AVD vs. RDS: Which is better when accessing your solutions remotely?

The shift to remote work has accelerated in recent years, making it essential for businesses to provide access to work resources from anywhere. Two popular solutions that enable remote access to work environments are Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Remote Desktop Services (RDS). Both offer distinct advantages and cater to different use cases, but deciding which one to use depends on your organization's specific needs and goals.

What is the difference between AVD and RDS?

Formerly known as Windows Virtual Desktop, AVD is a cloud-based solution offered by Microsoft Azure that enables users to access a full Windows 10 or Windows 11 desktop environment or individual applications from anywhere. AVD runs entirely in the cloud, leveraging Azure's infrastructure to provide a scalable, secure, and high-performance virtual desktop experience.

- Cloud-Native: AVD is a cloud-native solution that leverages the power of Microsoft Azure. This means that organizations can scale their virtual desktop environments up or down based on demand without worrying about maintaining physical infrastructure.

- Multi-Session Windows 10/11: One of AVD's unique features is its ability to provide a multi-session Windows 10 or 11 experience, allowing multiple users to share the same virtual machine while maintaining a personalized desktop experience.

- Integration with Microsoft 365: AVD integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365, enabling users to access their Office apps, OneDrive, and other services directly from their virtual desktops.

- Security: AVD benefits from Azure's built-in security features, including identity and access management, threat detection, and compliance certifications.

- Simplified Management: AVD is managed through the Azure portal, making it easier for IT administrators to deploy, manage, and monitor virtual desktops.

RDS, on the other hand, is a traditional on-premises solution that allows users to access a Windows desktop, or applications hosted on a server within an organization's data center. While RDS can also be deployed in the cloud, it generally requires more hands-on management and infrastructure compared to AVD.

- On-Premises Control: RDS is ideal for organizations that prefer to maintain control over their infrastructure. It allows companies to host their remote desktops and applications on-premises or in a private data center.

- Customizability: RDS offers a high degree of customization, allowing organizations to tailor their remote desktop environment to their specific needs.

- Application Virtualization: RDS supports application virtualization, enabling users to access individual applications without needing a full desktop environment.

- Cost-Effective for Smaller Deployments: For smaller deployments or organizations with existing on-premises infrastructure, RDS can be a more cost-effective solution compared to AVD.

- Active Directory Integration: RDS integrates seamlessly with Active Directory, allowing for centralized user management and group policy enforcement.

Choosing Between AVD and RDS

When deciding between AVD and RDS, several factors should be considered:

- Cloud vs. On-Premises: If your organization is moving towards a cloud-first strategy, AVD is likely the better option. It eliminates the need for on-premises infrastructure, reduces maintenance, and offers better scalability. On the other hand, if you have invested heavily in on-premises infrastructure and prefer to keep data and applications within your data center, RDS might be more suitable.

- Scalability: AVD offers better scalability, especially for organizations that need to support many remote users or experience fluctuating demand. With AVD, you can easily scale up during peak times and scale down when demand decreases. RDS requires more planning and infrastructure management to achieve similar scalability.

- User Experience: AVD's multi-session Windows 10/11 experience offers a more modern and personalized user interface compared to RDS. If providing a consistent and user-friendly experience is a priority, AVD is the way to go.

- Cost: The cost structure for AVD and RDS can vary depending on deployment size and complexity. While AVD reduces the need for on-premises infrastructure, it does require a subscription to Azure services, which can add up over time. RDS can be more cost-effective for smaller deployments but may incur higher costs for larger, more complex environments due to the need for physical infrastructure and ongoing maintenance.

- Management: AVD simplifies management through the Azure portal, making it easier for IT teams to deploy and maintain virtual desktops. RDS, on the other hand, requires more hands-on management, particularly for on-premises deployments. If your organization has limited IT resources, AVD may be the better choice.

Best Practices for Using AVD or RDS for Remote Work

Once you've chosen between AVD and RDS, following best practices will ensure that your remote access solution is efficient, secure, and provides a positive user experience.

Optimize Network Performance: Whether using AVD or RDS, network performance is critical to delivering a smooth remote desktop experience. Poor network performance can result in lag, slow response times, and user frustration. To optimize network performance:

- Use a Reliable Internet Connection: Ensure that both the users and the infrastructure hosting the virtual desktops have reliable, high-speed internet connections. Consider using dedicated bandwidth for remote access to avoid congestion during peak hours.

- Leverage Azure Regions: If you're using AVD, select Azure regions that are geographically close to your users to reduce latency and improve performance.

- Optimize Bandwidth Usage: Configure remote desktop settings to optimize bandwidth usage. For example, reduce visual effects, disable high-definition audio, and limit the use of resource-intensive applications where possible.

- Use VPNs Wisely: While VPNs are essential for secure access, they can also introduce latency. Consider using split tunneling, where only essential traffic is routed through the VPN, while other traffic is sent directly to the internet.

Ensure Security and Compliance: Security should be a top priority when accessing work resources remotely. Both AVD and RDS offer robust security features, but it's essential to configure them properly:

- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Implement MFA to add an extra layer of security for remote access. This ensures that even if a user's credentials are compromised, unauthorized access is prevented.

- Conditional Access: Use conditional access policies to control access based on factors such as user location, device health, and risk levels. For example, you can block access from untrusted devices or require additional authentication for high-risk activities.

- Data Encryption: Ensure that data is encrypted both in transit and at rest. For AVD, this is handled by Azure, but for RDS, you may need to configure encryption settings manually.

- Regular Updates and Patching: Keep your remote desktop environment up to date with the latest security patches and updates. This is particularly important for RDS environments, where you are responsible for maintaining the infrastructure.

- Compliance: Ensure that your remote desktop solution complies with industry regulations and standards, especially if you're handling sensitive data. AVD is compliant with many global standards, while RDS may require additional configuration to meet compliance requirements.

Optimize User Experience: A positive user experience is crucial for productivity. To ensure a smooth and user-friendly remote desktop experience:

- Profile Management: Implement user profile management solutions, such as FSLogix for AVD or User Profile Disks for RDS, to provide a consistent experience across sessions. This allows users to maintain their settings, preferences, and data regardless of the device they use to access the remote desktop.

- Application Performance: Monitor and optimize the performance of applications running in the virtual desktop environment. Use application virtualization tools like MSIX App Attach for AVD or RemoteApp for RDS to deliver applications efficiently without impacting desktop performance.

- Session Management: Ensure that sessions are managed effectively. For AVD, use the Azure portal to monitor session health and performance, while for RDS, use Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) tools to manage sessions and resource allocation.

- User Training: Provide training and resources to help users get the most out of their remote desktop experience. This can include tutorials on how to access the virtual desktop, best practices for working remotely, and troubleshooting common issues.

Plan for Scalability and Redundancy: As your organization grows or experiences fluctuations in demand, your remote desktop solution should be able to scale accordingly:

- Auto-scaling: For AVD, configure auto-scaling to automatically add or remove virtual machines based on demand. This ensures that you have enough resources during peak times while minimizing costs during off-peak hours.

- Load Balancing: For RDS, implement load balancing to distribute user sessions across multiple servers. This prevents any single server from becoming overloaded and ensures a consistent user experience.

- Redundancy: Ensure that your remote desktop solution is highly available by configuring redundancy. For AVD, this means using Azure's built-in high availability features, while for RDS, you may need to set up additional servers and configure failover clusters.

- Disaster Recovery: Implement a disaster recovery plan to ensure business continuity in case of a failure. For AVD, leverage Azure Site Recovery, and for RDS, consider setting up backup servers in a secondary data center.

Monitor and Optimize Costs: Remote desktop solutions can be cost-intensive, especially if not managed properly. To optimize costs:

- Right-Sizing: Regularly review your virtual machine sizes and resource allocation to ensure that you're not over-provisioning. For AVD, this can be done through the Azure portal, while for RDS, you'll need to monitor server resource usage.

- Reserved Instances: For AVD, consider using reserved instances to lock in lower pricing for long-term use. For RDS, look for opportunities to reduce licensing and infrastructure costs through optimization.

- Usage Monitoring: Monitor usage patterns and identify opportunities to reduce costs. For example, shut down unused virtual machines during off-hours or optimize session density to make better use of available resources.

Both Azure Virtual Desktop and Remote Desktop Services offer robust solutions for enabling remote access to work resources, but choosing the right one depends on your customer’s specific needs. AVD is ideal for cloud-first strategies, scalability, and modern user experiences, while RDS offers greater control for on-premises deployments and smaller-scale environments.

Regardless of which solution you choose, following best practices for network performance, security, user experience, scalability, and cost optimization will help ensure that your remote desktop environment is efficient, secure, and provides a positive experience for your users. If you need more help modernizing your customer’s remote access capabilities, please contact your Surestep Ambassador team for more information at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..