Azure Virtual Desktop Host pools are the collection of one or multiple VMs or session hosts within the AVD(Azure Virtual Desktop) environments. In this Azure article, we will discuss the steps to create an Azure Virtual Desktop host pool.
How to create Azure Virtual Desktop Host Pool
Before starting the actual functionality, let’s discuss the prerequisites needed here.
Prerequisites
- You must have an Azure subscription. If you don’t have one, you can create an Azure free account now.
- You must create a virtual network.
- Must create an Azure virtual machine (VM).
- You must install the domain and configure the Azure AD connect.
Assuming, you are ready with all the prerequisites, let’s start the actual functionality using the below steps
- Log in to the Azure Portal.
- Search for Azure Virtual Desktop and click on the search result Azure Virtual Desktop under the Services.
3. Click on the Host pools from the left navigation on the Azure Virtual Desktop page
4. Click on the + Create button or you can click on the Create host pool button.
Or, even for the same option, Click on the Create a host pool button directly on the Azure Virtual Desktop page –> Overview tab.
5. On the Create a host pool page, provide the below details on the Basics tab
- Subscription: Select a valid Azure Subscription.
- Resource Group: You can click on the Create new link to create a new Resource Group or you can select an existing Resource Group.
- Host pool name: Provide a unique name for the Host pool.
- Location: Select the region or location where you wish to create the Azure Virtual Desktop host pool.
- Validation Environment: Choose Yes or No. This is optional.
- Preferred app group type: Select the Preferred app group type as Desktop or Remote App (RAIL).
- Host pool type: You can either choose Personal or Pooled.If you will choose Personal,
Choose the Assignment type as Automatic or the Direct option.
If you will choose the Host pool type as Pooled, You need to choose the Load balancing algorithm as Breadth-first or Depth-first.
- Max session limit: This is optional. If you wish you can specify the maximum number of users per session host.
Now, click on the Next: Virtual Machines > button to navigate to the Virtual machines tab.
On the Virtual machines tab, provide the below details
- Add Azure virtual machines: Select the Add Azure virtual machines option as No, if you have already your Virtual Machine created and you just wish to use that with this host pool.
Then you can click on the Next: Workspace > button to navigate to the Workspace tab.
If you will choose the Add Azure virtual machines option as Yes, You need to fill out the below details
- Resource Group: You can select the same Resource Group as the host pool or even you have the provision to select a different Resource Group.
- Name prefix: Enter a name prefix.
- Virtual machine location: Select the Virtual Machine location or region. You can choose the same or diferent location that you have selected for the host pool.
- Availability options: Select the availability options. You have 3 options present here. Availability zones, Availability Set, No infrastructure redundancy required. If you will choose Availability zone. You can select 1 or multiple Availability zones based on your need. If you will select the Availability Set option, then Select the available set from the list or you can click on the Create new link to create a new Availability set.
- Security type: You can select the Standard option which will provide you the basic level of security to your Virtual Machine. But there are another two options available and those are Trusted launch Virtual Machines and Confidential Virtual Machines.
- Image: Select the image from the list of available options as per your requirement.
- Virtual Machine Size: Select the Virtual machine size based on your requirement. You can click on the Change size link to find all the available options.
- Number of VMs: Specify the number of Virtual Machines that you wish to create for the host pool.
- OS disk type: Select the OS disk type. The available options are Standard SSD and Premium SSD.
- Boot Diagnostics: Select the option “Enable with managed storage account (recommended)”.
- Virtual network: Select the virtual network that you have created.
- Network security group: Choose the network security group from Basic, Advanced, None options.
- Public inbound ports: Choose the No option. If you will select the Yes option, you need to select the Inbound ports to allow from the lists of available options.
Select Which directory you would like to join: Either you can select the Active Directory or Azure Active Directory option.
You can select the Azure Active Directory option then select the Enroll VM with Intune option as Yes or No.
If you will choose the Active Directory option, you need to fill the below details
- AD domain join UPN and Passowrd: You need to enter the credentials for your Active Directory Domain admin of the VN (virtual Network) you have selected.
- Specify domain or unit: You can select the Yes or No option. If you will select the Yes option, you need to specify the Domain to join.
- Username, Password, Confirm password: Enter the username, password and confirm password to set the Virtual Machine Administrator account.
- ARM template file URL: Specify the ARM template file URL.
- ARM template parameter file URL: Enter the ARM template parameter file URL.
Then click on the Next: Workspace > button to navigate to the Workspace tab.
On the Workspace tab, provide the below details
It is recommanded to register the desktop app group to the workspace.
- Register desktop app group: You must select the Yes option.
- To this workspace: Select the Workspace for the specified location. You can also click on the Create new link to create a new workspace.
Keep the other tab value as it is and click on the Review + Create button.
Now, it will validate all the details entered by you and will show you Validation sucessful and then you can able to see the Create button. Click on the Create button to create the Azure Virtual Desktop Host Pool and you are done.
You may also like following the below articles
- Amazon Workspaces vs Azure Virtual Desktop
- How to create Azure Virtual Desktop Scaling Plan
- How to start with Azure Virtual Desktop
- Windows 365 vs Azure Virtual Desktop
- How to reset password in Azure virtual machine
- How to access Azure VM (Virtual Machine)
- An introduction to Microsoft Azure Portal
Final Words
In this article, we discussed how to create Azure Virtual Desktop Host Pool. Thanks for reading this article !!!