AZ-140: Configuring and Operating Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop

1. Learning Path: Plan an Azure Virtual Desktop implementation
Learn how to assess existing physical and virtual desktop environments and plan for Azure Virtual Desktop client deployments. This learning path aligns with exam AZ-140: Configuring and Operating Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop.

Azure Virtual Desktop Architecture
Azure Virtual Desktop manages the infrastructure and brokering components, while customers manage their own desktop host virtual machines (VMs) and clients. Microsoft manages the Remote Connection Gateway, and Connection Broker services as part of Azure.

Lessons
•   Azure Virtual Desktop for the enterprise
•   Azure Virtual Desktop components
•   Personal and pooled desktops
•   Service updates for Azure Virtual Desktop desktops
•   Azure limitations for Azure Virtual Desktop
•   Virtual machine sizing for Azure Virtual Desktop
•   Azure Virtual Desktop pricing

Design the Azure Virtual Desktop architecture
Azure Virtual Desktop design requires that you assess network capacity and speed requirements, select a load-balancing method for your Azure Virtual Desktop deployment, and choose the right Windows Desktop client.

Lessons
•   Assess network capacity and speed requirements for Azure Virtual Desktop
•   Azure Virtual Desktop Experience Estimator
•   Recommend an operating system for an Azure Virtual Desktop implementation
•   Balancing host pools
•   Recommendations for using subscriptions and management groups
•   Configure a location for the Azure Virtual Desktop metadata
•   Recommend a configuration for performance requirements

Design for user identities and profiles
Your users require access to those applications both on-premises and in the cloud. You use the Remote Desktop client for Windows Desktop to access Windows apps and desktops remotely from a different Windows device.

Lessons
•   Select an appropriate licensing model for Azure Virtual Desktop based on requirements
•   Personal and multi-session desktop scenarios
•   Recommend an appropriate storage solution
•   Plan for a desktop client deployment
•   Plan for Azure Virtual Desktop client deployment – Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
•   Windows Desktop client to multiple devices
•   Hybrid Identity with Microsoft Entra ID
•   Plan for Microsoft Entra Connect for user identities

2. Learning Path: Implement an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure
Learn how to create host pools and apply operating system and application updates to an Azure Virtual Desktop host. This learning path aligns with exam AZ-140: Configuring and Operating Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop.

Implement and manage networking for Azure Virtual Desktop
See how to monitor and repair health of their Azure Virtual Desktop including virtual machines, virtual networks, application gateways, and load balancers.

Lessons
•   Implement Azure virtual network connectivity
•   Manage connectivity to the internet and on-premises networks
•   Understanding Azure Virtual Desktop network connectivity
•   Implement and manage network security for Azure Virtual Desktop
•   Configure Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts using Azure Bastion
•   Monitor and troubleshoot network connectivity for Azure Virtual Desktop
•   Plan and implement Remote Desktop Protocol Shortpath
•   Configure Remote Desktop Protocol Shortpath for managed network
•   Configure Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security for RDP Shortpath
•   Plan and implement Quality of Service for Azure Virtual Desktop

Implement and manage storage for Azure Virtual Desktop
FSLogix roams profiles in remote computing environments, such as Azure Virtual Desktop. You set up a FSLogix profile container share for a host pool using a virtual machine-based file share.

Lessons
•   Storage for FSLogix components
•   Configure storage for FSLogix component
•   Configure storage accounts
•   Create file shares
•   Configure disks

Create and configure host pools and session hosts for Azure Virtual Desktop
See how to configure the assignment type of a personal desktop host pool to adjust your Azure Virtual Desktop environment to better suit your needs.

Lessons
•   Automate creation of an Azure Virtual Desktop host pool using PowerShell
•   Configure host pool assignment type
•   Customize Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) properties for a host pool
•   Manage licensing for session hosts that run Windows client
•   Deploying Microsoft Entra joined virtual machines in Azure Virtual Desktop

Create and manage session host image for Azure Virtual Desktop
A Shared Image Gallery simplifies custom image sharing across your organization. Custom images can be used to bootstrap deployment tasks like preloading applications, application configurations, and other OS configurations.

Lessons
•   Create a managed virtual machine (VM) image
•   Modify a session host image
•   Plan for image update and management
•   Create and use an Azure Compute Gallery using the portal
•   Create an Azure Virtual Desktop image by using VM Image Builder
•   Install Microsoft 365 Apps on a master Virtual Hard Disk image
•   Install language packs in Azure Virtual Desktop

3. Learning Path: Manage access and security for Azure Virtual Desktop
Learn how to plan and implement Azure roles for Azure Virtual Desktop and implement Conditional Access policies for remote connections. This learning path aligns with exam AZ-140: Configuring and Operating Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop.

Manage access for Azure Virtual Desktop
Azure Virtual Desktop uses Azure role-based access controls (RBAC) to assign roles to users and admins. Azure Virtual Desktop has additional roles that let you separate management roles for host pools, app groups, and workspaces.

Lessons
•   Role-based access control (RBAC) for Azure Virtual Desktop
•   Plan and implement Azure roles and role-based access control (RBAC) for Azure Virtual Desktop
•   Using Azure Virtual Desktop with Microsoft Intune
•   Configuring screen capture protection for Azure Virtual Desktop

Manage security for Azure Virtual Desktop
The Windows client for Azure Virtual Desktop integrates Azure Virtual Desktop on local machines. You’ll learn the critical actions for keeping your users safe.

Lessons
•   Plan and implement Conditional Access policies for connections to Azure Virtual Desktop
•   Plan and implement multifactor authentication (MFA) in Azure Virtual Desktop
•   Understand Conditional Access policy components
•   Manage security by using Azure Security Center
•   Security posture management and threat protection

4. Learning Path: Manage user environments and apps for Azure Virtual Desktop
Learn how to plan for FSLogix, configure Cloud Cache, and implement OneDrive for Business for a multi-session environment. This learning path aligns with exam AZ-140: Configuring and Operating Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop.

Implement and manage FSLogix
A user profile contains data elements about a user information like desktop settings, persistent network connections, and application settings.

Lessons
•   Plan for FSLogix
•   FSLogix profile containers and Azure files
•   Install FSLogix
•   Storage options for FSLogix profile containers
•   Profile Container vs Office Container
•   Configure Office Containers
•   Installing Microsoft Office using FSLogix application containers
•   Configure Cloud Cache
•   Configure Profile Containers
•   Create a profile container with Azure NetApp Files and capacity pool
•   Manage Rule Sets and application masking

Configure user experience settings
Persistent virtual desktops save the operating system state in between reboots. Virtual desktop provides users easy and seamless access to their assigned VMs, often with a single sign-on solution.

Lessons
•   Virtual desktop optimization principles
•   Persistent virtual desktop environments
•   Configure user settings through group policies
•   Configure user settings through Endpoint Manager policies
•   Configure session timeout properties
•   Configure device redirections
•   Configure Universal Print
•   Implement the Start Virtual Machine on Connect feature
•   Troubleshoot user profile issues
•   Troubleshoot Azure Virtual Desktop clients

Install and configure apps on a session host
MSIX app attach is a way to deliver MSIX applications to both physical and virtual machines. MSIX app attach is different from regular MSIX because it’s specifically for Azure Virtual Desktop.

Lessons
•   MSIX app attach
•   How MSIX app attach works
•   Set up a file share for MSIX app attach
•   Upload MSIX images to Azure NetApp Files in Azure Virtual Desktop
•   How to configure apps for users
•   Using the OneDrive sync app on virtual desktops
•   Using Microsoft Teams on Azure Virtual desktop
•   Publish built-in apps in Azure Virtual Desktop
•   Troubleshoot application issues for Azure Virtual Desktop

5. Learning Path: Monitor and maintain an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure
Learn how to plan and implement a disaster recovery plan, configure automation, and optimize session host capacity for Azure Virtual Desktop. This learning path aligns with exam AZ-140: Configuring and Operating Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop.

Plan for disaster recovery
You can replicate your virtual machines (VMs) to the secondary location for Azure Virtual Desktop. You use Azure Site Recovery to manage replicating VMs in other Azure locations.

Lessons
•   Disaster recovery for Azure Virtual Desktop
•   Virtual machine replication
•   FSLogix configuration

Automate Azure Virtual Desktop management tasks
Reduce Azure Virtual Desktop deployment costs by scaling virtual machines (VMs). This means shutting down and deallocating session host VMs during off-peak usage hours, then turning them back on and reallocating them during peak hours.

Lessons
•   Scale session hosts using Azure Automation
•   Create or update an Azure Automation account
•   Create an Azure Automation Run As account
•   Create the Azure Logic App and execution schedule

Monitor and manage performance and health
For Azure Virtual Desktop issues, check Azure Advisor first. Azure Advisor will give you directions for how to solve the problem, or at least point you towards a resource that can help.

Lessons
•   Monitor Azure Virtual Desktop by using Azure Monitor
•   Log Analytics workspace for Azure Monitor
•   Monitor Azure Virtual Desktop by using Azure Advisor
•   How to resolve Azure Advisor recommendations
•   Diagnose graphics performance issues