-desktop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/2020\/09\/15\/getting-hands-on-with-windows-virtual-desktop\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Hands-On With Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD)"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_fullwidth_post_title categories=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” text_color=”light” _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#3d3d3d” custom_padding=”200px||100px||false|false”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_post_title][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.0″ header_3_text_color=”#e05206″ header_4_text_color=”#e05206″]<\/p>\n

This blog was co-authored by Tim Rohde, Azure Platform Engineer, N4Stack.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

So,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>let’s<\/span>\u00a0talk Windows Virtual Desktop<\/a> or WVD as the cool kids call it.<\/span> A direct replacement and competitor to Citrix and other VDI applications, it encompasses the Azure backbone and scaling capabilities whilst delivering a desktop fit for a multitude of users. Let\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>investigate<\/span>\u00a0what myself and Tim discovered and recommend whilst deploying, automating and configuring\u00a0<\/span>Windows Virtual Desktop<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/h4>\n

Deployments?<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

Let’s<\/span>\u00a0start with the nice and easy,\u00a0<\/span>clicky<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>clicky<\/span>\u00a0deployment or in Lehman\u2019s terms, the manual deployment. This is good for getting that quick and straight forward deployment out, go into the Azure Portal search for Host Pool and click create and run through\u2026 easy as pie.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget though, for this to work you\u2019ll need some form of Active Directory connection, whether that\u2019s Azure Native AD or a hybrid deployment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/h4>\n

Recommended deployment<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Use Azure Dev<\/span><\/span>O<\/span><\/span>ps, get a tasty pipeline created, couple that with some Terraform scripts and not only will you have a one click\u00a0<\/span><\/span>W<\/span><\/span>indows Virtual Desktop\u00a0<\/span><\/span>deployment, but if you need to add more hosts or remove some, just a simple change of variables and Terraform will cleverly check it\u2019s state file, feel like it\u2019s having d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu and remove or add resources for the extra session hosts.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

An example of a DevOps Pipeline. Source: MediaGlasses<\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What about managing costs?<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

The clever boffins at Microsoft have quite handily created some scaling scripts which allows us to set when session hosts power on and off, as well as how many session hosts should be kept on out of hours (which can also be configured).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get me wrong, once you start getting into bigger\u00a0<\/span>Windows Virtual Desktop<\/span>\u00a0deployments,\u00a0<\/span>the costs will start to rack up<\/span>\u00a0and will need to be reviewed regularly<\/span>\u00a0to ensure you are not overspending<\/span>, however, compare the costs between buying or upgrading laptops for each employee to spinning up session hosts for a group of users, you will find it to be quite comparable.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not only comparable, but after the usual 3-year cycle, the hosts will run as they were brand new!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are other methods to save costs, one of which is to use B-Series or Burstable VM\u2019s which, when left on constantly, during down times, accrue credits to be used at peak periods.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Profile management?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Ever heard of\u00a0<\/span>FSLogix<\/span>? Me neither, until we started to deploy\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Windows Virtual Desktop<\/span><\/span>. You install it on the session hosts, point it to\u00a0<\/span><\/span>an<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Azure Storage account or NetApp Share using some reg keys. There you have\u00a0<\/span><\/span>it;<\/span><\/span>\u00a0you have decoupled your\u00a0<\/span><\/span>user\u2019s<\/span><\/span>\u00a0windows profiles. So, no matter if you trash the session hosts or redeploy the environment, your users\u00a0<\/span><\/span>will not<\/span><\/span>\u00a0know!<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A diagram\u00a0<\/span>of the<\/span> Windows Virtual Desktop Architecture. Source: Microsoft.<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Imaging?<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

In conjunction with\u00a0FSLogix, why not go the whole hog and decouple your applications too. Make the\u00a0<\/span>Gold image as clean as possible and bolt on your apps.\u00a0<\/span>Use Packer to build your image and get anything used across the board baked in and then App Attach to bolt those apps.<\/span>\u00a0In preview, Azure\u2019s Image Builder, this uses Packer,\u00a0<\/span>however,<\/span>\u00a0can patch existing images<\/span>\u00a0and allows you to scale images globally. Just like Packer, it can be used to with existing pipelines such as DevOps.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Back(ups) in my<\/span>\u00a0day, you would have to back up the whole Virtual Machine, not now, save\u00a0<\/span>money,<\/span>\u00a0back up the profiles and the\u00a0<\/span>application VHDs!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What to expect from <\/span><\/span>Windows Virtual Desktop<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n

A strong and robust system <\/span>that is truly\u00a0<\/span>scalable.<\/span>\u00a0Not only\u00a0<\/span>that but<\/span>\u00a0couple it with\u00a0<\/span>Node4\u2019s current\u00a0<\/span>Microsoft<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>365\u00a0<\/span>offering<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0it will bring together the security of the cloud as well\u00a0<\/span>the benefits of cloud\u00a0<\/span>computing\u00a0<\/span>and a solution built for the future<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, wherever you are in your\u00a0<\/span>Microsoft 365\u00a0<\/span>adoption journey, we can take you further along it, so you get more value, as well as improved security and user experience.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#e05206″ _builder_version=”4.4.8″ background_color=”#e05206″ height=”4px”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_text_color=”#e05206″]<\/p>\n

Further Insights<\/h3>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.6.5″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.6.5″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_blurb title=”Case Study: Helping Novacroft With WVD Services” url=”https:\/\/info.n4stack.io\/hubfs\/N4Stack\/Case%20Studies\/N4Stack_Novacroft_Case%20Study.pdf” url_new_window=”on” image=”http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Download-Document_Grey-150×150.png” font_icon_last_edited=”off|desktop” _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _module_preset=”default” body_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” custom_padding=”10px|10px|10px|10px|false|false” link_option_url=”https:\/\/info.n4stack.io\/hubfs\/N4Stack\/Case%20Studies\/N4Stack_Novacroft_Case%20Study.pdf” link_option_url_new_window=”on” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” border_width_all=”2px” border_color_all=”#e05206″ box_shadow_style=”preset2″ font_icon__hover_enabled=”off|desktop”]<\/p>\n

Find out how we helped Novacroft to continue uninterrupted through Covid-19 uncertainty with a virtual desktop solution.<\/p>\n

Read case study.<\/a><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.6.5″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_blurb title=”7 Considerations When Pricing WVD” url=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-PcgwHRtccc” url_new_window=”on” image=”http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Video_Grey-150×150.png” font_icon_last_edited=”off|desktop” _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _module_preset=”default” body_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” custom_padding=”10px|10px|10px|10px|false|false” link_option_url=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-PcgwHRtccc” link_option_url_new_window=”on” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” border_width_all=”2px” border_color_all=”#e05206″ box_shadow_style=”preset2″ font_icon__hover_enabled=”off|desktop”]<\/p>\n

Grab a coffee and watch our short 2-minute video on the key pricing considerations when deploying Windows Virtual Desktop.<\/p>\n

Watch video.<\/a><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.6.5″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_blurb title=”Windows Virtual Desktop Overview” url=”https:\/\/info.n4stack.io\/hubfs\/N4Stack\/Datasheets\/N4Stack_Azure%20Windows%20Virtual%20Desktop.pdf” url_new_window=”on” image=”http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Download-Document_Grey-150×150.png” font_icon_last_edited=”off|desktop” _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _module_preset=”default” body_text_align=”center” text_orientation=”center” custom_padding=”10px|10px|10px|10px|false|false” link_option_url=”https:\/\/info.n4stack.io\/hubfs\/N4Stack\/Datasheets\/N4Stack_Azure%20Windows%20Virtual%20Desktop.pdf” link_option_url_new_window=”on” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” border_width_all=”2px” border_color_all=”#e05206″ box_shadow_style=”preset2″ font_icon__hover_enabled=”off|desktop”]<\/p>\n

Download our WVD datasheet for more information on the benefits of a WVD deployment and what to expect from our team of Azure experts.<\/p>\n

Download datasheet.<\/a><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_text=”Bevelled-1920″ background_image=”http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Bevelled-1920.jpg” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” type=”4_4″][et_pb_team_member name=”Joe Parr” position=”Azure Platform Engineer” image_url=”http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Joe-Parr-300×300.png” admin_label=”Joe Parr” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_text_align=”left” position_text_align=”left” background_image=”http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Bevelled-1920.jpg” max_width=”100%” module_alignment=”center” hover_enabled=”0″ global_module=”60114″ saved_tabs=”all” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n

Joe has been in IT for 8 years now, falling into an IT apprenticeship after being turned down from a Mechanics course.<\/p>\n

He has worked up the ranks through first line, systems administrator and managing the internal infrastructure of a business but is now pursuing his ambition of working with cloud computing.<\/p>\n

Get to know more about Joe here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Getting Hands-On With Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) This blog was co-authored by Tim Rohde, Azure Platform Engineer, N4Stack. So,\u00a0let’s\u00a0talk Windows Virtual Desktop or WVD as the cool kids call it. A direct replacement and competitor to Citrix and other VDI applications, it encompasses the Azure backbone and scaling capabilities whilst delivering a desktop fit for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":60120,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[487,8115,8114],"tags":[8113],"yst_prominent_words":[623,7425,7423,5530,2005,1029,8023,4241,1865,7429,7744,1904,5043,5177,2819,5176,5166],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59989"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59989"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59989\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61390,"href":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59989\/revisions\/61390"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59989"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/content.n4stack.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=59989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}