Azure Virtual Desktop for Azure Stack HCI Now Generally Available

Cloud Computing

Key Takeaways:

  • Azure Virtual Desktop for Azure Stack HCI is designed for organizations seeking to run virtualized desktops and applications in on-premises environments.
  • The new service aims to enhance performance in regions with limited Azure cloud connectivity by placing session hosts closer to users.
  • However, certain features like autoscale and Azure Virtual Desktop Insights may not be available in this deployment scenario.

Microsoft has announced the general availability of Azure Virtual Desktop for Azure Stack HCI. The new service enables commercial customers to run virtualized desktops and applications in on-premises environments.

Azure Virtual Desktop is a cloud-based service that enables users to access virtualized Windows desktops and applications on multiple devices. The service is designed to be fully optimized for Windows 11 and Windows 10 multi-session capabilities, which enables users to share a virtual machine while ensuring isolation between user sessions.

Azure Stack HCI is a virtualized workload solution that allows organizations to run Windows and Linux apps and services in a hybrid environment. The service makes it easier for businesses to move their on-premises workloads to the cloud. Azure Stack HCI provides support for virtualization technologies such as Hyper-V, which allows users to run multiple virtual machines on a single server.

Azure Virtual Desktop for Azure Stack HCI enables organizations to provide session hosts closer to their users’ location. This helps to improve performance for regions with limited connectivity to the Azure public cloud. The solution also allows organizations to maintain residency requirements by keeping their user and app data in on-premises environments.

Additionally, Azure Virtual Desktop for Azure Stack HCI offers Windows 11 and 10 Enterprise multi-session capabilities to improve user experience and reduce cost. The service uses RDP Shortpath to ensure low-latency user access to optimize the overall performance.

Azure Virtual Desktop for Azure Stack HCI licensing requirements

According to Microsoft, users who want to use session hosts on Azure Stack HCI with Azure Virtual Desktop will need to license and activate the virtual machines. Additionally, administrators will be required to install the Azure Connected Machine agent on the virtual machines. The cost of running Azure Virtual Desktop on Azure Stack HCI will be determined based on three factors: user access rights, infrastructure costs, and hybrid service fees.

Microsoft notes that certain Azure Virtual Desktop features (such as autoscale, Azure Virtual Desktop Insights, and session host scaling with Azure Automation) will not be available when running session hosts on Azure Stack HCI. If you’re interested in learning more about how to deploy Azure Virtual Desktop for Azure Stack HCI, you can find more information on this support page.