Virtual Desktop (AVD)

Why it matters

The way people work changed. Employees expect access to their desktop and applications from any location, on any device. They work from home, from office, from customer sites, on personal devices and corporate hardware. Traditional desktop management was designed for employees docked at fixed desks in controlled office environments. Organisations must maintain security in a world where work happens everywhere, but traditional endpoint security and management approaches don’t scale to hybrid and remote work models. Delivering secure access to applications and data from anywhere while managing security and compliance has become a fundamental requirement, not a luxury feature.

SCC delivers Azure Virtual Desktop implementations that separate user experience from device. Desktops, applications and data live in Azure cloud, accessed through any device with a web browser or remote client. Management shifts from managing individual devices to managing centralised cloud desktops. Users get consistent, secure access regardless of location – office, home or remote. Your IT team manages one central environment instead of thousands of individual devices. This shifts endpoint management from device-centric to user-centric, eliminating the cost and complexity of managing hardware while delivering the user experience and security modern work requires.

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Deliver desktops from any device (desktop, laptop, tablet, thin client) without device-specific configuration or management overhead.

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Manage desktops centrally in Azure cloud instead of managing thousands of individual devices. Security policies, applications and data are managed once, accessed everywhere.

Key features

Persistent and session-based desktop options

Different user roles need different desktop models. Knowledge workers often need persistent desktops where user state and customisations persist between sessions. Task workers or shift workers benefit from session-based desktops – stateless, immediately available, optimised for shared use. SCC configures the right model for each user group, optimising cost and user experience based on actual usage patterns.

Cloud-hosted and hybrid delivery options

Azure Virtual Desktop can be deployed as pure cloud-hosted (completely managed by Azure) or in hybrid configurations where your on-premises infrastructure integrates with Azure. Hybrid delivery suits organisations with existing infrastructure investments or those managing sensitive workloads that must remain on-premises while still delivering modern desktop experience.

Device and application independence with endpoint security

Users access desktops from any device – corporate laptop, personal tablet, thin client, even old hardware that would otherwise be replaced. The device becomes irrelevant because the desktop is cloud-based. This extends device lifespans, enables personal device use (BYOD) and eliminates the cost of corporate-owned endpoint hardware. Security is managed centrally at the desktop and application level, not on individual devices.

Alignment with identity, governance and security frameworks

Azure Virtual Desktop integrates with Azure Active Directory and your identity governance so access is controlled through your existing identity systems. Multi-factor authentication, conditional access policies, and role-based access control apply uniformly across all desktops. Audit logging and compliance controls are built-in, making governance simpler than managing individual endpoint devices.

How it works

Step 1

Assess organisational readiness and user requirements

We conduct an assessment of your user population, applications, infrastructure and current endpoint management practices. We identify user personas with distinct desktop and application requirements. We evaluate network readiness, particularly for remote users. We assess application compatibility with Azure Virtual Desktop and identify any applications requiring special configuration or refactoring.

Step 2

Define user personas and desktop configurations

Based on assessment, we define user personas (knowledge workers, task workers, creative professionals, executives) and design desktop configurations for each. We determine which desktop model – persistent or session-based – benefits each persona. We configure applications, data access and user experience for each persona so desktops are optimised for actual use patterns rather than one-size-fits-all configurations.

Step 3

Select the right hosting platform and architecture

We evaluate cloud-hosted versus hybrid deployment models based on your workload requirements, regulatory constraints and existing infrastructure investments. We design networking architecture that supports secure access from anywhere – office, remote, or hybrid work locations. We plan multi-region deployment if global scale or disaster recovery is required.

Step 4

Align security, governance and identity management

We integrate Azure Virtual Desktop with your identity provider (Azure AD, on-premises Active Directory) so user access and authentication align with your governance framework. We establish security policies including conditional access, multi-factor authentication and application-level controls. We configure audit logging and compliance reporting so governance oversight is maintained.

Step 5

Plan pilot and scaled rollout

We develop a detailed rollout plan that starts with a pilot programme proving capability and building user adoption before rolling out across the organisation. Pilot phase identifies configuration adjustments and application compatibility issues early. Scaled rollout phases introduce user populations systematically, building operational knowledge and identifying process improvements before full deployment.

Insights and case studies

I use the term, ‘my Service Support Team’ because I don’t see them as SCC anymore, I see that family, that whole which is really important to me, as my teams, we work as one. Forget your badge or which company you work for, forget all of that, we’re on the same mission, we’re here together and we’re here to do a good job. Together.
Vic Sharma, Global Head of Service Operations, 10x

Partners

SCC’s Azure Virtual Desktop delivery brings together Microsoft partnerships and a rich array of tools that enable secure, scalable desktop delivery.

Ready to modernise your desktop infrastructure?

Azure Virtual Desktop shifts endpoint management from managing thousands of individual devices to managing one central environment. Users get secure access from anywhere, your IT team gets operational simplicity and cost predictability.

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FAQs

What is Azure Virtual Desktop and why should we consider it instead of traditional corporate desktops?

Azure Virtual Desktop delivers desktops from Azure cloud instead of traditional on-premises infrastructure. Users access their desktop through any device using a remote client or web browser. Management shifts from managing individual devices to managing centralised cloud desktops. Benefits include device independence (users work on any device), lower hardware costs, improved security (credentials and data stay in cloud), easier support (bugs are fixed centrally) and flexibility for hybrid work. Traditional desktops are tied to devices; AVD divorces user experience from device.

Is Azure Virtual Desktop suitable for remote and hybrid work?

Yes, it’s purpose-built for remote and hybrid work. Users access their desktop from anywhere through internet connectivity. Performance depends on network quality — fast broadband works well, poor connectivity may introduce latency. For optimal experience, we recommend optimising network connectivity (ExpressRoute, SD-WAN) and configuring compression and bandwidth limits for remote locations. AVD is ideal for organisations where employees work from multiple locations, use personal devices or move between office, home and customer sites.

Does Azure Virtual Desktop improve security compared to traditional endpoint management?

Yes. Traditional endpoints store user data and credentials on devices, making them attractive targets for theft or malware. AVD stores data and credentials in Azure cloud, not on devices. Users authenticate through Azure AD with multi-factor authentication and conditional access policies. If a device is compromised, an attacker gains access to a remote desktop, not to stored user data or credentials. Data encryption in transit protects data as it moves between device and cloud. Audit logging is built-in, making compliance and breach investigation simpler.

Can we integrate Azure Virtual Desktop with our existing applications and infrastructure?

Yes. AVD integrates with your identity provider (Azure AD or on-premises Active Directory), so user access aligns with existing identity governance. Applications deployed in Azure or accessed through Azure infrastructure work transparently. On-premises applications can be accessed through hybrid connectivity (ExpressRoute, VPN) though performance depends on network latency. Some legacy applications may need configuration adjustments for cloud-based access. SCC’s compatibility assessment identifies integration requirements upfront.

How do we choose between persistent and session-based desktops?

Persistent desktops maintain user state, customisations and installed applications between sessions. They suit knowledge workers who need consistent personalised work environment. Session-based desktops are stateless and immediately available — optimised for multiple users or shift workers who don’t need persistent customisation. SCC’s user persona analysis determines the right model for each group. Some organisations use both models for different user populations, optimising cost and experience for actual use patterns.