How to update to DesktopVirtualization API v. 2024-04-08-preview or API v. 2024-04-03?
Hello everyone, The information from my side is also not clear. I understand that if ARM templates, Terraform, Bicep, or something similar are not used, it is not necessary, and Microsoft performs that operation transparently. The message is universal, meaning that all customers who have deployed AVD receive it, but they do not know who uses and specifies the API version. For example, when creating an AVD through the Azure portal, you do not specify the API version at any time. If we go to the Resource Provider and look for Microsoft.DesktopVirtualization, we see that the default API cannot be changed and is in version "2privatepreview." Interestingly and crazily enough, even with this default API, if you deploy an AVD, the system chooses an older version. So, if anyone has a clear response from Microsoft or has resolved this, it would be great if they could share it. Regards. At least until Microsoft indicates otherwise, I have conducted several tests in different environments and the result is the same and as follows: I deploy the Hostpool and here we see the Json file of the hostpool, as you can see the API version is 2019-12-10-preview. Now I am going to look inside the parameters used in the deployment and WOW, there we can see that the API used to deploy AVD is the latest one, 24-04-08-preview, which is the one Microsoft indicates to use. The 2019-04-01 is the schema version (another different one). To finish confirming this, we go to Resource Provider and as we see, if we go inside the resource type and select hostpool, we see that the default version that CANNOT be changed is 2022-01-12-preview. But among the eligible versions is the one that has been used for our hostpool deployment, that is, 2024-04-08-preview.
Disable/Enable option for RemoteApp
It is one of the basic requirements to enable and disable a published App through Application group or Individual RemoteApp. This can save a lot of time when we need testing or troubleshoot issues with RemoteApp. I recommend Microsoft to add this feature for AVD going forward.
Guidance on using Azure Virtual Desktop
We are looking for a VDI solution and choose AVD. I have gone through MS Documentation but things are quite confusing and complicated. We have a team of 10 developers who are mainly into Biztalk and another set of 10 developers who are salesforce and other development works. They use Visual Studio, VS Code, Biztalk Server, and various other applications and services for their regular work. Initially we thought of option to create Azure VM (20 VMs one for each developer, Windows 2019 Server Image for Biztalk devs and Windows 11 for other devs)use a Generalize VM and spin up the images using the capture of the previous generalized VM image. But there was a point raised why can't we use Azure Virtual Desktop ? As I learned there are 2 types of host pools: Pooled (Multi sessions) Personal (Direct assignment of Host VM to each individual Developer) This AVD Host pools/ VMs should be able to work with external SQL Servers. All the 20 VMs in AVD should be able to access, how can this be possible , what should be the connection string for granting access to external SQL Servers ? As I understand, if I opt for Pooled AVD Hostpools, all the above 10 developers can utilize the multi sessions (whatever number of VMs we choose, ex., 5 VMs, sessions will be distributed !) they will be assigned to developers as per load balancing. Similarly if I choose personal (10 Windows Server 2019 & another 10 Windows 11) I need to create 20 VMs and assign the 20 VMs individually to each of 20 developers in the team. is my understanding correct? Should I create 2 different workspaces and 2 application groups ? Also I learned if I use FSLogix along with Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) I can manage users using profile management , will this actually help developers who uses the VS Code, Biztalk Server and other Azure services for their work daily ? Also based on all the facts above , please help me understand which suits the requirement well, please advice, if I choose Azure Virtual Desktop over Azure VMs or vice-versa, what are the benefits or disadvantages of AVD. Is it cost effective if I use pooled or personal AVD Host pool VMs or Azure VMs , which one suits better for us, please advice. Experts please help me with all this confusion ? Kind Regards
The Importance of Validation HostPools in AVD Deployments: Lessons from the CrowdStrike Global Issue
In the rapidly evolving world of IT, ensuring the stability and reliability of virtual desktop environments is crucial. Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) deployments offer a flexible and scalable solution for organizations, but with this flexibility comes the need for rigorous testing and validation. This article explores the importance of validation host pools in AVD deployments, particularly for testing updates before pushing them to production, and draws parallels to the recent global issue caused by CrowdStrike. The Role of Validation Host Pools in AVD are a critical component in the deployment and maintenance of AVD environments. These pools allow organizations to test updates and changes in a controlled environment before they are applied to the production environment. This process helps in identifying potential issues that could disrupt user experience or cause downtime. Key Benefits of Validation Host Pools: Early Detection of Issues: By testing updates in a validation host pool, IT teams can identify and resolve issues before they impact the production environment. Minimized Downtime: Validation helps in ensuring that updates do not introduce errors that could lead to downtime, thus maintaining business continuity. Improved User Experience: Regular testing in a validation environment ensures that end-users experience fewer disruptions and maintain productivity. The CrowdStrike Global Issue: A Case Study: Recently, a faulty software update from CrowdStrike led to a massive global outage, affecting millions of Windows computers. This incident underscores the importance of thorough testing and validation before deploying updates to production environments. What Happened: A software update for CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor caused Windows computers to crash, leading to widespread disruptions across various sectors, including airlines, banks, and emergency services. The issue was traced back to a logic error in the update, which was not detected before the update was pushed to production. Lessons Learned: Critical Need for Validation: The CrowdStrike incident highlights the necessity of having robust validation processes in place. If the update had been thoroughly tested in a validation environment, the issue could have been identified and rectified before causing widespread disruption. Continuous Monitoring: Even after deploying updates, continuous monitoring in a validation environment can help in quickly identifying and mitigating any unforeseen issues. To implement Validation Host Pools in AVD, follow these steps: Create a Host Pool: Use the Azure portal, PowerShell, or Azure CLI to create a new host pool or configure an existing one as a validation environment. Define the Validation Environment: In the Azure portal, select the host pool, go to properties, and enable the validation environment setting. Regular Testing: Ensure that the validation host pool is used regularly for testing updates and changes. This should mimic the production environment as closely as possible. The recent CrowdStrike global issue serves as a stark reminder of the importance of validation host pools in AVD deployments. By implementing and maintaining a robust validation environment, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of disruptions and ensure a seamless user experience. As the IT landscape continues to evolve, the role of validation host pools will only become more critical in maintaining the stability and reliability of virtual desktop environments.Azure AVD and Windows Updates with Azure Update Manager
I'm running a small and new setup with Azure AVD using Windows 11 Enterprise Multi-session + Office365 and FSLogix. My AVD host pool has 2 VMs and 5 assigned users with eventually 10 assigned users. I created a golden image that contains my custom apps and settings and my host pool is based on this image, which was based on the Microsoft standard image. My question is regarding updating the VMs within the AVD host pool with Microsoft security updates. I know that if I need to apply or install custom applications, I need to deploy a new image. However, if I simply need to apply Microsoft Windows security updates, is it ok to use Azure Update Manager from within the Azure portal at the VM level for AVD VMs? I don't use Intune or Microsoft Configuration Manager. The Azure Update Manager appears to be somewhat new and replacing Update Management and the Log Analytics agent based on the notice within the Azure Update Manager site. Thanks for any input. Ken
How often should AVD host pools be replaced?
We have an AVD deployment but we have limited control over it. Another team owns the tenant and has created a subscription for our team. We are responsible for creating our image, but they manage the creation of host pools and deploying the image even though they are deployed to our subscription (It's a weird, difficult arrangement). We have no insight into how this is done and likely never will. Lately we've been seeing an issue with some of our host pools that has prevented users from logging into their session hosts. The session host will start and be marked as running, but it remains unavailable. This doesn't happen to all of the session hosts in a host pool, e.g. I can log into my session host, but others in the same host pool are no longer able to log into theirs. They could until recently. My suspicion is that the issue is due to the image that was deployed. I used Win10 Ent N as the base for our image without knowing it is not supported in AVD. The team doing the deployment had to take manual steps to convert the image to a supported version (there's a reason I couldn't just spin up a new version, but that isn't relevant). I don't know exactly what those steps were but the phrase "cloned to a supported version" has been used. I imagine whatever they did left us with a less than optimal deployment, though. Their explanation is that the problem is due to the age of the host pools. I'm skeptical of this explanation because we have an ongoing network issue that they also attributed to host pool age without doing any troubleshooting. They backtracked when we provided evidence that the issue was affecting VMs in new host pools, VMs in old host pools, and VMs that aren't in any host pools. And while I haven't seen much about it, what I have seen implies that only the session hosts need to be replaced while the host pools can be used indefinitely. Are my assumptions correct that host pools don't need to be replaced whenever we deploy a new image? Is the other team correct that they do degrade over time?
AVD - User signs out of host pool, logged out of Office 365 and OneDrive
Hey all, sorry as I'm a newbie here taking over the role of someone higher who left and don't fully understand AVD but are supporting and learning about it. Quick Question - If a user signs out of a host pool, is it normal for them to be logged out of Office 365 and OneDrive as well? If not, what settings should I be looking into to resolve this? This happens to all users and FSLogix doesn't seem to be producing any space errors. Best, AnthonyRemote App Disconnected Mode
Team, I have a scaling plan configured in such a way that after 11.45 PM IST all the host machines will shutdown and no instance will be available to use. However, I choose the radio button "when no active sessions". Users are exiting the remote application and the status on the remote app shows as disconnected and not logged off completely. This leads to scaling plan not to work. Machines are being online after 11.45 Pm IST. I had to logout all the users session then the machines State will go shutdown. How to achieve complete logout when exiting remote app. Thanks, Ram
