If your AVD environment is built entirely on cloud-only or external Entra ID identities — no on-prem AD, no Entra Domain Services — you can still give users FSLogix roaming profiles on Azure Files. Microsoft Entra Kerberos handles the ticket issuance, so the storage account can authenticate users over SMB without any line-of-sight to a
How to pull reliable last-logon data for Azure Virtual Desktop users straight from Log Analytics — without hand-rolling REST calls or asking an LLM to stitch your query results back together. Why last logon matters for AVD If you run AVD at any real scale, ‘when did this user last actually log on’ turns out
If you’ve ever sat in a design workshop and had someone ask “so which identity model should we use for AVD?”, you know it’s rarely a one-line answer. Identity is the foundation every other AVD decision sits on top of — FSLogix profile containers, MFA policy, Conditional Access, session host domain join, even how Single
What Are Context-Based Redirections? Context-Based Redirections is a Preview feature in Azure Virtual Desktop that lets you control peripheral and device redirection — clipboard, drives, printers, USB — based on the compliance state of the connecting device, rather than applying a blanket allow or deny for all users. Instead of a binary on/off toggle on
This is Part II of a two-part series. In Part I (whyazure.in), we walked through Error 0x3000047 — a session host showing Unavailable while the VM itself was perfectly healthy. We diagnosed a broken RDAgentBootLoader, attempted a scripted reinstall that hung on stuck services, fell back to GUI installers, hit MSI error 1603 from a
Every Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, StoreFront, or NetScaler deployment eventually comes back to the same quiet, unglamorous component: the License Server. Nothing in the environment will check out a license, and admins will not get usage data, unless this piece is installed and configured correctly. This walkthrough covers the full process from running the
If you manage Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) long enough, you’ll eventually hit a session host that looks perfectly healthy in the Azure portal — VM running, network fine, disk attached — yet refuses to let anyone connect. Here’s a walkthrough of one such incident, the error code behind it, and the troubleshooting path that eventually
Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) has become the go-to solution for enterprises delivering scalable, secure, and cost-effective virtual desktops in the cloud. However, running Windows session hosts in the cloud does not make them immune to threats — quite the opposite. With users connecting from diverse endpoints and networks, AVD environments present an attractive target for
A Layered Security Strategy Azure Virtual Desktop is not just another workload. It is the front door to your enterprise — a surface where hundreds of users connect daily, carrying credentials, accessing sensitive data, and running line-of-business applications on shared infrastructure. Yet in many organizations, AVD security is treated as an afterthought: a single policy
Today I am going to share with you a production-ready Intune Detection & Remediation script pair for enforcing RDP Shortpath configuration on session hosts running Azure Virtual Desktop. These scripts are designed for deployment using Proactive Remediations in Microsoft Intune. Scenario Covered This pair ensures: UDP transport is enabled Managed Private Shortpath is enabled Managed
Choosing between Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365 (W365) is not just about delivering a cloud desktop — it’s about aligning the solution with your organization’s size, complexity, scalability needs, and IT maturity. Based on the uploaded presentation, the positioning of both solutions clearly highlights their architectural intent and operational differences . Let’s break
As organizations accelerate their cloud transformation journey, Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) solutions are becoming central to modern workplace strategies. Microsoft offers two powerful solutions in this space: Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365 (W365). While both deliver Windows desktops from the cloud, their architecture, management model, scalability, and cost structures differ significantly. This blog provides a
Admins can use Windows Autopilot device preparation to provision Windows 365 Frontline shared devices, with a few important clarifications. What this means in practice Windows Autopilot device preparation (WADP) is the lightweight Autopilot method (cloud-native, faster than traditional Autopilot). It works well for Windows 365 Frontline shared mode, where multiple users sign in to the
In my last post we have discussed in detail about Windows Cloud Keyboard Input Protection (Preview), in today’s post step by step implementation guide. Before enabling Windows Cloud Keyboard Input Protection, ensure the following prerequisites are met: 1. Supported Workloads Windows 365 Enterprise Cloud PCs Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) This feature is designed specifically for
As organizations increasingly adopt Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) to enable hybrid and remote work, endpoint security has become one of the most critical—and challenging—areas to address. While identity, network, and platform security in the cloud have matured significantly, keyboard input on endpoint devices has remained a vulnerable attack surface. This is exactly
Recently, I had the opportunity to demonstrate my agentic AI solution for creating architecture diagrams for Azure resources—such as Azure Virtual Desktop—at the Bhutan Microsoft Community Agentic AI Hackathon. The hackathon saw enthusiastic participation from many students, and it was truly a pleasure to present my solution to such an engaged and curious audience. Interacting
Microsoft Ignite 2025 delivered some powerful updates across the Microsoft Cloud ecosystem, but for those of us working deeply with Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365, this year’s announcements mark an important shift. The desktop virtualization landscape is evolving from virtual desktops to intelligent, agent-powered cloud environments. Windows 365: Major Innovations Announced at Ignite
Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) continues innovating with features that simplify host management and enhance performance for organizations running virtual desktop infrastructures. With the public preview of ephemeral OS disk support, enterprises can now leverage a new approach for session host creation, tailored for stateless workloads that value speed, scalability, and cost optimization. What Are
In my last August blog post I have discussed about the Concurrency Assignment in Windows 365 Frontline Dedicated Mode, in this article I am showing you the step by step guide to configure the same. 1. Understand Licensing and Concurrency Rules Each Windows 365 Frontline license in dedicated mode allows the assignment of up to
In part 1 of the blog here, I have written about the support of external identities of Microsoft. In part 2 of this blog, I will try to put the Concepts into Practice with the help of PowerShell. In Part 1, we introduced the groundbreaking preview feature allowing the use of Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD)
Microsoft continues to expand the flexibility and reach of Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) with new preview capabilities. One of the most impactful announcements is the support for external identities in Azure Virtual Desktop. This feature enables organizations to securely extend AVD resources to users outside their core Azure Active Directory tenant—such as partners, contractors, or
Today marks a monumental step forward in the evolution of remote desktop technology. In a world where hybrid work and cloud computing are the new normal, the reliability and performance of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) have never been more critical. The experience is only as good as the network connection supporting it. That is why
In today’s dynamic work environment, the lines between roles and responsibilities are increasingly blurred. Many professionals find themselves context-switching frequently, needing distinct environments for different tasks – a developer moving between frontend and backend, a tester shifting from staging to production, or a consultant managing multiple client engagements. Previously, managing these diverse needs within a
In the modern workplace, flexibility and scalability are essential when providing employees with secure, high-performance computing options. Microsoft’s Windows 365 Frontline offers organizations the ability to deliver Cloud PCs to shift and frontline workers, making enterprise-grade computing power accessible to everyone. One of the key elements in ensuring that this solution runs efficiently is the
The desktop as a service (DaaS) market has come a long way from being a niche technology or a stopgap for remote work. Today, it is shaping up to become one of the central pillars of digital workspace strategy for organizations of all sizes. Gartner’s 2025 Magic Quadrant for Desktop as a Service (DaaS) provides
As the demand for resilient and always-available cloud environments continues to grow, Microsoft is stepping up its game in business continuity and disaster recovery for Windows 365 Cloud PCs. In an upcoming update, Windows 365 will offer two robust disaster recovery options, empowering IT admins to plan and recover faster in the event of outages
Microsoft is making a significant upgrade to its network infrastructure that directly benefits Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365 users. In a move that reflects its commitment to delivering low-latency, high-performance remote desktop experiences globally, Microsoft is expanding its TURN relay support from 14 to over 40 regions worldwide. This change might sound technical,
