As more businesses move away from the traditional office setup and towards cloud-based infrastructure, virtual desktop tools such as Azure Virtual Desktop have become increasingly popular.
In a report from Gartner, the surge in end-user spending on cloud solutions went from $270 billion in 2020 to $332 billion in 2021, with a similar trend continuing into 2024 and the post-pandemic era as companies start to realise the benefits of cloud computing and virtual workspaces.
The shift to remote working was enforced during lockdown but since the advantages became clear to many organisations, the marketplace has not reverted back to the traditional office setup as was expected.
What is a Virtual Desktop?
A virtual desktop allows the user to access their workspace including any applications needed, from anywhere and using any device. Managed IT solutions providers can deploy virtual desktops from data centres that are accessible securely through the cloud.
This means that a staff member’s files and software needed for the job are not tied to any one place and can be accessed from a remote environment, on their mobile phone or laptop etc.
Users are presented with a virtualised version of their normal desktop and apps that is in every way the same as their normal office working experience except that all the components to facilitate this work are stored and operated remotely.
Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop Advantages for Business
Flexible Remote Working
Using Azure Virtual Desktop staff can get the flexibility of accessing their data and software from any location. Microsoft has further enhanced the product to allow it to work better in a multi-session environment with several users working on a single desktop.
Scalability
Virtual Desktops provide a more scalable approach to operations when compared with traditional desk spaces in an office-based environment. Using Azure Portal as a central management hub, users can change network settings, add or remove users, deploy apps and control security and access privileges.
This means with Azure Virtual Desktop scaling up or down operations is much more achievable without needing to invest in any extra infrastructure or equipment such as desktop PCs, servers, broadband connections and the furnishings themselves like desks and office chairs.
Data Security
Adopting Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop brings with it the inherent advantage of data security as with many cloud-based systems. According to Leftronic, 84% of IT executives had concerns over cloud security in 2020 during the transition to home working.
Azure Virtual Desktop provides a more secure method using reverse connect transport to establish the remote session, increasing the security of any data or files being processed or stored using Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop.
Enhanced Collaboration
Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop provides users with an improved ability to collaborate with their colleagues on any number of tasks. Many customers have praised the tool for its seamless integration with other Microsoft products as well as third-party applications.
Anyone whose business involves physical files such as graphic designs, written content, diagrams or plans will know how much of a headache it is to be constantly sending files here and there, checking if you have the latest version - yes this is the one containing the edits but are they the most recent edits? Absolute nightmare at times.
With Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop your files are cloud-based, meaning they can easily be accessed and updated live by anyone who needs to change them. This means you can have just one universal file for say a graphic design that is updated and changed by different parties as and when needed, rather than having several iterations of the same content.
Cost Effective
Compared with some of its competitors MS Azure Virtual Desktop is relatively inexpensive, with a number of useful features and benefits for a wide range of industries.
This means it is still a valid option for smaller-sized businesses that may have less budget for IT expenses and is also popular with larger enterprise-sized businesses who need to scale up operations or expand into new markets, whilst keeping the costs down.
Azure Virtual Desktop Proof of Concept
One of the key advantages of Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop is that they offer a free test drive of the product where you can check the effectiveness and compatibility of the system within your own business for up to 25 users.
From there you can see if Azure will work with your existing setup and decide if you want to deploy it on a larger scale. This is certainly a clear advantage for business owners who were thinking about adopting the Azure Virtual Desktop platform but perhaps worried that there may be compatibility issues and are unsure as to whether it would work correctly in their specific business environment on their technology and infrastructure.
Contact Lyon
At Lyon, we provide Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop as part of a full package of IT solutions and managed services.
We have a range of cloud data storage and remote working technologies we deploy to help a wide number of industries gain a more streamlined and efficient approach to the way they do business.
If you would like more information on Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop get in touch with our expert advisors today.
We can discuss what steps you need to take to prepare yourself for a switch over to Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop, decide whether or not your applications and current systems will be compatible with Azure, and help guide you through the process of moving to efficient remote working using virtual desktops as a scalable and secure method of doing business.
