Setup Azure Virtual Desktop "AVD" and FSLogix Complete Step by Step Guide and Demo

Introduction

This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide on setting up Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) with FSLogix profiles, integrating Azure premium storage and Active Directory. By following these steps, you will create a fully functioning virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solution suitable for enterprise use.

Step 1: Create Azure Storage Account for FSLogix

1. Navigate to the Azure portal.
2. Click on "Create a resource" and select "Storage Account."
3. Fill in the required fields:
   • Subscription: Choose your Azure subscription.
   • Resource Group: Select an existing group or create a new one.
   • Storage Account Name: Enter a unique name.
   • Location: Choose the region closest to your users.
   • Performance: Select "Premium" for better IOPS.
4. Click "Review + Create" and then "Create" to set up the storage account.

Step 2: Create a Storage Private Endpoint

1. In the Azure portal, navigate to your storage account.
2. Under "Networking," select "Private endpoint connections."
3. Click on "+ Private endpoint" to create a new endpoint.
4. Fill in the necessary details:
   • Name: Provide a name for the endpoint.
   • Resource type: Select "Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts."
   • Subnet: Choose the appropriate virtual network subnet.
5. Review and create the endpoint.

Step 3: Create DNS Zone for Private Endpoint

1. Go to "Create a resource" and search for "DNS Zone."
2. Fill in the details:
   • Name: Enter a name for your DNS zone.
   • Resource Group: Select the same group used for the storage account.
   • Location: Choose the appropriate location.
3. Click "Review + Create" and then "Create."

Step 4: Create Premium File Share for Performance IOPS

1. Navigate to your storage account.
2. Under "File shares," click on "+ File share."
3. Enter a name and set the quota.
4. Click "Create" to set up the file share.

Step 5: Azure Storage Active Directory Integration

1. Open your storage account in the Azure portal.
2. Under "Identity," enable Azure Active Directory (AD) authentication.
3. Review the configuration to ensure proper integration.

Step 6: Assign Azure and NTFS Permissions on AVD FSLogix Share

1. Navigate to the file share created earlier.
2. Go to "Access control (IAM)" to assign Azure permissions.
3. Use Windows Explorer to set NTFS permissions:
   • Right-click the share and select "Properties."
   • Go to the "Security" tab and click "Edit" to add user permissions.

Step 7: FSLogix GPO Admin Template Install

1. Download the FSLogix Group Policy Object (GPO) templates.
2. Open the Group Policy Management Console.
3. Import the downloaded FSLogix templates into your GPO.

Step 8: FSLogix Standard Configuration

1. Open the FSLogix configuration settings.
2. Define the location of the profile container.
3. Set up other standard configurations as needed.

Step 9: Register Resource Providers

1. Go to "Resource Providers" in Azure.
2. Search for "Microsoft.DesktopVirtualization" and register it.

Step 10: Create Azure Virtual Desktop Gold Image

1. Create a new Virtual Machine (VM) that will serve as your gold image.
2. Install required applications on this VM.
3. Prepare it for sysprep.

Step 11: Install FSLogix and Applications in Gold Image

1. Download and install FSLogix on the gold image VM.
2. Ensure that all necessary applications are installed and configured.

Step 12: Sysprep AVD Gold Image

1. Open a command prompt as an administrator.
2. Run the following command to prepare the image:

   sysprep /oobe /generalize /shutdown
   

Step 13: Capture the AVD Image in the Image Gallery

1. Navigate to the Azure portal.
2. Go to "Images" and select "Create Image."
3. Choose the prepared VM and follow the prompts to capture the image.

Step 14: Create AVD Host Pool from the Image Gallery

1. Go to "Azure Virtual Desktop" in the Azure portal.
2. Click on "Host pools" and select "+ Add."
3. Fill in the details and select the image from the gallery.

Step 15: Add Users to Access AVD

1. In the host pool settings, go to "Application groups."
2. Select the appropriate application group and add users who need access.

Step 16: Install Remote Desktop Client

1. Download the Remote Desktop Client on your local machine.
2. Follow the installation prompts to complete the setup.

Step 17: Test FSLogix User Profiles Permissions

1. Log in to the AVD with a user account.
2. Verify that the FSLogix profile loads correctly and permissions are set.

Step 18: Test FSLogix User Profiles Between Hosts

1. Connect to different hosts within the AVD environment.
2. Ensure that user profiles are consistent across sessions.

Step 19: FSLogix Antivirus File and Folder Exclusions

1. Configure your antivirus software to exclude specific FSLogix files and folders.
2. Refer to the FSLogix documentation for recommended exclusions.

Step 20: Conditional Access Policy Targeting AVD

1. Go to Azure Active Directory and navigate to "Security."
2. Click on "Conditional Access" and create a new policy targeting AVD.

Step 21: No Computer Password Expire

1. In Group Policy, navigate to "Computer Configuration" > "Policies" > "Windows Settings" > "Security Settings."
2. Set the policy to prevent password expiration for computers accessing AVD.

Conclusion

In this guide, you have learned to set up Azure Virtual Desktop with FSLogix profiles, configure storage, and integrate Active Directory. Following these steps will enable you to build a robust virtualized desktop infrastructure. For further optimization, consider exploring advanced configurations and monitoring tools to enhance your AVD environment.