Let’s get this out of the way, first: If you don’t consider yourself particularly tech savvy, you should probably call for tech help before deploying Windows 365 Cloud PCs.
For all of the simplicity of running Windows 365 Cloud PC from the user side, the reality is that, from the admin side, getting set up is a fairly technical process.
With that said, we’re here to help.
Whether you want to create a Windows 365 Cloud PC yourself, or you’re simply curious about how the process works, this article will provide you with the information you’re looking for.
At a high level, there are two fundamental steps:
Microsoft will also prompt you to set up security protocols and service alerts for your Windows 365 Cloud PC. You should (in general) follow their prompting, but we won’t cover that here, because it’s not a fundamental part of actually creating a virtual desktop.
Finally, note that, for the purposes of this process, we’re assuming that you have an active Azure account and are able to log in via the Azure portal.
Okay – let’s dive in.
As Microsoft explains, “Host pools are a collection of one or more identical virtual machines (VMs) within Virtual Desktop environments.” During this step, you’re defining the computing power that users will access when they log into their remote desktops.
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Once your host pool is set up, it’s time to move on to application groups.
Application groups allow users to access apps – Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and so on – from their virtual machines. The applications you publish to a group will be available from users’ “Start” menus.
Because you’re starting your app group from within the host pool you just created, your new app group will be automatically added to your host pool. Here’s how to define it:
And that’s it – you’ve now created your Windows 365 Cloud PC in Azure. Users will be able to access it via the Microsoft Remote Desktop app (for more on that, check out our previous article).
Admittedly, the above process is fairly complex (and we haven’t dealt with the limitless nuances to optimizing your deployment, either).
If you’re intimidated by the idea of setting up a virtual environment on Azure, don’t worry – you don’t have to go it alone. Give us a call and we’ll ensure your deployment goes the way it should.
At Exigent, we have the technical background to help you smoothly deploy the frontend and the backend of your Windows 365 Cloud PC solution; we’ve been helping New York and New Jersey businesses to meet the demands of their fussiest Microsoft Windows power users since 1997, and our staff has over 200 years of cumulative experience in implementing and supporting Microsoft technologies.
When you’re ready for implementation, we can provide white-glove support to make the process quick and seamless, ensuring users are educated and environments are properly configured.
Ready to skip the technical headaches and create your Azure Virtual Desktop solution? Let’s talk.
Daniel Haurey Jr. is the president and founder of managed IT services provider Exigent Technologies, which he founded in 1997. Under his leadership, the MSP has earned accolades ranging from Channel Futures MSP 501 to being named SonicWall’s 2024 MSP Growth Partner of the Year. Dan is a true entrepreneur, dedicated to growing, investing in, and mentoring small businesses. You can find him on LinkedIn, where he regularly posts about technology, business, leadership, and community.