Microsoft Azure is a public cloud computing platform.  Microsoft with its huge resources has set up data centers with a tremendous amount of computing power and redundancy to allow businesses to utilize their services for a monthly fee rather than having their own equipment (Servers and Workstations) at their own location.

This doesn’t necessarily work great for everyone as a small business might not even need that kind of service because they only use cloud-based solutions that all utilize a website login, but as Azure evolves, they are delivering more services that small businesses can benefit from.  This is especially important when running software that can only run on a server.

One such service we specialize in is Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), which is a fancy way of saying, having a user login to a site that loads up a Windows session remotely with all the programs they need to work.  (AVD is more of a multisession service that can easily be scaled and automated and easily accessible.)

  For example, you may be running any of the following:

  1. Accounting software such as QuickBooks, Sage, CCH Axcess, BNA, TValue, XCM
  2. Law Firm billing tracking such as Timeslips, Practice Management, Worldox, PC Law
  3. Escrow software such as RBJ or Streamline
  4. Database software such as File Maker Pro, Microsoft Access, MySQl, Oracle, Firebird
  5. Any old or new program that only runs on the server (as long as those applications are compatible with the most recent versions of Windows)

The benefits of an AVD are numerous but the main ones are listed here:

  1. Cost Effective:  Less infrastructure to run, only pay for what you need, less technical maintenance, potentially save rent through work from home without worry.  You also only pay only for when the system is on, so it can be scheduled to turn off and one per your desire or even setup an auto-on feature that will turn it on if a user needs access during this time.
  2. Hardware Reliance: You never have to buy a server again as you will be using the server resources on Azure.
  3. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity: Peace of mind that even after a major disaster, providing you have designed the cloud system correctly, you can be back in business quickly after acquiring an internet connection
  4. Location Independence: No reliance on a physical office to host a server, so you can give up that office which many have in this age of Work from Home.
  5. Scalability: Quickly and easily upgrade storage space, memory, or computing power with just a few clicks instead of waiting for parts.  Add or remove users quickly to the system and have them up and running the same day.
  6. Hardware Savings: Have users remote in from their existing computers at home with a simple installation and configuration of an application.  The processing is done in the cloud, so even an old computer will work fine if the internet connection is sufficient
  7. Flexibility:  Microsoft offers various plans from monthly to multiyear with discounts
  8. Security:  Built in security measures that exceed many of in-house solutions
  9. Tracking:  Easily managed logs to determine remote access times and many other data points
  10. Simplicity: Ease of management, limitless scalability with automation that controls your business needs

If you are thinking of giving up your office but are concerned that you have a server that users connect remotely to, you have two choices, either move the server to a co-location site, pay the rent and have someone manage your hardware, or move over to Azure, have the system hosted there and all your users set up so that you no longer rely on an old server, worry about upgrading it due to age or performance and know that you are now part of an ecosystem that allows you to grow as you need without any major downtime.