We are excited to announce the general availability of Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) for Microsoft 365 Business Subscribers. WVD provides the full Windows 10 desktop experience on any device or browser, enabling your employees to be securely productive from anywhere.
What is Windows Virtual Desktop?
Not all employees sit in an office, use only one device, or always work from secure locations. As a result, many companies see an advantage in delivering the desktop experience for some of their workforce using virtualization. However, server-based desktop virtualization has limitations in user experience and compatibility. As a result, it cannot support a true modern desktop. Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) service takes away the complexity of running the infrastructure needed for a virtual desktop environment and replaces it with a service. Administrators no longer need to worry about brokers, gateways, and web servers; all of this complexity is replaced by the WVD service.
Windows Virtual Desktop is a comprehensive desktop and app virtualization service running on Azure. It’s the only virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) that delivers simplified management, multi-session Windows 10, optimizations for Office, and support for Remote Desktop Services (RDS) environments. With WVD, your employees can access any remote app on any device, while you can maintain central management & security of your users’ desktops. Learn more about WVD in this Mechanics Video
Benefits of WVD
Windows Virtual Desktop puts you in control by:
- Providing seamless multi- user Windows 10 experience that’s highly scalable & always up to date.
- Supporting any end-user device platform including Windows, Android, Mac, iOS, and HTML 5.
- Deploying and scaling in minutes. WVD allows you to manage users and security via a unified administrative interface in the Azure Portal.
Scenarios where deploying WVD might be beneficial for SMBs:
- An SMB using Remote Desktop Services (RDS) today - WVD simplifies the licensing and costs less.
- An SMB with a seasonal workforce can provide secure, modern, up to date Windows 10 experience in the cloud.
- Medical billers and transcriptionists can use Office apps and their electronic health record (EHR) app in a secure cloud environment, with all sensitive patient data remaining in the cloud at all times.
- Warehouse workers can access desktop shipping and inventory apps from their iOS or Android devices while working in a harsh environment
- Medical staff (Nurses, EMTs, etc) can access electronic health apps from low cost handheld devices while mobile or away from a central workstation
- Business owners and accounting staff can access accounting software from home or mobile device, and the accounting data remains secure in a central location.
Secure remote access with WVD and Microsoft 365 Business
Since Microsoft 365 Business is one of the eligible plans that supports WVD, customers can Access Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 7 Enterprise at no additional cost, enabling a seamless desktop virtualization experience that empowers your employees to access any remote app securely. Learn more on our product page and get started with Windows Virtual Desktop today.
If you’re a partner and want to learn more about Windows Virtual Desktop, visit the Azure Partner Zone page for Windows Virtual Desktop.
