Azure Virtual Desktop Melbourne — secure cloud desktops
Azure Virtual Desktop Melbourne: secure cloud desktops staff can use anywhere. Key IT designs, migrates off Citrix and manages AVD, with 24/7 SOC monitoring.
Your whole desktop — secure, and anywhere
Open the Windows App on any device and you're in your full Windows desktop — the same email, files and company apps — running safely in Azure. On site, at home, or overseas, over an encrypted connection.
One desktop, the same apps and files — nothing actually lives on the device, so a lost laptop is a non-event. Onsite, remote or overseas, always over a secure, monitored connection.
Azure Virtual Desktop in Melbourne
Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) gives your team a full Windows desktop that runs in Microsoft's cloud, not on the laptop in front of them. Staff sign in from the office, home or a client site and get the same secure desktop every time — while your data and applications stay in Azure, never sitting on the device. Key IT designs, migrates, secures and manages AVD for Melbourne business, with security built in from day one.
How does Azure Virtual Desktop work?
Azure Virtual Desktop runs your team's desktops on Azure virtual machines called session hosts, built in an Azure region close to your Melbourne office. Windows 11 Enterprise multi-session, available only with AVD, lets several staff share one session host, keeping compute costs down. Staff connect through Microsoft's Windows App or a web browser, and their profile, settings and files follow them to whichever session host they land on.
Why businesses move to Azure Virtual Desktop
Work from anywhere, safely
The same Windows desktop on any device, with company data kept in Azure instead of on a laptop that can be lost or stolen.
Scale up or down in minutes
Add desktops for new starters, contractors or a busy season, then switch them off when you're done — you pay for what you use, not hardware you hoped to grow into.
Native to Microsoft 365
It's built on the same identity your business already uses, so sign-in, Teams, SharePoint and Office all work the way your team expects.
No on-premise VDI to run
No room full of servers to patch and replace — Microsoft runs the platform, we run it for you.
Who is AVD right for?
AVD suits businesses whose people work across the office, home and client sites but still rely on Windows applications that can't simply move to a browser. It's a strong fit if you have:
- An accounting, practice-management or other line-of-business application that needs to run on a central server
- Staff across more than one office, working from home or travelling
- Contractors, seasonal staff, a dedicated offshore team or personal devices you don't want holding company data
- A Citrix or Remote Desktop server that's due for replacement
If your team already works entirely in Microsoft 365 and web apps, well-managed laptops may be all you need.
How does Key IT keep AVD secure?
Key IT secures every AVD environment with multi-factor authentication and Conditional Access, so only approved users on approved devices get in, plus endpoint detection on the session hosts and 24/7 SOC monitoring. Because the desktop lives in Azure rather than on a fleet of laptops, the security model is far stronger: updates are applied centrally on the session hosts, and if a device is lost, there's no company data on it to lose. It's all part of our managed cybersecurity.
Azure Virtual Desktop or Windows 365: which should you choose?
Choose Azure Virtual Desktop when your headcount or hours vary, or when pooled multi-session desktops will keep costs down; choose Windows 365 Cloud PC when you want a fixed monthly price per user and the simplest budget. Both are Microsoft cloud desktops that solve the same problem in different ways. We assess how your team works and recommend the one that fits — honestly, including when neither is the right answer.
How do you move from Citrix or a terminal server to AVD?
Key IT runs the move as a planned cloud migration: we map your users, apps and data, move everything across with a way back if anything's off, and decommission the old environment once you're settled. If you're running Citrix, an ageing Remote Desktop server, or desktops you still manage by hand, AVD is usually the simpler, more secure home — on the Microsoft platform you already pay for. See our cloud services and Azure pages for the bigger picture.
Want to see what this looks like for your business? A free IT & Cyber Security Review shows where you stand and what to fix first — no jargon, no obligation.
Book a Free ReviewWhat's included when Key IT sets up AVD?
Every Azure Virtual Desktop setup we deliver covers the same four stages, so Key IT stays accountable from the first design through to day-to-day support.
Design
Size the environment, pick the Azure region and plan identity, security and the apps your team needs.
Migrate
Move users and data with minimal downtime and a rollback plan.
Secure
MFA, Conditional Access, endpoint detection and SOC monitoring as standard.
Manage
Ongoing support through our managed IT support, plus updates, performance tuning and cost control.
Frequently asked questions
What is Azure Virtual Desktop?
A Microsoft service that runs full Windows desktops and apps in the Azure cloud. Staff connect from any device and get a secure, consistent desktop, while data and applications stay centrally in Azure rather than on the endpoint.
What's the difference between Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365?
AVD is flexible and billed on the Azure resources you use, which suits variable or larger teams; Windows 365 is a fixed price per user per month and is the simplest to budget. We help you choose based on how your team actually works.
Is Azure Virtual Desktop secure?
Yes — and stronger than managing a fleet of laptops, because the data lives in Azure, not on the device. We add MFA, Conditional Access, endpoint detection and 24/7 SOC monitoring to every environment.
Can you move us from Citrix or a Remote Desktop server to AVD?
Yes. We migrate Citrix, terminal-server and self-managed desktop setups to AVD, moving your apps and data cleanly and retiring the old environment once you're settled.
How much does Azure Virtual Desktop cost?
You pay for the Azure compute and storage your desktops use. If staff already hold Microsoft 365 Business Premium, E3 or E5, AVD access is included in those licences, so there's no extra Windows licence to buy. We scope your environment and give you a clear, itemised estimate — usually less than buying and running on-premise VDI.
Do staff need a special device to use it?
No. AVD works from a Windows or Mac computer, a thin client, a tablet or even a browser, so existing devices and BYOD are fine.
Can our Azure Virtual Desktop data stay in Australia?
Yes. The AVD service itself doesn't store your documents; your desktops, files and profiles sit on virtual machines and storage in the Azure region you choose. We can build in Microsoft's Australian regions, such as Australia Southeast in Victoria, so your business data stays onshore.
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