The AZ-140 Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop Certification allows candidates to gain the necessary skills required to effectively manage an organization’s Azure Virtual Desktop environments. It covers a wide range of aspects that should be implemented in the management of Azure virtual desktops. These include identity and access management, user environment and applications and monitoring activities. In this blog, we assist you with AZ-140 exam preparation by explaining the key aspects involved in managing Azure Virtual Desktops.
Examination Composition
As per the AZ-140 study guide, the planning and implementation of the following key aspects are examined in the exam;
Azure Virtual Desktop Architecture
Azure Virtual Desktop is a virtualization service in Azure that enables cloud users to access desktops and applications from any location to perform their functions. It works across a variety of devices and applications that you can use to access remote Azure desktops.
The following diagram shows the Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop;
It is crucial for the AZ-140 exam and implementation planning to understand the architectural setup of the Azure Virtual Desktop. Diagram below shows what this architecture looks like;
As seen in the diagram above, the Azure Virtual Desktop control plane comprises components such as Web Access, Gateway, Broker, Diagnostics that are managed by Microsoft. The customer handles aspects such as Azure subscriptions, virtual networks, Azure Files and the Azure Virtual Desktop host pools and workspaces.
Planning Azure Virtual Desktop implementation
When planning and implementing host pools for the Azure Virtual Desktop Exam AZ-140, it’s important to consider factors such as scalability, performance, resource allocation licensing requirements and compatibility You should ensure that the host pools are appropriately sized to handle the workload demands of users, the deployment strategies align with the environment and resources usage is controlled. You should also understand the shared responsibilities between Microsoft and customers, as explained below;
- Microsoft Responsibilities: During the planning, understand the sharing of management responsibility between Microsoft and the customer. Microsoft manages the following among other management responsibilities;
-
- Web Access: This functionality allows you to access virtual desktops and remote applications through a HTML5-compatible web browser. Access is granted by any device within the environment.
- Gateway: The gateway is to connect remote users to Azure Virtual Desktop applications and desktops. This connection required any internet-connected device running an Azure Virtual Desktop client.
- Connection Broker: This service manages all user connections to virtual desktops and remote applications in Azure Virtual Desktop environments. This provides a range of capabilities including load balancing and reconnection to existing sessions.
- Diagnostics: This is an event-based aggregator that indicates whether each user or administrator action on the Azure Virtual Desktop deployment has been a success or failure. Azure administrators often query the event aggregation to identify failing components within the environment.
- Customer Responsibilities: The customer manages the following components in Azure Virtual Desktops environments
- Azure Virtual Network: This feature is used to connect the Azure Virtual Desktop host pools to an Active Directory domain. This allows customers to define network topology necessary to access virtual desktops and virtual applications as well as connecting Azure Virtual Desktops to an on-premises networks
- Azure ExpressRoute: This functionality is used in the Azure Virtual Desktop deployment to extend the on-premises network into the Azure cloud. It used a private connection, without the internet.
- Microsoft Entra ID: Microsoft Entra ID is used for identity and access management. Its integration allows the customer to apply Microsoft Entra security features such as conditional access and MFA to the Azure Virtual Desktop environment.
- Azure Virtual Desktop workspace: The purpose of the Azure Virtual Desktop workspace is to allow the customer to manage and publish host pool resources.
Implementing Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure
The AZ-140 exam tests candidates’ ability to create, manage, and scale host pools. You will also need to demonstrate your skills in deploying and managing session hosts in order to successfully obtain this Microsoft Azure certification. You need to grasp the implementation of Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure including the following concepts;
- Point-to-site virtual private network (VPN): This method provides an encrypted channel between a virtual network and a single computer in your network. Each computer that needs to establish connectivity with a virtual network is required to first configure its connection.
- Site-to-site VPN: Site-to Site is established between your on-premises VPN device and an Azure VPN Gateway that is deployed in a virtual network. This allows any on-premises resource that you authorised to access a virtual network with communication between on-premises VPN devices.
Managing Azure Virtual Desktop access and security
The AZ-140 exam places much emphasis on Azure Virtual Desktop security to create a safe virtual environment for users. This spans identity integration, secure authentication, and security as follows
-
- Identity integration: The following are the typical identities used;
* On-premises identity: This requires users to be discoverable through Microsoft Entra ID to access the Azure Virtual Desktop. This method does not support user identities that exist only in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) including standalone Active Directory deployments with Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS).
* Hybrid identity: Azure Virtual Desktop supports hybrid identities through Microsoft Entra ID. It includes those identities that are federated using AD FS. Users are also able to manage these user identities in AD DS and synchronize them to Microsoft Entra ID using Microsoft Entra Connect.
* Cloud-only identity: Azure Virtual Desktop supports cloud-only identities when using Microsoft Entra joined VMs. These users are created and managed directly in Microsoft Entra ID and widely used in managing cloud desktop solutions.
- Identity integration: The following are the typical identities used;
- Authentication: For users connecting to a remote session, there are three separate authentication points:
* Service authentication: This authentication method retrieves a list of resources the user has access to when accessing the client. It depends on the Microsoft Entra account configuration. For example, if the user has MFA enabled, they are prompted for their user account as well as a second form of authentication, in the same way as accessing other services.
* MFA: You should always enforce Microsoft Entra MFA for Azure Virtual Desktop using Conditional Access for your deployment. When deploying Microsoft Entra joined VMs, note the extra steps for Microsoft Entra joined session host VMs are required.
* Passwordless authentication: You can use any authentication type supported by Microsoft Entra ID, such as Windows Hello for Business and other passwordless authentication options (for example, FIDO keys), to authenticate to the service.
- Managing Access: Azure Virtual Desktop uses Azure role-based access controls (RBAC) to assign a wide range of roles as follows;
* Desktop Virtualization Contributor: This role allows you to manage all your Azure Virtual Desktop resources. You can assign application groups to user accounts or user groups using this role, but you cannot grant users access to compute resources.
* Desktop Virtualization User: This role allows Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure users to use an application in a session host from an application group. The users will operate in non-administrative capacities when functioning within this role.
* Desktop Virtualization Application Group Contributor: This role allows you to manage all aspects of an application group. Where the user needs to assign user accounts or user groups to application groups too, the User Access Administrator role should be used.
Managing user environments and apps for Azure Virtual Desktop
Azure administrator certification holders can use the following functionalities of managing under environments and applications in Azure Virtual Desktop environments.
- FSLogix: FSLogix is a functionality that allows for a consistent experience for Windows user profiles in Azure Virtual Desktop environments. However, it can also be used on physical desktops where a more portable user experience is desired. It also optimizes file I/O operations between the host/client and remote profiles.
- User Settings: It is crucial to also configure user settings through group policies for Azure Virtual Desktop environments. This can be achieved through Endpoint Manager policies for Azure Virtual Desktop and device redirections for Azure Virtual Desktop.
- Configure MSIX app attach: This functionality is used to attach and share files within the Azure Virtual Desktop environment. As the candidate for the AZ-140 exam, you are required to understand how the MSIX app attach works and setting up file shares for MSIX app attach.
Monitoring and Maintaining Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure
As a candidate for the AZ-140 exam, understand the processes involved in the monitoring and maintenance of the Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure components. Some solutions used in this process include the following;
- Azure Monitor: Azure Virtual Desktop uses Azure Monitor for monitoring and alerts like many other Azure services. The advantage of Azure Monitor is that it allows Azure administrators to identify and report issues through a single interface.
- Azure Advisor: Azure Advisor analyzes Azure Virtual Desktop configurations and telemetry as requested. It offers personalized recommendations to solve common problems which are crucial in optimizing resources in Azure Virtual Desktop environments.
- Autoscale: This feature allows you to scale your session host virtual machines (VMs) in a host pool up or down according to schedule to optimize deployment costs. It is important, however, to note that the classic version of Azure Virtual Desktop does not support autoscale and that the feature is only currently available in Azure and Azure Government.
Azure Virtual Desktop best practices
The following are some of the best practices for securing any Azure Virtual Desktop deployment.
- Enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud: You should enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud’s enhanced security features to effectively manage vulnerabilities and assess compliance with common frameworks. You then improve your Secure Score as provided in the recommendations.
- Enforce MFA: Requiring and enforcing MFA for all users and administrators in the Azure Virtual Desktop environment assists in improving the security of the entire Azure Virtual Desktop deployment and infrastructure.
- Enable Conditional Access: Enable Conditional Access to manage risks before you grant users access to your Azure Virtual Desktop environments. It is crucial to consider important aspects such as how users sign in, the devices they are using and so forth when granting access to users.
- Encrypt your session hosts: It is also important to encrypt your session hosts with managed disk encryption options. This allows you to protect stored data from unauthorized access within the Azure Virtual Desktop environment,
- Enable endpoint protection: Enable endpoint protection to safeguard your deployment from known malicious software. This should be implemented on all session hosts Windows Defender Antivirus or a third-party program as appropriate.
- Patch software vulnerabilities: If you identify a vulnerability in the Azure Virtual Desktop environment, ensure that you immediately patch it. This is important as virtual environments include the running operating systems, applications, and images which are vulnerable to attacks.
AZ-140 Skills and Benefits
The following are some of the skills and benefits one gains by scudding and successfully passing the Azure AZ-140 exam;
- Performance optimization: AZ-140 teaches a wide range of techniques that are employed to monitor and troubleshoot potential performance issues in the implementation of Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructures. This results in performance optimization in the overall Azure environment.
- Effective Azure Virtual Desktop deployment: Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop certification holders can confidently deploy and manage Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure. This encompasses a variety of activities including creating host pools, assigning users, overseeing security, and managing session policies.
- Improved efficiency: Obtaining the AZ-140 certification also equips holders with the ability to quickly identify and resolve issues within the Azure Virtual desktop environment. By holding this Microsoft Azure certification, holders gain confidence in implementing robust security measures to safeguard sensitive data within the Azure Virtual Desktop environment.
- Career advancement: Undergoing AZ-140 exam preparation and subsequently passing the actual exam demonstrates specialized expertise of the Microsoft Azure certification holder in managing Azure Virtual Desktops. It also provides a firm foundation for attaining related advanced certifications in the field.
Conclusion
Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop certification (AZ-140) is valuable for professionals to seek and validate Azure Virtual Desktop administration skills. By earning this Microsoft Azure certification, candidates can showcase their skills in effectively managing the evolving Azure VD work environment. The aspects discussed here allow you to demonstrate that you have the necessary subject expertise to many virtual desktops in Azure. We offer hands-on labs, sandboxes and practice tests that help you develop your expertise in Azure cloud more efficiently. Get started now with the AZ-140 certification course, and manage operations more effectively.
- How Does AZ-140 Help in Managing Azure Virtual Desktops? - March 7, 2025
- What Are AZ-800 Key Concepts for Role-Based Access? - February 18, 2025
- Simplifying Azure Dev Workflows with the Azure Developer CLI - February 7, 2025
- MD-102:Endpoint Administrator – Syllabus Update Sept 17, 2024 - September 24, 2024
- How I Successfully Passed the AI-900 Certification Exam - September 4, 2024