This week, Microsoft announced the availability of Azure VMware Solution, a hosted service from Microsoft that is based on VMware Cloud Foundation and enables you to run VMware-based workloads natively on Microsoft Azure capacity. Managed by Microsoft and built together with VMware, Azure VMware Solution (AVS) offers the full VMware SDDC stack, including vSphere, vSAN, NSX-T and more in a VMware Cloud Verified platform that is integrated seamlessly into Microsoft Azure.
With Azure VMware Solution, you can modernize your infrastructure by moving workloads to the cloud while leveraging the same tools and skill sets you use in your existing environment. Because AVS uses the same VMware components that you have on-premises, you can build a scalable, elastic, hybrid platform without a complicated migration. Plus, you can take advantage of special Azure benefits such as free Extended Security Updates until January 2023 for Windows Server 2008, the Azure Hybrid Use Benefit pricing for Windows and SQL Server workloads and flexible pricing models that include hourly or reserved instances.
VMware Horizon on Azure VMware Solution
The most exciting part about AVS, at least from an EUC perspective, is that VMware Horizon workloads are also supported! You now have the ability to extend the power of Horizon and vSphere to Azure. As a result, you can easily move on-premises Horizon deployments to Azure as part of a cloud migration, or transform your Horizon environment into an elastic hybrid and multi-cloud desktop virtualization platform that can help you conquer the challenges of today’s fluctuating workplace.
Should you choose to migrate your existing Horizon environment to Azure VMware Solution or to use Horizon on AVS as burst capacity to insulate your business from fluctuating demand for remote productivity, you can count on using the same architecture, releases, tools, and skillsets you’re already accustomed to using. You’ll be able to quickly provision and scale virtual desktop and application workloads to Azure using VMware Horizon’s best features, like Instant Clones and the Blast Extreme protocol, as well as all the other components of a VMware Horizon subscription:
• Support for published applications and desktops, as well as persistent and non-persistent VDI desktops
• App Volumes for simple application management. Package and application once and deploy to any Horizon environment, on-premises or in the cloud.
• Dynamic Environment Manager gives you user environment management capabilities that extend the profile and Office data roaming capabilities of FSLogix Profile Containers.
• Workspace ONE Access to provide multi-factor authentication, conditional access and single sign-on to SaaS, web, mobile, and remote desktops and applications.
At the same time, you’ll be able to take advantage of the benefits introduced by Microsoft as part of Azure VMware Solution, such as:
• VMware Cloud Foundation management Integrated into the Azure portal
• Azure Hybrid Use Benefit – special pricing for Windows Server and SQL Server workloads, including Horizon Apps
• Flexible cost models that include hourly and reserved instance billing
This combination of customer-managed VMware Horizon running on Microsoft-managed vSphere infrastructure gives you control over your desktop virtualization infrastructure while removing the need to manage the underlying SDDC and hardware components.
Next steps
In addition to customer-managed Horizon platforms like Horizon on AVS, VMware also has Horizon Cloud on Microsoft Azure, a DaaS platform that takes the Horizon management off your plate so you can focus on only managing desktops and applications. Horizon Cloud on Microsoft Azure also lets you take advantage of the benefits of Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop, including Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session.
The bottom line is that VMware is there for you regardless of where you want to deploy desktops and applications and how you want to manage them. We have a flexible, secure, and easy to use platform that can make users more productive and admins lives easier while giving your company the flexibility it needs to meet the fluctuating demands of today’s workplace.
For more information or to get started, check out the following resources:
• Azure VMware Solution {VMware.com}
• Azure VMware Solution {Microsoft.com}
• Microsoft and VMware Team up to Offer the Next Evolution of the Azure VMware Solution
• Azure Sessions at VMworld 2020 {September 29 – October 1}
• VMware Horizon 90-day Free Trial
• Mastering VMware Horizon technical path on VMware TechZone
