Traditional RDS vs Azure WVD

Last Updated 2 years ago ago

In this article, we’d be doing a head to head comparison of the two virtual environment solutions provided by Microsoft i.e. Remote Desktop Services vs Windows Virtual Desktop. So, without further a do, let’s learn about each of it one by one and afterwards we’ll lead us to their comparison.

What is Remote Desktop Services?

Remote Desktop Services (RDS) is the offering of Microsoft for building virtualization solutions for every end customer need, including delivering individual virtualized applications, providing secure mobile and remote desktop access for your users whom infrastructure may rely on physical machines or virtual machines in cloud. 

Depending on your environment and preferences, you may set up the RDS solution for Session-Based Virtualization, as a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), or as a combination of the two:

• Session-based virtualization: Leverage the computer power of Windows Server to provide a cost-effective multi-session environment to drive your users’ everyday workloads.
• VDI: Leverage Windows Client to provide the high performance, app compatibility, and familiarity that your users have come to expect of their Windows Desktop experience.

What is Windows Virtual Desktop?

Azure Windows Virtual Desktop is a cloud offering from Microsoft that allows its users to virtualize desktops and apps.

Here’s what you can do when you run Windows Virtual Desktop on Azure:

• Set up a multi-session Windows 10 deployment that delivers a full Windows 10 with scalability
• Virtualize Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise and optimize it to run in multi-user virtual scenarios
• Provide Windows 7 virtual desktops with free Extended Security Updates
• Bring your existing Remote Desktop Services (RDS) and Windows Server desktops and apps to any computer
• Virtualize both desktops and apps
• Manage Windows 10, Windows Server, and Windows 7 desktops and apps with a unified management experience

Microsoft RDS vs Microsoft Azure WVD

For the comparison of the concerning virtual solutions, we’ll be segmenting it into four sections:

• Features comparison of Remote Desktop Services vs Windows Virtual Desktop
• Management of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs WVD
• Cost of RDS vs WVD
• Performance of RDS vs WVD
• Use case scenarios of RDS vs WVD

Features comparison of Remote Desktop Services vs Azure Windows Virtual Desktop

Features RDS (Hosted in Azure using Virtual Machines) Azure WVD Operating System.

Management of Microsoft Remote Desktop Services vs Windows Virtual Desktop

The management of cost and infrastructure includes installation roles, configuring the complete environment, patching of the servers etc. and no doubt, the management of a solution comes with its workload and cost. Below are the given details about the management of the two.

Cost of Remote Desktop Services vs Windows Virtual Desktop

The cost calculations provided below in the table has been made keeping the following considerations in mind:

• Number of users utilizing the environment = round about 16 users
• Having the same set of features and experience excluding the obvious limitations that come with the solution itself

Performance of RDS vs WVD

Performance is significantly improved for WVD which also comes with the support of over the web experience for remote desktop sessions.

Use Case Scenarios of Remote Desktop Services vs Windows Virtual Desktop

The most common use case scenarios that one would come up with and how good they are tackled by the two concerned solution.

Which One Would Work Best for You?

It really depends on one’s environment needs. Some of the factors which may affect your decision would be:

• An RDS environment is already in place and the license required for them have just been renewed, following the approach “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” would seem more appealing to you
• If a new virtual environment to be setup, WVD being the latest technology with less workload and high scalability and very minimal downtime would be a more interesting option for you
• If using Office 365 is necessary, bundling it with WVD with Microsoft 365 Subscription, even switching from already deployed RDS environments would be a huge cost saver for you
• If keeping the access of your environment infrastructure only to you isn’t a big consideration, WVD would prove to be a better choice

I hope the comparison provided and the considerations while choosing between the two will prove to help you decide your next big step for your virtual environment.  Book a strategy call with us now to get started!