Microsoft has brought Windows 11 to Azure Virtual Desktop customers, providing them with access to the latest operating system in preview should they need to try it out in advance.
You know, to run validation processes and all that.
Although the Redmond-based company’s focus is now shifting towards the Cloud PC space, the firm also has an existing offering called Azure Virtual Desktop, which offers users a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)- based experience to run the Windows operating system.
Now, the company has announced that these customers can utilize the preview of the upcoming OS on the service.
The company states that while using Windows 11 on Azure Virtual Desktop will be similar to running the operating system on a local machine, some higher-end graphical user interface components may necessitate configuring a VM with a decent GPU.
Windows 11 is rich in these — with its transparency effects, rounded corners, and new animations.
In terms of features, apart from performance, security, and usability enhancements, the new operating system provides its own perks on Azure Virtual Desktop, including exclusive support for multisession and Trusted Launch capabilities to utilize TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot in virtual machines.
The latter should be familiar, but multisession helps reduce costs by having multiple users utilize the OS on a single VDI.
Organizations that want to utilize Windows 11 in preview on Azure Virtual Desktop can point their browsers to the marketplace to purchase three possible configurations: Windows 11 Enterprise, Windows 11 Enterprise Multisession, and Windows 11 Enterprise Multisession + Microsoft 365 apps.
Of course, interested users must be enrolled in the Windows Insider program to access these images.
