As much of your team continues to work remotely, it's time to evaluate your organization’s strategy in making sure your critical business data stays secure. Central management and increased desktop security are more important now more than ever before as cyberattacks like ransomware and phishing are on the rise.

If you’re looking for a solution that reduces the time it takes to provision new desktops, decreases desktop management and support costs, and is already included in your Microsoft 365 subscription, look no further than Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD).

What is Windows Virtual Desktop?

Windows Virtual Desktop (or Azure Virtual Desktop) is a desktop and application virtualization service that runs on the cloud. This allows your IT team to create a full desktop virtualization environment without needing to set up any additional servers and enables your remote team to access company applications from a remote connection. Once a user is configured, they can access their work desktop without needing to have the applications installed on their device, allowing for greater flexibility.

4 Benefits of using Windows Virtual Desktop to protect your remote team:

1. Built-in security features enable safe remote work

Windows Virtual Desktop utilizes built-in security features hosted on Azure to securely store all your company data in the cloud instead of on local desktops. Hosting your entire organization’s desktops virtually allows you to have greater control over your data and protect your team from security vulnerabilities that may arise as your team works in various locations and not all on one network. Additionally, since the workspace is virtual, there is less worry about your computer hardware getting lost, stolen, or tampered with. Your team can easily share corporate data using the secure VPN and ensure only your employees have access to the information.

As a bonus, Microsoft is regularly rolling out new features that make using WVD more secure than other alternatives. For example, their new screen capture protection feature allows your team to stay protected from those who might be trying to screenshot sensitive data.

2. Flexibility to use on any device

Many teams need to access their work environments on different devices like web browsers, laptops, tablets, or smartphones as they work on the go. WVD provides an all-in-one solution that makes accessing a Windows 10 desktop simple, no matter the device your team uses. Each WVD has the advantage of leveraging the familiar Windows 10 environment with a new multi-session version, which means multiple team members can use the same desktop simultaneously. So whether you are working remote, in the office, or on-the-go with a mobile device, you will have access to your familiar workspace without compromising your productivity.

3. Cost-effective

Aside from security, the most significant advantage of using WVD for remote work is massive cost savings for users when bundling with your qualifying Microsoft 365 license. Using month-to-month Microsoft 365 licenses means you can scale your usage at any time as new team members on board or previous team members leave the organization without a commitment or termination penalty. You’ll only pay for what your team actually uses. Also, managing WVD through your existing licenses means that you can reduce overall infrastructure costs through licensing entitlements, which makes taking advantage of WVD a no-brainer.

4. Quick deployment and IT management

Setting your team up for remote work in WVD is done with just a few clicks. Your Azure portal is your all-in-one hub for managing WVD instances and can help your team get up and running using a WVD quickly and at scale. Since virtual desktop infrastructure is managed through the tool, you can focus on other important aspects of your job instead of hardware maintenance and inventory. In addition to quick setup and deployment, your IT team can control the level of security and access to corporate information on a department or individual user basis, adding an extra layer of security with a few simple permission changes.

Looking to get your remote team up and running on Windows Virtual Desktop? Emergent Software is a triple-Gold Microsoft Partner with a specialty in Windows Virtual Desktop and can help you take advantage of all this powerful tool has to offer. If you would like to talk more or see a demonstration, contact us today!