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Azure Virtual Desktop explained

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Azure Virtual Desktop explained

What Azure Virtual Desktop is: host pools, session hosts, multi-session Windows, FSLogix profiles, and when it beats Windows 365 or a physical desktop.

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01

FSLogix profiles

On a pooled host, a user might connect to different VMs every day. FSLogix solves the "where does the user profile live" problem by mounting the profile from an Azure Files share (or Azure NetApp Files for scale) as a V…

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02

Image management

You build a custom image in the Azure Compute Gallery, then attach it to a host pool. When you update the image, existing hosts don't upgrade — you either replace the pool's hosts (rolling drain-and-rebuild) or accept i…

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03

Networking

Session hosts live in a VNet you own in your Azure subscription. That means all the classic Azure networking is on the table: peered VNets, ExpressRoute, VPN, custom DNS, NSGs, Azure Firewall, Private Endpoints for the…

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04

When AVD is the right answer

Pick AVD when:

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05

When AVD is the wrong answer

Pick Windows 365 instead when:

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06

Where to go next

The direct comparison is in Windows 365 vs Azure Virtual Desktop and the Cloud PC side is in Windows 365 explained. For the identity and Conditional Access story that applies to both, see Entra ID conditional access des…

Solving Microsoft 365 · www.solvingmicrosoft365.com/guides/azure-virtual-desktop-explained

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