Deploying Azure Virtual Desktop alongside Microsoft 365 enables organizations to reduce operational costs, strengthen security, and minimize downtime across their digital environments.
For businesses seeking a secure and scalable way to support temporary staff, remote workers, or newly integrated teams following a merger or acquisition, this approach provides a proven and effective solution.
Imperium Data is a trusted Microsoft partner with the expertise and experience to guide your organization through planning, deployment, and ongoing optimization—ensuring your teams realize the full value of a modern, secure virtual desktop strategy.
COMMON USE CASES
In today’s world of distributed workforces, rising security demands, and pressure to reduce IT spend, organizations are rethinking how they deliver secure, scalable, modern computing.
A virtual desktop delivers a full Windows experience from the cloud to any device—laptop, thin client, tablet, or browser—so users can securely access apps and data without a company‑owned PC.
- Windows 365 (Cloud PC)provides a dedicated, per‑user, fixed‑price Windows desktop that’s simple to manage.
- Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD)is a flexible, consumption‑based platform ideal for pooled/multi‑session desktops, specialized workloads and elastic scale.
A new Forrester Consulting TEI study (commissioned by Microsoft) reveals that combining Windows 365 with Azure Virtual Desktop unlocks major financial and operational gains.
KEY FINDINGS
Massive ROI potential
- Organizations saw a 94% to 217% projected ROI over three years, with up to $7.4M in net present value (NPV).
Productivity gains
- End users saved 6–12 minutes per day through reduced latency and fewer outages — creating up to $6.2M in productivity impact.
- Faster onboarding (hours instead of days) resulted in $1.6M–$1.8M in projected value.
Lower device + lifecycle costs
- BYOPC programs and virtual provisioning cut laptop procurement, shipping, and maintenance, saving $1.1M+.
Reduced infrastructure spend
- Moving from on‑prem to cloud‑managed environments yielded $722K to $1.5M in projected savings.
Stronger security posture
- MFA, RBAC, centralized compliance, and always‑up‑to‑date virtual environments reduced security‑related overhead by 15–25%.
Fewer support tickets
- Self‑service capabilities and more consistent environments cut ticket volume by 15–25%, saving up to $64K.
Seasonal or project teams (incl. M&A)
Stand up secure desktops in hours without shipping hardware—use AVD pooled sessions for scale and cost control.
Graphics/CAD/analytics
AVD with GPU‑enabled host pools for specialized apps; map high‑performance personas accordingly.
Contractors/partners (BYOPC):
Provide dedicated Windows 365 Cloud PCs with data isolation and predictable per‑user costs.
WHY USING BOTH MATTERS
Many of the companies Forrester surveyed faced similar challenges before adopting cloud‑based virtualization:
- Heavy reliance on on‑prem infrastructure made scaling difficult.
- Security and compliance risks increased due to contractors, third‑party partners, and legacy devices.
- Laptop procurement and lifecycle management were costly, slow, and difficult—especially for global contractors.
- Remote access solutions were complex, inconsistent, and often insecure.
- Rapid expansion (e.g., via M&A or relocating operations due to geopolitical events) required fast provisioning IT simply couldn’t deliver with physical hardware.
Windows 365 and AVD enable organizations to replace these fragmented on‑prem solutions with secure, scalable, centrally managed cloud desktops. Forrester found that organizations gain the most value when they pair the two:
- Windows 365 → predictable per‑user cost, simple management, BYOPC‑friendly
- Azure Virtual Desktop → flexible, consumption‑based, ideal for specialized workloads & pooled sessions
Together, they give IT leaders agility, scalability, and a better security/compliance foundation — while significantly lowering operational friction.
SELF ASSESSMENT: ARE YOU A FIT NOW?
IT & Operations
- How many contractors/seasonal staff will you onboard this year?
- Which groups could share pooled desktops without losing productivity?
Security & Compliance
- Do you need to keep data off endpoints (BYOPC, third‑party access)?
- Which Conditional Access and device‑compliance rules are must‑haves?
Finance
- What’s your annual laptop lifecycle spend (procurement, imaging, shipping, RMA)?
- Where will a fixed per‑user model vs consumption model break even?
LET’S PARTNER
Being a trusted Microsoft partner, Imperium Data works with organizations every day to design, evaluate, and optimize modern workplace strategies using solutions like Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop.
As a technology advisory firm, we help teams:
- Assess the right mix of Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop for different user personas
- Build secure, scalable virtual desktop strategies aligned to business outcomes
- Reduce infrastructure and device lifecycle costs
- Improve security, compliance, and operational resilience
- Plan and execute migrations with minimal disruption
Whether you’re exploring virtual desktops for the first time or looking to modernize an existing environment, Imperium Data is here to guide your teams from strategy through execution.
