A Windows Virtual Desktop demo on management tools for IT
Now that organizations can purchase and set up Windows Virtual Desktop, they must learn how to manage the offering and learn what tools can help them accomplish this.
Organizations can manage Windows Virtual Desktop with the new Windows Virtual Desktop PowerShell module. Organizations that would rather opt for a graphical user interface (GUI)-based management tool can find the different GUI options as well.
The first tool in this Windows Virtual Desktop demo is in development by Microsoft. It is an Azure application service that IT can run in its own Azure tenant, but IT pros should keep in mind that there are hosting costs associated with the subscription for this tool. IT professionals can download the tool from GitHub.
Microsoft encourages IT pros to take the source of the first tool and create a custom tool on top of it that works best for each organization's needs. Microsoft sees the base application it delivers as an example and a template rather than a finished product. The Windows Virtual Desktop demo video highlights, however, that Microsoft's base application does very well for basic management needs.
The second tool in this Windows Virtual Desktop demo is a custom tool created with PowerShell. The PowerShell forms and new PowerShell module provide the framework for this simple GUI-based tool. The installation runs via an .exe file, and IT professionals can install the tool on machines that run Windows 10, Windows 2016 or 2019. This option, highlighted in the Windows Virtual Desktop demo, doesn't require any extra Azure hosting costs.