Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) was finally released to public preview in Azure, Here is a step-by-step guide to deploy Windows Virtual Desktop!, WVD is Microsoft’s new Desktop-as-a-Service offering to provide Windows 10 virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) in the Azure cloud for Windows 10 E3 / E5 subscribers. (and a few more SKUs too…)
Requirements for Deploying Windows Virtual Desktop in Azure
There are few prerequisites you’ll need before you start deploying Windows Virtual Desktop:
- Azure Subscription
- An empty resource group
- I’d recommend creating it in the East US 2 or Central US data centers for the best performance as WVD compute clusters are only available in these regions during the preview
- An Azure Virtual Network that has access to your Active Directory
- One of the following licenses:
- Windows 10 E3 / E5
- Windows 10 A3 / A5 (Education Licenses)
- Microsoft 365 Business or F1 (WHAT?!)
- Microsoft 365 E3 / E5
- Licensing requirements appear to state that these are the only SKUs that will allow you to access WVD from a non-Windows 10 Professional device
- Luckily, you’re running Microsoft 365 E3 with Identity Threat Protection in a Zero Trust environment, right? RIGHT?!
Deploy Windows Virtual Desktop in Azure
Consent to Deploy Windows Virtual Desktop
- Go to the WVD consent page and approve consent for both your Server and Client App:
a. You’re doing this in a lab, so there’s no need to get approval from legal.
b. To lookup your AAD Tenant GUID, copy the Directory ID from this page: https://portal.azure.com/#blade/Microsoft_AAD_IAM/ActiveDirectoryMenuBlade/Properties
Configure Enterprise Application Administrators in Azure AD
- Go to this blade in the Azure Portal
https://portal.azure.com/#blade/Microsoft_AAD_IAM/StartboardApplicationsMenuBlade/AllApps/menuId/ - Search for deployWindows Virtual Desktop and select it
- Select Users and Groups, then add everyone that you want to have access to WVD:
Provision a Windows Virtual Desktop Host Pool in the Azure Portal
- Create a new Azure resource at this link: https://portal.azure.com/#create/hub
- Search for Windows Virtual Desktop – Provision a host pool and select Create:
*Choose a name for the host pool and keep a note of it, as we’ll need it later
D:\Users\knadaraj\Desktop\blog\RDWeb 9.jpg
NOTE: Windows Virtual Desktop management is only available some regions in during preview. Check a current list here:
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/global-infrastructure/services/?products=virtual-desktop
3. Select Small size VM for initial stage
4. Azure is the only cloud to offer a true multi-session Windows 10 Enterprise desktop, so let’s use that image:
Update: Make sure you use the new image for Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session with Office 365 ProPlus otherwise you will have to manually deploy Office 365 ProPlus to WVD.
NOTE: Make sure you choose a network that has access to your AD environment. Also Please update your WVD Session need to automatically joint to your Domain please specify Domain Name and Domain OU Path for Computer Object Create.
5. Specify the Windows Virtual Desktop Tenant Name:
6. Finally Buy session licenses.
Add Users to your Windows Virtual Desktop Host Pool
Open PowerShell and run the following command for every user you want to add. (Groups support isn’t ready yet.)
Add-RdsAppGroupUser -TenantName nkcodeWVD -HostPoolName ” nkcode-sea-wvd-hostpool ” -AppGroupName “Desktop Application Group” -UserPrincipalName nkguser1@nkcode.xyz
Connect to Windows Virtual Desktop Environment
Access your WVD environment here:
https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/webclient/index.html
You should see a web page with the following icon that will load the RDS session in the browser:
Or install this client to access via the desktop:
https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2068602
Troubleshooting a Windows Virtual Desktop Deployment in Azure
Microsoft’s official Windows Virtual Desktop guide is available here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/tenant-setup-azure-active-directory
I also had to RDP into the WVD Host Pool and run everything in this guide before I was able to connect:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/create-host-pools-powershell
