Azure Virtual Desktop Pricing and Migration Explained

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) offers a cloud-focused, flexible, and cost-effective solution for remote desktop services. It provides fully-managed multi-session Windows 10/11 Enterprise with Office 365 ProPlus directly from the cloud. This guide will walk you through AVD pricing considerations and show you how to approach migration.

What Is Azure Virtual Desktop?

Azure Virtual Desktop is Microsoft's modern cloud-based desktop virtualization service. It replaces traditional Windows Remote Desktop Services with a more efficient and flexible approach, allowing users to access virtualized desktops and applications from virtually any device.

Key features of Azure Virtual Desktop:

1. Azure Virtual Desktop is the only service offering fully-managed multi-session Windows 10/11 Enterprise with Office 365 ProPlus from the cloud.
2. The service supports a number of operating systems, including Windows 10/11 multi-session, Windows 10/11 single-session, Windows 7 single-session, Windows Server 2012 R2, and newer operating systems.
3. On the hardware side, you can provide AVD to all kinds of devices, including Windows PCs, Macs, iPads, iPhones, and Android devices. It is also accessible via any modern browser with the HTML5 client.

4. The advantages over traditional remote desktop services (RDS) are many, with the most significant being its pay-as-you-go model and the ability to pool resources, which significantly lowers costs. Deployment is easier, and users get a more natural desktop performance. Finally, everyone can access desktops and applications centrally, while admins no longer need to manage and secure windows, applications, and data on every user’s local computer.
5. The main requirement for AVD is an Azure subscription, which will include your business's required storage, virtual machines, and compute resources. Full and up-to-date details are available on the Microsoft Azure site.
6. Remember, Azure Virtual Desktop is not a one-stop shop for all your needs. Just providing a desktop is not always enough; you will need supporting integrations to make it fully functional for your team. Official launch partners include CloudJumper, IGEL, and ezeep. ezeep connects existing print infrastructure to AVD, bridging the gap between hardware and the cloud for the best printing experience possible.

What About Azure Virtual Desktop Pricing?

Azure Virtual Desktop pricing follows a pay-what-you-use model, making it cost-effective because you only pay for the Azure Virtual Machines and Azure Storage consumed by users during use. This can lead to substantial savings compared to other remote desktop offerings.

However, getting an exact cost estimate for AVD upfront can be challenging due to many variables that differ for each unique environment. Decision-makers need to consider factors such as the number of VMs and the level of management they are willing to undertake.

Your best approach is to consult the AVD portal to determine the most suitable plan for your organization. For instance, if you plan to reserve your virtual machines in advance for a yearly or three-year period, explore the Azure Reserved VM Instances (RIs) page. Microsoft also provides several Azure Virtual Desktop pricing examples and a pricing calculator on the Azure website.

Azure Virtual Desktop Migration

The overall flexibility and long-term savings, coupled with appealing licensing, make Azure Virtual Desktop an appealing option for many organizations. Once you confirm AVD is the right fit, you'll need the technical expertise for migration. The process is not entirely straightforward, so consulting deployment videos and resources online can aid your Azure Virtual Desktop Migration.