VDI solutions were introduced to the market in 2006. They provided a customized desktop experience, no matter where or what device the user was using. VDI offers greater flexibility and mobility but also provides more security and easier management than managing individual PCs.

Those who have implemented VDI have encountered some challenges. On-premises solutions, for example, require a significant investment in infrastructure as well as IT staff to set up, maintain, and upgrade the environment. Cost-wise, even cloud-based software can be challenging to manage. Understanding licensing models can make your head spin. Cloud-based solutions require IT expertise to maintain and deploy the environment.

Now, fast forward to the introduction of desktop-as-a-service. VDI is very similar to DaaS, but one major difference is that DaaS uses a cloud-based solution. In a DaaS implementation, the host provides all the resources required to run desktop environments and applications. The IT staff does not have to worry about maintenance or management. The solution is based on consumption, which means that there are cost savings when moving from a capital expenditure model to an operating model based on OPEX (not to mention autoscaling). DaaS offers a number of benefits, including easier software patch management, faster migrations, and quicker provisioning of new users.

Who are the major players in the DaaS market? You may have guessed that Amazon and Microsoft are the two biggest players in this space. We will be focusing on Microsoft’s Windows Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (WVD). This is for two main reasons. Microsoft offers a new licensing system called Microsoft 365, which bundles a number of services under a single license. AWS does not do this. Microsoft also offers exclusive features like multisession desktops and FSLogix. Let’s dive a bit deeper.

Windows Virtual Desktop Key features

Microsoft 365 combines the traditional Office 365 features with Enterprise Mobility and Security and Windows 10 Licensing. This gives users a complete solution for cloud productivity. Windows 10 Enterprise licenses can be used to license virtual desktops within Windows Virtual Desktop deployments without any additional costs. Office 365 E3 is included in the license set and provides all of the features found in Office 365 (Exchange Online 1TB OneDrive Sharepoint Teams Office ProPlus Suite). Enterprise Mobility and Security licensing allows administrators to use solutions like Microsoft Intune, MDM Azure, and MFA Advance Threat Protection Email Hygiene and Security. They are essential for keeping your cloud infrastructure safe – again, they are provided at no extra cost.

Customers benefit from enhanced security in the Azure platform. There are three benefits to WVD. Reverse connect technology reduces the attack surface. This means that inbound ports are not opened to VMs, so there are fewer places where bad actors can attack. The ability to define RBAC allows customers to separate administrative tasks while protecting sensitive user groups and workloads. Finally, the sessions of users are isolated even when there is a multi-session environment.

Windows 10 Enterprise Multisession Capability is Exclusively Available from WVD. Multisession capabilities allow you to reduce the number and overhead of virtual machines while still providing the same resources for your users. Multisession allows for multiple interactive sessions at once, which Windows Server was previously only capable of. This provides a better user experience, with the look and feel, comfort, and functionality of a Windows 10 computer.

WVD Removes the Need for Multiple Gateway Servers.WVD enables you to create an entire desktop virtualization environment within your Azure subscription without needing to run an additional gateway server. This allows you to avoid the complex management of multiple servers, which is common in remote desktop deployments. You can also skip the manual updating and patching of servers.

FSLogix profile enhancements bring relief. IT administrators have long struggled with the management of virtual desktop profiles. FSLogix reduces headaches through a vastly improved profile management system via Profile Containers. FSLogix is not required to be licensed separately; it comes bundled with WVD licenses.

The right expertise ensures cost optimization: Computer and storage account for approximately 90% of total Azure costs, so focusing on strategies to reduce these components’ costs is essential. Azure Reserved Instances can be used to run desktop workloads on virtual machines. This is a simple solution. Implementing autoscaling is the second and most critical step. Autoscaling relies on Dynamic Host pools that grow and shrink automatically based on desktop images and workload. Costs can be cut by as much as 75% when desktop VMs are created on demand and destroyed once they’re no longer required. These strategies can only be implemented if IT resources are available to manage the environment properly.

Nick Stover is Mindsight’s Cloud Solution Architect. He says that DaaS offers a cost-effective option for organizations while delivering a better user experience to its remote workforce. It is also a fully managed solution. This means that the management and maintenance of the environment are in the hands of the service provider.