Deploying Horizon on Azure for Hybrid Cloud Success

Deploying Horizon on Azure can be a game-changer for businesses looking to expand their cloud capabilities. Horizon on Azure provides a scalable and secure platform for delivering virtual desktops and applications.

By leveraging Azure's global infrastructure, businesses can easily deploy and manage Horizon environments in multiple regions. This allows for improved disaster recovery and reduced latency.

With Horizon on Azure, businesses can also take advantage of Azure's advanced security features, including encryption and access controls. This ensures that sensitive data is protected and only accessible to authorized users.

Businesses can also expect to see improved performance and scalability with Horizon on Azure, thanks to Azure's high-performance computing capabilities. This enables seamless delivery of virtual desktops and applications to users worldwide.

Cloud deployment for Horizon on Azure is a straightforward process. WWT experts can guide you through it, leveraging their extensive experience in End User Computing and cloud expertise.

To deploy VMware Horizon Cloud on Azure, you'll need a valid Microsoft Azure subscription in a supported Microsoft Azure environment, as well as an active MyVMware account to log in to the Horizon Cloud Control Plane. WWT can help you choose the right subscription and set it up.

In a hybrid cloud environment, you can deploy Horizon using Horizon Cloud Pod Architecture (CPA) to interconnect on-premises and Azure data centers. This allows for redundancy and scalability, but requires each Horizon pod to be distinct and have its own Connection Servers running on the same broadcast domain.

You can deploy Horizon in a hybrid cloud environment by using Horizon Cloud Pod Architecture (CPA) to interconnect on-premises and Azure data centers.

CPA scales up your deployment, builds a hybrid cloud, and provides redundancy for Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery.

Each Horizon pod is distinct, and all Connection Servers that belong to each of the individual pods are required to be located in a single location and run on the same broadcast domain from a network perspective.

To deploy Cloud Connector in Azure Virtual Network alongside Horizon Connection Servers, you'll need to download the VHD version of Horizon Cloud Connector.

Horizon Control Plane support for Horizon on Azure VMware Solution is not yet available.

The Horizon Cloud Connector is required for Horizon on Azure VMware Solution to manage subscription licenses.

The Azure private cloud is conceptually the same as the VMware SDDC, a term typically used in Horizon documentation.

Horizon can be deployed in an Azure VMware Solution private cloud, which is a key difference in deploying Horizon on-premises and Azure VMware Solution.

On a similar theme: Azure Cloud

Sizing tables are crucial for cloud deployments, especially when using Azure VMware Solution.

Horizon's sizing methodology on a host running in Azure VMware Solution is simpler than Horizon on-premises.

The Azure VMware Solution host is standardized, making it easier to determine the exact host sizing needed to support your VDI requirements.

To determine the cost-per-desktop, you need to understand the Azure virtual machine sizes required for the Horizon Infrastructure.

This information can be found in the Horizon Installation on Azure VMware Solution, which provides the necessary details for accurate sizing.

For another approach, see: Azure Host

Cloud architecture plays a crucial role in Horizon on Azure deployments. The Azure VMware Solution private cloud and SDDC can handle 4,000 desktop or application sessions, assuming certain workload traffic and network configuration requirements are met.

A typical Horizon architecture design uses a pod and block strategy. A block is a single vCenter Server, while multiple blocks combined make a pod. A Horizon pod is a unit of organization determined by Horizon scalability limits.

The Azure private cloud is conceptually the same as the VMware SDDC, a term typically used in Horizon documentation. The rest of this document uses both terms interchangeably.

To maximize scalability, it's recommended to deploy Horizon Connection Servers and VMware Unified Access Gateways (UAGs) inside the Azure Virtual Network. This effectively turns each Azure private cloud and SDDC into a block.

Here are the key differences in deploying Horizon on-premises and Azure VMware Solution:

The Horizon Cloud Service on Microsoft Azure system architecture includes the standard Horizon Cloud Service components, as well as unique components and integrations that provide additional capabilities. The automated provisioning of a Horizon Cloud Service pod on your Microsoft Azure capacity is a key feature of this system architecture.

Broaden your view: Azure Components

Horizon on Azure now supports PostgreSQL, which is a significant improvement for scalability.

This allows for increased flexibility and compatibility with various databases.

With this support, you can connect up to 20,000 desktops and sessions per pod, making it easier to manage large-scale deployments.

This scalability is particularly useful for organizations with a large number of users or devices.

By supporting up to 20,000 desktops and sessions per pod, Horizon on Azure can handle the demands of even the most complex environments.

There are four components to the overall costs of running Horizon on Azure VMware Solution.

The costs are broken down into these four components, which is important to consider when planning your deployment.

If only deploying Horizon on Azure VMware Solution for the foreseeable future, then use the Horizon Subscription License as it is a lower cost.

This license is a more affordable option, making it suitable for those who don't anticipate needing to deploy Horizon on-premises.

There are two available licenses for use with the Azure VMware Solution: Concurrent User (CCU) or Named User (NU).

You'll need to choose one of these licenses based on your organization's needs and requirements.

Work with your VMware EUC sales team to determine the Horizon licensing cost based on your needs.

They can help you navigate the different options and find the best fit for your organization.

Here's an interesting read: How to Use Azure

Preparing Azure for Horizon involves separating the DC and Horizon environment into separate virtual networks (VNETs). This will help keep your environments organized and secure.

To set up your VNETs, you'll need to carve the Horizon vNet into subnets for the DMZ, Management Network, and VDI network. This will give you the flexibility to manage and secure your Horizon environment effectively.

You can leverage the Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) images for optimization, which will save you time and effort. Additionally, you can use the VMware OS Optimization Tool to install your apps and ensure they're optimized for your Horizon environment.

Preparing for a successful build is crucial. It involves hitting on the pre-requisites, which can be a bit overwhelming.

Separating the DC and Horizon environment into separate virtual networks (VNETs) is a good starting point. This will help keep things organized and prevent any potential issues.

Carving the Horizon VNet into subnets for the DMZ, Management Network, and VDI network is also essential. This will allow for better network segmentation and security.

Here's a quick rundown of the subnets you'll need to create:

It's a big moment when everything comes together, and you can see your setup in action. The author of the article was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to self-configure the UAGs.

A little hosts file entry to the public IP of the Azure Load Balancer is all it takes to get started. This is a great example of how simplicity can be achieved with the right setup.

You'll want to add a security rule to allow your ISP's public IP to hit the load balancer, just to do things safely. This is a crucial step to ensure your setup is secure.

With these simple steps, you can start testing your setup and see it in action. The author was able to test it easily and saw the results they were looking for.

As you manage your Horizon on Azure deployment, it's essential to understand the various admin and management features at your disposal.

You can manage your Horizon on Azure deployment using the Azure portal, which provides a centralized hub for monitoring, configuring, and troubleshooting your environment.

To ensure seamless integration with your Azure environment, Horizon on Azure supports Azure Active Directory (AAD) for authentication and authorization.

Regular health checks and monitoring are crucial to maintaining a stable and efficient Horizon on Azure environment.

With Azure Monitor, you can track performance metrics, receive alerts, and gain valuable insights into your environment's overall health.

By leveraging Azure's scalability and reliability, you can easily scale up or down to meet changing demands on your Horizon on Azure deployment.

Azure's built-in security features, such as encryption at rest and in transit, help protect your sensitive data and maintain compliance with industry standards.

With Azure's robust backup and recovery capabilities, you can ensure business continuity in the event of a disaster or data loss.

By utilizing Azure's automation and orchestration tools, you can streamline administrative tasks, reduce errors, and improve overall efficiency.

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To scale Horizon on Azure VMware Solution, you'll need to focus on critical networking elements.

Network connectivity is crucial for a seamless user experience.

The network architecture at a high level includes common deployment examples to help you scale Horizon on Azure VMware Solution.

This section lays out the network architecture specifically on critical networking elements.

For a successful deployment, you'll need to consider network connectivity to scale Horizon on Azure VMware Solution.

Network architecture is a high-level overview of the common deployment examples to help you scale Horizon on Azure VMware Solution.

Discover more: Azure Deployments

Microsoft announced pricing for Windows 365, a new DaaS offering that costs from $20 per user per month to $162 per user per month. This new offering was unveiled in July 2021.

Early Windows 365 partners include ServiceNow and Nerdio, who are already working with Microsoft to bring this technology to market.

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