Azure Virtual Desktop – The future of cloud computing

About 14 years ago I read an article in a magazine from an engineer that was part of the IBM datacentre team. At the time I was heavily involved with IBM working as a contractor, helping build data centres for Computer Associates, NAB, ANZ, and Bendigo Bank then finished my contracting career with the Department of Defence before I took on my next challenge … building my data centre.

In the article, in short, this engineer explains that the next computing platform will be based on the cloud, he called it cloud computing. I went to my business partner at the time, and said “have a read of this article and tell me what you think!”. He laughed and said “the cloud” it will come and go, I give it 2-years. It’s a gimmick like Y2K (the year 2000 mellinium bug).

I was fascinated, I had never heard of the cloud, and this article went into a lot of detail about what cloud computing was based on.

It explained the cloud:

•   will be based on more software than hardware.
  That software will play a bigger role in rapid deployment
•   structured networking, how networks will seamlessly interconnect
  We call this SD-WAN now
•   remote access with be the normal
  It started with Remote Desktop, now remote access is part of everyday access
•  that eventually we wouldn’t need such high-powered computers/devices
  That the data centre will do all the processing … look at our smartphones and tablets
•  connect and work from anywhere
  Well this is self-explanatory, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic

We all connect to multiple services from one or multiple devices. In theory, what we are doing is utilising our bandwidth to connect to these multiple clouds.

He also went on to explain that cloud computing will end up being one day … just computing. This is the point I am hoping you are reading too. Over the years I have been heavily involved in working with VMware, I have been a VMware partner for 22 years, used VMware for 25 years, since the day the first version was released. But I now don’t believe VMware is the platform anymore.

I believe the whole cloud computing will eventually be computing, I believe this is now based on the Microsoft Azure platform, their virtual network platform and how it is integrated into Microsoft 365.

Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (formerly known as Windows Virtual Desktop) is a cloud-based virtualization solution offered by Microsoft. It enables organizations to provide virtual desktops and remote applications to their users, allowing them to access their desktops and applications from anywhere and on any device with an internet connection.

Azure Virtual Desktop leverages Microsoft’s Azure cloud infrastructure and provides a scalable and flexible platform for deploying and managing virtual desktop environments. It supports multi-session Windows 10, Windows Server, and Windows 7 virtual desktops, which can be accessed by users using various devices like Windows PCs, Macs, tablets, and mobile devices.

Here are some key features and benefits of Azure Virtual Desktop:

1. Flexible Deployment: Azure Virtual Desktop allows you to quickly deploy and manage virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) in the cloud. You can create and manage virtual machines, define virtual networks, and configure user access based on your organization’s requirements.
2. Multi-session Windows 10: Azure Virtual Desktop supports a unique capability known as multi-session, which allows multiple users to connect and work on a single virtual machine concurrently. This helps optimize resource utilization and reduces costs compared to traditional VDI solutions.
3. Integration with Microsoft 365: Azure Virtual Desktop integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365, allowing users to access and use familiar Office applications and other productivity tools within their virtual desktop environment.
4. Scalability and Performance: With Azure’s global infrastructure, you can easily scale your virtual desktop environment based on the changing needs of your organization. Azure Virtual Desktop supports high-performance virtual machines and provides options for GPU-accelerated workloads.
5. Security and Compliance: Azure Virtual Desktop includes various security features to protect your virtual desktop environment. It integrates with Azure Active Directory for user authentication and provides features like conditional access policies, role-based access control (RBAC), and network security groups to ensure data security.
6. Cost Optimization: Azure Virtual Desktop allows you to optimize costs by dynamically adjusting the number of virtual machines based on usage. It also offers options for reserved instances and spot pricing, which can further reduce costs.
7. Management and Monitoring: Azure Virtual Desktop provides management tools and monitoring capabilities to help you efficiently manage and monitor your virtual desktop infrastructure. You can use Azure Portal, PowerShell scripts, or REST APIs to manage and automate tasks.

Azure Virtual Desktop offers a flexible and scalable solution for organizations looking to provide virtual desktops and remote application access to their users. It simplifies the management and deployment of virtual desktop infrastructure while providing a secure and productive environment for end-users.

Fast-forward 14 years to now, I have built my own datacentre, hosted servers, databases, email and custom built network. I have evolved with every version of VMware as they upgraded. Upgraded my datacentre from my own premises to IBM Cloud and Equinix on the metal platform. Now to Microsoft Azure to create what I believe is the next computing platform … based on the cloud.

History of cloud computing with IBM:
https://www.ibm.com/cloud/blog/cloud-computing-history

More information about Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop:
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/virtual-desktop

If you would like to see Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop in action, visit the link below and make a time with us to understand your requirements better:
https://calendly.com/trevor-mifsud/setup-a-new-corporate-virtual-cloud-environment