Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365 Cloud PC are Microsoft’s solutions for virtual desktops, designed to meet the demands of hybrid work. Both platforms simplify virtual desktop deployment but target different organizational needs. AVD offers extensive configuration options for larger environments, while Windows 365 Cloud PC prioritizes simplicity and fixed costs, making it ideal for smaller teams or individual users. Understanding their distinct features helps organizations choose the right platform for their IT infrastructure.
AVD and Windows 365 Cloud PC are Microsoft's innovative responses to the changing IT landscape. Introduced in late 2019 and mid-2021 respectively, these products significantly simplify the concept of virtual desktops, requiring little more than a Microsoft Azure subscription.
In the past, providing virtual desktops often meant compromising on user-friendly features or dealing with licensing complexities. Early virtual desktop advocates often faced resource-intensive setups, especially when creating a separate virtual desktop for each user.
Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 Cloud PC offer advantages over non-hosted desktops and applications. Microsoft's licensing model is appealing, granting holders of certain Microsoft 365 and Windows licenses access to Windows desktops and apps at no additional cost. This inclusive approach extends support across various systems, making it more cost-effective to provide individual virtual desktops to all remote employees.
Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is a modernized virtual desktop infrastructure that provides a specialized version of Windows 10 and 11. It allows multiple users to share an operating system, which helps reduce resource consumption. AVD offers flexibility for organizations, with IT admins having full administrative access to machine images for application installation and network optimization. Its consumption-based pricing model offers additional flexibility.
Windows 365 Cloud PC simplifies virtual desktop deployment by offering a user-friendly experience that conceals much of the underlying complexity. Unlike AVD, it does not include multi-session capabilities or user profile management, simplifying the setup process. Each user receives a dedicated desktop, with the user profile stored on the C: drive, and administrators can grant full local administration rights. Costs are transparent, depending only on the virtual desktop's configuration and chosen variant.
Users benefit from automatic background updates, eliminating traditional PC update interruptions. A key feature is the persistence of the cloud desktop's state; users can disconnect and reconnect later, resuming work exactly where they left off. This enhances productivity and flexibility across different devices. Once an administrator assigns licenses via Microsoft Endpoint Manager, users can access their desktop through a web portal or native clients for various operating systems.
The Business version of Windows 365 Cloud PC is designed for fully cloud-based structures, ideal for small teams without their own IT infrastructure. It does not offer direct integration into a company network. In contrast, the Enterprise variant allows integration into corporate networks via hybrid Microsoft Entra ID and VPN. Companies that need to integrate Cloud PCs into their existing infrastructure and use their own Windows images should select the Enterprise version.
The choice between AVD, Windows 365 Business, and Windows 365 Enterprise depends on an organization's specific needs.
Windows 365 Business is an ideal option for small environments or individual workstations that do not require extensive administration. For example, a small tax firm can securely enable a home office, or a dedicated Mac user can run a Windows-specific application. Setup and configuration are straightforward, providing fixed costs with user data and applications available from any location and device.
Windows 365 Enterprise targets medium-sized environments. It offers the benefits of a cloud-delivered desktop without requiring extensive knowledge beyond managing professional Windows PCs and laptops, all while providing predictable, easy-to-manage costs.
Azure Virtual Desktop offers the most configuration options, suitable for larger environments. Here, the costs of training, configuration, and management can be justified by the flexibility and dynamic scaling of resources.
Microsoft has built a dynamic ecosystem of partners around Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 to enhance the virtual desktop experience. Partners such as IGEL help secure and simplify endpoints that no longer run Windows, while Nerdio assists in simplifying management. ezeep plays a role in managing printing, making it as easy as managing a Cloud PC, and addressing printing challenges in hybrid and remote environments.
Users of Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop can rely on ezeep from day one. When printing is as easy as accessing a cloud desktop and applications, a hybrid work strategy truly succeeds.
Integrating ezeep with AVD and Windows 365 is essential for modern, hybrid-working environments. ezeep offers important enhancements for Windows 365 and AVD, including:
For both versions of Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop, ezeep is a suitable companion. ezeep meets the demands of enterprise IT and enables printing in complex and distributed environments. For business cloud PC users, the main focus is enabling the use of a central printer, which ezeep delivers reliably, especially since network printers are not easily accessible when cloud PCs are not integrated into the local network.
Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 Cloud PC represent a forward-thinking approach to virtual desktop technology. These solutions offer operational efficiency, reduced resource consumption, and simplified licensing and pricing structures. Built on ThinPrint technology, trusted by Fortune 500 organizations, ezeep processes millions of printed pages daily.
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