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July 02, 2021

Azure Virtual Desktop (formerly Windows Virtual Desktop)

Azure Virtual Desktop

Azure Virtual Desktop - Windows Virtual Desktop is not just Windows Virtual Desktop anymore!

Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop has changed with the "global pandemic" times, both with its new name - Azure Virtual Desktop - and new capabilities! It's been nearly impossible to miss the essential Microsoft Azure change, but in case you did - Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) is now Azure Virtual Desktop (AZD) and here's why.

Azure Virtual Desktop: Demanding Workforce Changes and Support

A few years back, Windows Virtual Desktop arrived in all its glory - unfortunately not so long after, so did an international pandemic. According to Microsoft Azure, it became a fast reality that organizations all around the world were turning to Windows Virtual Desktop for support with the migration of important data and apps to the cloud to allow their workforces to work remotely with "resilience and agility." From healthcare to educators to engineers, and more - Windows Virtual Desktop offered a secure, easy-to-manage, and productive remote computing experience with Windows 10 from the cloud.

Cut to early June 2021, and Microsoft announces changing the name of Windows Virtual Desktop to Azure Virtual Desktop, along with new capabilities, new pricing, and broader and ever-changing support for the needs of these organizations and their staffs. And, as workforces continued and continue to work remotely or take-on a hybrid approaches, WVD became AZD - "a flexible cloud VDI platform for nearly every use case - accessible from virtually anywhere." The idea being that the new expansive platform is secure, scalable, flexible, and easy to manage, while delivering a seamless, high-performance experience to users.

Azure Virtual Desktop: New and Ongoing Technical Capabilities

You'll want to watch the Azure Virtual Desktop space for ongoing support and capabilities, but a few came right along with the expanded name change itself. From a recent Microsoft update:

  • Enhanced support for Azure Active Directory - For joining your Azure Virtual Desktop virtual machines directly to Azure Active Directory (AAD) and connecting to virtual machines from any device with basic credentials. Automatically enroll virtual machines with Microsoft Endpoint Manager.
  • Manage Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session virtual machines with Microsoft Endpoint Manager (InTune) - Enroll Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session Azure Virtual Desktop virtual machines in Microsoft Endpoint Manager and manage them in the Microsoft Endpoint Manager admin center the same way as shared physical devices.
  • Deploy-in-Minutes Onboarding experience - Streamlined onboarding experience for Azure Virtual Desktop in the Azure portal. This validate requirements, kicks off an automated deployment, and also implements best practices. With only a few clicks, set up a full Azure Virtual Desktop environment in your Azure subscription.


For more updates and new capabilities, go to -->

What's New in Azure Virtual Desktop

Azure Virtual Desktop