Why You Should Switch from VMWare Horizon VDI to Azure AVD

Introduction

If you are using VMWare Horizon VDI to deliver virtual desktops and applications to your remote workers, you might be wondering if there is a better alternative. In this article, we will explain why Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is a superior solution that offers more flexibility, scalability, security, and integration with Microsoft products and services.

Benefits of Azure Virtual Desktop

Azure Virtual Desktop is a cloud-based service that allows you to create and manage virtual desktops and applications on Azure.

With AVD, you can:

Reduce costs and complexity by eliminating the need for on-premises infrastructure and licensing.
Scale up or down on demand, paying only for what you use.
Enhance security and compliance by leveraging Azure’s built-in features and tools, such as Azure Active Directory, Azure Backup, Azure Security Center, and Azure Sentinel.
Improve performance and user experience by accessing desktops and applications from any device and location, using Azure’s global network of regions and data centers.
Integrate seamlessly with Microsoft 365, Azure, and other Microsoft products and services, using single sign-on, shared identity, and common management tools.

Advantages of Microsoft 365 Licensing

One of the biggest benefits of switching to AVD is that you can take advantage of Microsoft 365 licensing, which includes: Microsoft 365 apps

Windows 11 Enterprise multi-session, which allows you to run multiple concurrent sessions on a single virtual machine, saving resources and
costs.
Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, which gives you access to the latest versions of Office applications, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Microsoft Endpoint Manager, which helps you manage and secure your devices, apps, and data across your organization.
Microsoft Teams, which enables you to communicate and collaborate with your colleagues and customers through chat, voice, video, and file sharing.
Microsoft Power Platform, which empowers you to create and automate workflows, apps, and reports using low-code or no-code tools.

Opportunities for AI Innovation

Another reason to switch to AVD is that you can leverage the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance your business processes and outcomes. With AVD, you can:

Use Azure Cognitive Services to add vision, speech, language, and decision capabilities to your apps.
Use Azure Machine Learning to build, train, and deploy machine learning models on your data.
Use Azure Synapse Analytics to analyze and visualize your data at scale.
Use Copilot, a new AI-powered assistant that helps you write code faster and better.

Considerations for Migration

Switching from VMWare Horizon VDI to Azure AVD is not a trivial task, and it requires careful planning and execution. Some of the considerations you need to take into account are:

Your current and future business needs and goals, such as the number and type of users, applications, and devices.
Your existing and desired architecture, design, and configuration, such as the network, storage, security, and governance aspects.
Your migration strategy and approach, such as the tools, methods, and phases you will use to move your workloads and data.
Your migration costs and benefits, such as the expected return on investment, savings, and risks.

Conclusion

As you can see, Azure Virtual Desktop is a modern and comprehensive solution that offers many benefits over VMWare Horizon VDI. By switching to AVD, you can reduce costs and complexity, improve security and performance, integrate with Microsoft products and services, and take advantage of AI opportunities. However, you also need to consider the challenges and implications of migrating to AVD and prepare accordingly. If you are considering making the transition, now is the time to act. Take advantage of our special no cost migration offer to Azure for VMware users today!