Maximising Efficiency and Cost Savings: Strategies for Optimising Azure Virtual Desktop

Are you looking for ways to optimise your virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) for efficiency and cost savings? Look no further than Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). With its secure and scalable platform, AVD has become one of the leading VDI solutions available today. However, optimising AVD can be a complex process, and it requires careful planning and management.

In this blog, we will explore some strategies for optimising AVD for efficiency and cost savings, along with statistics and references to support our claims.

Right-sizing Virtual Machines

One of the most critical factors in optimising AVD is selecting the right virtual machine (VM) size. According to Microsoft, choosing the correct size can have a significant impact on performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. In fact, overprovisioning VMs can lead to a 50% increase in costs, while underprovisioning can lead to poor performance and reduced user productivity.

To avoid these issues, Microsoft recommends using the Azure Virtual Desktop Sizing tool to determine the optimal VM size based on specific requirements. By right-sizing VMs, organisations can ensure that resources are utilised efficiently and that costs are minimised.

Implementing Autoscaling

Another strategy for optimising AVD is implementing autoscaling. Autoscaling allows organisations to automatically adjust resources based on user demand, reducing waste and lowering costs. In fact, according to Microsoft, autoscaling can reduce costs by up to 60%.

Microsoft provides autoscaling for AVD called ‘autoscale scaling plan’.

Autoscale lets you scale your session host virtual machines (VMs) in a host pool up or down to optimise deployment costs. You can create a scaling plan based on:

• Time of day
• Specific days of the week
• Session limits per session host

By implementing autoscaling, organisations can optimise resource usage, reduce costs, and improve performance and scalability.

Monitoring and Optimising Resource Usage

Finally, monitoring and optimising resource usage is critical to optimising AVD for efficiency and cost savings. By analysing resource utilisation, organisations can identify bottlenecks, optimise resource allocation, and reduce waste.

Microsoft provides several tools for monitoring and optimising AVD, including Monitoring Insights, Azure Monitor, Azure Advisor, and Azure Cost Management. AVD Monitoring Insights is a dashboard built on Azure Monitor Workbooks that helps IT professionals understand their Azure Virtual Desktop environments. Azure Monitor provides real-time monitoring and alerting for AVD, allowing organisations to detect and respond to performance issues quickly. Azure Advisor provides personalised recommendations for optimising AVD based on best practices and usage patterns, while Azure Cost Management helps organisations track and manage costs associated with AVD and identify opportunities for cost savings.

In conclusion, optimising AVD for efficiency and cost savings requires a comprehensive approach. Right-sizing virtual machines, implementing autoscaling, and monitoring and optimising resource usage are essential strategies to consider. By implementing these strategies, organisations can reduce costs, improve performance, and reap the benefits of AVD.