In a recent move that can be dubbed as one of strategic importance, Microsoft has re-branded its Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) to Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). This marks a significant shift in the tech giant’s positioning of its cloud based offering.
The Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD), which has been around for nearly two years now, was Microsoft’s cloud based Desktop as a Service (DaaS) offering. What made WVD stand out from the competition was it being the only multi session Windows environment.
When we say multi session, we mean a multisession Windows environment that is fully licensed by Microsoft. Being the owner of the Windows operating system (OS), such an offering could only be floated in the market by Microsoft.
The tech giant leveraged this competitive edge to its fullest advantage. In addition to this, leading WVD partners like Citrix were able to provide much enhanced DaaS offerings of their own, resulting in unprecedented spike in global demand.
Being a Citrix partner itself, dinCloud was also able to provide highly customizable Windows based Cloud Hosted Virtual Desktops via its cloud infrastructure. The recent move by Microsoft to reposition WVD as Azure Virtual Desktop further broadens its scope.
Right now, the demand for DaaS solutions is witnessing unprecedented highs, as more and more enterprises adopt Work from Home (WFH) and hybrid work policies. The AVD has been developed as a highly flexible cloud based VDI offering.
Some of the key enhancements to AVD include the elimination of a domain controller. This has been done to reduce both the setup cost and also simplify the deployment process. Another capability that is just around the corner is support for Single Sign-on (SSO).
Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) powered Virtual Machines (VM) can now be made a part of Microsoft Endpoint Manager as well. This will improve the visibility of VMs, while also simplifying policy management issues.
Enterprise users will be the best judge on whether this rebranding of WVD to Azure Virtual Desktop does actually live up to the hype and expectation. Till such time, let us all keep our fingers crossed.
