Rethinking VDI? Why Azure Virtual Desktop Could Be Your Answer
- Read Time: 6 mins.
That email from Broadcom arrived. VMware licensing changes. Price increases. For many IT leaders, it was the latest catalyst to ask a question they’d been avoiding: Is there a better way to handle virtual desktops?
It’s not that traditional VDI is broken. It’s that it has become expensive, complex, and—in many cases—harder to justify. More infrastructure to manage. More patches to apply. More costs piling up. And now, licensing changes continue to accelerate what has become clear for many: there’s a simpler path forward.
For a growing number of organizations, that path is Azure Virtual Desktop.
In this article...
- What Azure Virtual Desktop is and why it’s replacing traditional VDI
- Key differences between AVD and legacy VDI platforms
- Why licensing and cost are driving change
- Cloud, hybrid and on-premise options with Azure Local
- Built-in security and real-world use cases
- How HBS helps you evaluate AVD with a low-risk Pilot
What Is Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD)?
Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is Microsoft’s cloud-based platform for delivering secure Windows desktops and applications securely from Azure. You could think of it as VDI in Azure, but without the infrastructure challenges.
With AVD, your users get access to Windows 11 desktops from anywhere, on any device. You can also deploy Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022, and 2025 environments depending on your needs.
The key difference is that Microsoft manages the platform services: the connection brokers, gateways, and load balancing. Your team gets centralized control without babysitting the infrastructure.
Why Some Organizations Are Moving Away from Traditional VDI
Legacy VDI platforms like Omnissa Horizon (formerly VMware Horizon) were built for a different era.
They require you to manage:
- Connection brokers
- Gateways
- Load balancers
- Web access
- Monitoring and availability systems
That means more infrastructure to maintain, more patches to apply, more potential failure points—and ultimately—more cost.
Azure Virtual Desktop flips this model. Microsoft manages the core platform services. You’re free to focus on desktops, applications and users.
Azure Virtual Desktop vs. Traditional VDI
The Azure Licensing Advantage Most Organizations Miss
We often see organizations overlook one of the biggest plusses of AVD: they probably already own the licenses needed.
If you use:
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium
- Microsoft 365 E3 or E5
You are already licensed for Azure Virtual Desktop.
That includes access to Windows 11 Enterprise for AVD.
What that means:
- No separate desktop OS licensing
- No Omnissa Horizon (formerly VMware Horizon) licensing
- No RDS CALs for Windows multi-session scenarios
For a lot of organizations, the biggest cost hurdle is already gone.
Want to Keep Workloads On-Premises? Run AVD on Azure Local
Not every organization is ready to move everything to the cloud. Maybe you have latency-sensitive applications. Regulatory requirements. Or you just need to maximize your existing hardware investment while still modernizing how you deliver desktops.
Azure Local (formerly Azure Stack HCI) lets you run Azure Virtual Desktop on-premises while still using Azure’s management and control plane. You get the benefits of cloud management without moving your workloads off-site.
This hybrid approach makes sense when:
- You need ultra-low latency for graphics-intensive or real-time applications
- Data sovereignty or compliance requirements keep certain workloads on-premises
- You want to leverage existing hardware investments while modernizing management
- Your organization is taking a phased approach to cloud migration
Azure Virtual Desktop + Azure Local
Want to explore a cost-effective hybrid cloud approach for your small or mid-sized business? Read more about one of our favorite hybrid cloud solutions.
AVD Security
Azure Virtual Desktop—like so many Microsoft products—was built with security as a foundation, not an add-on.
Key advantages:
- Data stays in Azure. Nothing lives on endpoint devices. Lost laptop? Revoke access and move on.
- Azure Active Directory and MFA are built in. No additional integrations needed.
- Reverse connect architecture. Eliminates inbound connections and reduces your attack surface.
- Conditional access policies work consistently. If you’re using them in Microsoft 365, they apply to AVD the same way.
Azure Desktop for How Work Actually Happens
Azure Virtual Desktop fits most real-world use cases without workarounds.
Hybrid and remote work
Users get a consistent Windows experience from any device, anywhere.
Education and public sector
Shared desktops, seasonal scaling and centralized control without building more infrastructure.
Healthcare and regulated environments
Secure access to applications and data without storing anything locally.
What the HBS Azure Virtual Desktop Specialization Means
HBS recently earned Microsoft’s Azure Virtual Desktop Specialization. Because Microsoft does not hand these out lightly, it means HBS has:
- Proven deployment experience in production environments
- Secure, scalable architecture design capabilities
- Operational best practices developed through real-world experience
Start with the HBS Azure Virtual Desktop Pilot
If you’d like to see Azure Virtual Desktop work in your environment, with your users, solving your specific challenges…we’ve got that covered
The HBS Azure Virtual Desktop Pilot is designed to do exactly that.
What the Pilot Includes
- Secure Azure Virtual Desktop environment
- Windows 11 multi-session
- Core AVD components configured properly
- Licensing and sizing guidance
- Hands-on demonstration with actual users from your team
This is for organizations new to Azure Virtual Desktop, teams evaluating alternatives to VMware, and IT leaders who want answers before committing
Pilot Pricing: $1,500
Is Azure Virtual Desktop Right for You?
Azure Virtual Desktop is a typically a strong fit if you:
- Are re-evaluating VMware or traditional VDI platforms
- Already license Microsoft 365 Business Premium or E3+
- Want secure remote desktops without managing everything yourself
- Need flexibility to scale without long-term infrastructure commitments
- Want a hybrid approach with some workloads on-premises
An AVD Pilot is the fastest way to find out if it’s right for your organization.
A Smarter Path Forward with Azure Virtual Desktop
Azure Virtual Desktop simplifies virtual desktops without sacrificing control. The licensing you need is often already covered. Security is built into the foundation. Infrastructure overhead drops significantly. And whether you choose cloud, on-premises with Azure Local, or a hybrid approach, you get flexibility that matches how your organization works.
With an Azure Virtual Desktop Specialization and a practical Pilot offering, HBS can help your organization move forward with confidence.
Ready to see how Azure Virtual Desktop fits your environment?
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