What is the Difference Between Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop?
Control plane | Azure Virtual Desktop | Azure Virtual Desktop | Azure Virtual Desktop | Azure Virtual Desktop |
Azure Subscription | Microsoft Managed | Microsoft Managed Except Networking | Customer managed | Customer managed |
Compute | Microsoft Managed Fixed cost No admin access to VMs | Microsoft Managed Fixed cost No admin access to VMs | Customer managed Usage based cost Flexible | Customer managed Usage based cost Flexible |
Storage | Microsoft Managed Fixed cost Not flexible Difficult to backup | Microsoft Managed Fixed cost Not flexible Difficult to backup | Customer Managed OS Disks FSLogix Flexible Easy to Backup | Customer Managed OS Disks FSLogix Flexible Easy to Backup |
Networking | Microsoft Managed Fixed cost No admin access No flexibility | Customer managed Usage based cost Flexible routing IPs Security | Customer managed Usage based cost Flexible routing IPs Security | Customer managed Usage based cost Flexible routing IPs Security |
User Profiles | No FSLogix | No FSLogix | FSLogix Optional | FSLogix Mandatory |
Identity | Azure AD join only | Hybrid AD Join required Azure AD DS Not supported | AD DS required Windows AD or Azure AD DS supported Native Azure AD Join roadmapped | AD DS required Windows AD or Azure AD DS supported Native Azure AD Join roadmapped |
The two cloud versions of Windows are going to cause the most confusion. To add to the confusion is there are two versions of each. Windows 365 will come in business and Enterprise versions, and Azure Virtual Desktop [AVD] is available in personal and pooled deployments. Both are based on an Azure Virtual Desktop control plane, but from there the similarities breakdown quickly.
Operating Systems Available on Windows 365 and AVD
Windows 365 can be deployed with Windows 10 or Windows 11 [on launch]. Meanwhile, Azure Virtual Desktop supports Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session, Windows 10 Enterprise, Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, and Windows Server 2012 R2.
Microsoft Desktop as a Service [DaaS] subscription models
All of the virtual desktop solutions require Azure Subscriptions, however Windows 365 subscriptions reside fully in Microsoft’s Azure subscription and will be fully managed by Microsoft at fixed costs. Meanwhile, Azure Virtual Desktop is entirely customer managed with flexible consumption based pricing.
Compute
Azure compute for Windows 365 will be 100% Microsoft managed, with a fixed cost and no direct admin access to the underlying Virtual Machines [VMs]. In AVD, compute usage is customer managed with consumption based costs and additional flexibility in configuring VMs. AVD is going to remain the place to go if you need a monster video rendering machine with multiple 3090 GPUs and TBs of RAM.
Storage
Again, focused on ease of use and set up, Windows 365 provides fully managed storage with fixed pricing. Lack of admin access to the VMs can make it challenging to back up, but with Microsoft managing it, the hope is that it will not be required. For AVD, it is all about flexibility with OS Disks,FSLogixprofiles, the ability to easily back up storage and VMs.
Networking
Here is where Windows 365 Enterprise splits from business. Enterprise has fully customer-managed networking with flexible routing, IPs and security. Meanwhile Windows 365 Business will remain full Microsoft-managed with no flexibility.For AVD, networking flexibility is a requirement with no Microsoft management provided.
User Profiles
Windows 365 is a single-user managed desktop which will run in Microsoft’s Azure environment. As such, it will have a single user profile and no need for multi-user profile management.
In Azure Virtual Desktop,FSLogixis a profile container that holds user profiles in a Virtual Hard Disk v2[VHDX] file. When the user signs in to AVDFSLogixredirects to the data and settings in the container and the virtual drive is mounted to transparently integrate into the virtual desktop environment. In pooledmulti-userAVD deploymentsFSLogixis mandatory to manage the individual user profiles in the pool. In Single user AVD instances,FSLogixis optional and while it is not required it does provide additional portability.
User Identity
In Windows 365 business, only AD Join will be available, while in enterprise Hybrid AD Join will be required. There is no AD Domain Services support for either type of Windows 365 Subscription. With Azure Virtual Desktop, AD Domain Services is required and both Windows AD and Azure AD DS is supported. Native Azure AD join is currently on the road map for upcoming release.
Windows 365 Machine Types
While it is said that storage and compute is not flexible in Windows 365, the available selection of VMs is broad enough to meet most needs, ranging from a single CPU with 2gigs of RAM to 8 CPUs and 32 gigs of RAM.
1vCPU | 2GB | 64 GB | Office [Web based], Edge, Lightweight LOB apps | $24 | $20 |
2vCPU | 4GB | 64GB | Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams audio-only, Adobe Reader, Edge, Line-of-business apps | $32 | $28 |
2vCPU | 4GB | 128GB | Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams audio-only, Adobe Reader, Edge, Line-of-business apps | $35 | $31 |
2vCPU | 4GB | 256GB | Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams audio-only, Adobe Reader, Edge, Line-of-business apps | $44 | $40 |
2vCPU | 8GB | 128GB | Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, Adobe Reader, Edge, Line-of-business apps | $45 | $41 |
2vCPU | 8GB | 256GB | Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, Adobe Reader, Edge, Line-of-business apps | $54 | $50 |
4vCPU | 16GB | 128GB | Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, Access, PowerBi, Dynamics 365, Adobe Reader, Edge, Line-of-business apps | $70 | $66 |
4vCPU | 16GB | 256GB | Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, Access, PowerBi, Dynamics 365, Adobe Reader, Edge, Line-of-business apps | $79 | 75 |
4vCPU | 16GB | 512GB | Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, Access, PowerBi, Dynamics 365, Adobe Reader, Edge, Line-of-business apps | $105 | $101 |
8vCPU | 32GB | 128GB | Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, Access, PowerBi, Dynamics 365, Adobe Reader, Edge, Visual Studio Code, Line-of-business apps | $127 | $123 |
4vCPU | 32GB | 256GB | Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, Access, PowerBi, Dynamics 365, Adobe Reader, Edge, Visual Studio Code, Line-of-business apps | $136 | $132 |
4vCPU | 32GB | 512GB | Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, Access, PowerBi, Dynamics 365, Adobe Reader, Edge, Visual Studio Code, Line-of-business apps | $162 | $158 |
Agile IT is a cloud first Microsoft partner with over 15 gold competencies including Windows and Devices, and Cloud Platform. If you want to leverage Desktop as a Service to empower you workforce, schedule a call to find out how to best use Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop to reduce risk, support costs, and downtime while increasing productivity and mobility.
The simplicity of Windows 365
- Environmental set-up is quick and simple
- New devices are provisioned directly from within Microsoft Endpoint Manager [MEM]
- Devices can be easily decommissioned
- There is scope to build further automation through Microsoft Graph calls or pre-built integration with tools such as ServiceNow or Nerdio
- Devices can be provisioned and managed exactly like your Modern physical devices, using a vanilla Windows image that Microsoft provides and managing security, configuration and application deployment and management through MEM. If you wish, you can maintain one or more of your own images with applications pre-installed
- The user self-service model will develop as roadmap updates are delivered
- Pricing is a predictable per-user-per-month model
But Cloud PCs are all dedicated, personalised devices for each user. Naturally, you will pay for this dedicated compute and storage.
But if your use case requires a dedicated virtual device and is simple enough to be supported by the available Cloud PC SKU specifications, then W365 is a great choice.
The SKUs available at launch should satisfy the needs of all but the most specialised of users*.
Windows 365 vs. AVD: What’s best for your business?
By Jim Kerr
Posted September 1, 2021In Next-Generation Infrastructure | Article
Windows 365 vs. AVD: What’s best for your business?2021-09-012021-10-27//blog.shi.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/hublogo-1.pngThe SHI Hub//blog.shi.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_2012645516-scaled-e1630515361836.jpg200px200px
Since the announcement of Windows 365 at Microsoft Inspire this past June, the new Cloud PC category of computing has caused a lot of interest – and, truthfully, some confusion.Confusion for customers who are already on Microsoft’s existing cloud-based Windows operating system, Azure Virtual Desktop [AVD], and for businesses who are exploring desktop modernization solutions as they look to accelerate digital transformation across their organization.
With Windows 365 being built on top of AzureVirtualDesktop, the two Desktop as a Service [DaaS] solutions offer quite a fewsignificant differencesthat you should be aware of.
Let’sexplore these differences –and similarities – andwhatyouneed to consider from a technical and licensing perspective when deciding what solution to implement.
Comparing Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365
- Article
- 01/25/2022
- 5 minutes to read
- 2 contributors
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In this article
Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 are both great solutions for customers who want to have a seamless Windows experience while accessing their virtual desktop and apps remotely. In this article, we'll compare technical features between the two services.
Azure Virtual Desktop vs Windows 365 – Similarities
Comparing Azure Virtual Desktop vs Windows 365 there lots of similarities, and that’s because they are both powered by Azure Virtual Desktop. Here’s what Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 share:
- Hosted in Azure and powered by Azure Virtual Desktop technology
- End user client experience, supported on:
- Windows, MacOS andLinux PC’s
- Android and iOS
- Web Browser
- Windows OS licencing [either of the following options]:
- A per user subscription that includes Windows 10 Enterprise + Primary user’s primary work device must be licensed for Windows 7/8/8.1/10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education
- Windows VDA per user subscription