Business Case: Azure Virtual Desktop Adoption for ACME

Azure Virtual Desktop - The Reasons IT Makes Sense

Executive Summary


ACME, a fictitious organisation with 500 staff members, is considering the adoption of Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) as their remote desktop solution. This document provides a simple comparison of AVD with solutions such as Citrix and VMware Horizon, focusing on business benefits, user benefits, and cost benefits.


There are costs and complexity that have not been included in this document as it relates to all technologies. This document should only be used as an entry guide in relation to total cost of ownership.


Introduction


Background


ACME is a dynamic organisation with 500 staff members who require secure and efficient remote desktop access. The organisation aims to address the challenges of remote work and seeks a solution that combines scalability, security, and cost-effectiveness.

Objectives


  • Evaluate the business, user, and cost benefits of adopting Azure Virtual Desktop.
  • Conduct a thorough comparison of Azure Virtual Desktop with solutions (Citrix and Horizon) running on-premises or in Azure.
  • Calculate a summary for ACME based on specific cost components.


Business Benefits


Scalability

AVD offers seamless scalability, allowing for resource adjustments based on demand. This flexibility accommodates varying concurrency levels.


Enhanced Security

AVD provides robust security features, such as multi-factor authentication and Azure Active Directory integration, ensuring data protection and compliance.


Disaster Recovery

AVD simplifies disaster recovery through Azure's built-in features, ensuring business continuity.


Centralised Management

AVD streamlines management with centralised controls, reducing administrative overhead and ensuring consistency.


User Benefits


Accessibility

Users gain the ability to access their desktops and applications from anywhere, enhancing remote work flexibility.


Consistency

AVD ensures a consistent user experience, improving productivity.


Performance

Leveraging Azure's infrastructure, AVD delivers high-performance computing even on low-spec devices.


Availability

AVD offers high availability, ensuring 24/7 access for all users.


Cost Benefits


Capital Expenditure Reduction

AVD eliminates upfront hardware investments, reducing capital expenditure.


Pay-as-You-Go Model

AVD operates on a pay-as-you-go model, optimising resource utilisation and reducing unnecessary expenses.


IT Labour Efficiency

AVD streamlines IT operations, reducing labour costs.


Licensing Optimisation

AVD simplifies licensing, potentially resulting in cost savings.



Comparison of Azure Virtual Desktop with Competing Solutions


Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD)

Pro's Con's
Scalability Dependency on Internet
Enhanced Security Learning Curve
Disaster Recovery Subscription Costs
Centralised Management
Accessibility
Consistency
Performance
Availability
Cost Efficiency

Citrix

Pro's Con's
Mature Solution Complex Implementation
High Customisation Costly Licensing
Security Features Maintenance Overhead
Advanced Monitoring
High Performance

VMware Horizon

Pro's Con's
VMware Integration Complexity
High Performance Costly Licensing
Security Limited Cloud Support
Management Tools
VDI Flexibility

Summary


Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) stands out as the preferred choice for ACME Inc due to its comprehensive advantages:


  • Scalability: AVD offers seamless scalability, accommodating varying concurrency levels efficiently.
  • Enhanced Security: Robust security features ensure data protection and compliance.
  • Disaster Recovery: Simplified backup and disaster recovery guarantee business continuity.
  • Centralized Management: Central controls reduce administrative overhead, ensuring consistency.
  • Accessibility: Users gain remote work flexibility.
  • Consistency: AVD offers a consistent user experience.
  • Performance: Leveraging Azure's infrastructure ensures high performance.
  • Availability: AVD offers 24/7 access.
  • Cost Efficiency: It reduces capital expenditure, optimises resource utilisation, and streamlines IT operations.



To reveal cost estimates and a full download of this business case please complete the form below:


  • Cost Estimation for Azure Virtual Desktop
  • Cost Estimation for Citrix on Azure Virtual Desktop
  • Cost Estimation for Citrix On-Premises
  • Cost Estimation for VMware Horizon on Azure VMware Solution
  • Cost Estimation for VMware Horizon On-Premises 


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December 16, 2024
At INTEGY, we’re passionate about enabling organisations to embrace the future of work, especially when innovation and agility are at the heart of their mission. Recently, we had the privilege of supporting a client whose business serves as a launchpad for startups, providing the technology and equipment needed to kickstart their journey.  The Challenge: Outdated IT for a Growing Organisation Our client’s IT infrastructure was a traditional setup, with user accounts and devices tightly bound to Active Directory. This configuration required devices to maintain network connectivity to on-premises servers, creating operational limitations. With the facility expanding to three separate locations, this approach no longer supported their need for flexibility, scalability, and efficiency. Startups thrive on speed and adaptability, and their IT systems needed to reflect those principles. The reliance on traditional IT was slowing them down, creating unnecessary overhead, and limiting their ability to provide the seamless experience their customers expected. The Solution: A Cloud-Native Transformation We transformed their IT environment into a modern, cloud-native setup: Entra ID for Identity Management Every device is now joined to Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), shifting identity management to the cloud. This eliminates the need for on-premises servers, offering secure access from anywhere. Intune for Device Management Devices are now managed through Microsoft Intune, enabling streamlined policy enforcement, application deployment, and security updates, all delivered from the cloud. Enhanced Security with Zero Trust Principles We implemented a Zero Trust security model, ensuring that devices and users are authenticated and compliant before accessing resources. Defender for Endpoint provides enhanced threat protection and visibility across their environment. Simplified User Experience By decoupling devices from on-premises dependencies, we empowered their users to work from any location with a secure, seamless experience. Scalability and Agility With their new cloud-native IT framework, our client is no longer constrained by physical infrastructure. They can now scale operations effortlessly as they open new locations and onboard new startups. The Results: Flexibility, Efficiency, and Growth The move to a cloud-native configuration has been a game-changer for our client. They’ve gained: Operational Efficiency : IT management is simpler and faster, reducing administrative overhead. Improved User Experience : Users now enjoy consistent and reliable access to systems, regardless of location. Scalability : Expansion to new sites no longer requires complex IT overhauls. Security : Advanced cloud security tools ensure their data and devices remain protected. By embracing modern IT, our client is better positioned to serve their customers and focus on what matters most: empowering innovation for startups. Helping You Move Forward If your organisation is grappling with the limitations of traditional IT and looking to make the leap to a cloud-native future, we’re here to help. Let’s transform your IT and unlock your potential.
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