Nutanix has announced at Microsoft Ignite 2025 that its Nutanix Cloud Platform will integrate support for Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop within hybrid environments.
This development allows organizations to run Azure Virtual Desktop on-premises using the Nutanix AHV hypervisor, providing enhanced flexibility in deploying and managing virtual desktops.
Nutanix Cloud Platform Enhancements
The Nutanix Cloud Platform is designed to offer a robust infrastructure for virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) workloads. According to Tarkan Maner, Chief Commercial Officer at Nutanix, “The Nutanix Cloud Platform delivers a performant, resilient, cost-efficient, and secure infrastructure base for virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) workloads.”
He added that collaborating with Microsoft will offer customers more options whether they are modernizing on-premises systems or expanding into hybrid cloud setups.
Addressing Compliance and Regulatory Needs
The new solution allows customers to run Azure Virtual Desktop on Nutanix AHV locally
The integration aims to address crucial compliance and regulatory standards, particularly in industries like financial services, healthcare, and government sectors. These industries prioritize data residency and sovereignty, essential aspects that the Azure Virtual Desktop for hybrid environments aims to fulfill.
The new solution allows customers to run Azure Virtual Desktop on Nutanix AHV locally, while utilizing Azure Arc-enabled servers to connect securely to Azure.
Key Advantages of Azure Virtual Desktop
Implementing Azure Virtual Desktop within hybrid environments on Nutanix AHV provides several benefits:
- Hybrid Flexibility: Blending on-premises performance with Azure's scalability enhances capacity management and disaster recovery.
- Microsoft Applications: Native support for Microsoft 365, Teams optimizations, and Microsoft Entra, along with robust security services.
- Performance Optimization: Suited for latency-sensitive and graphics-intensive workloads.
- Cost Efficiency: Takes advantage of existing Microsoft licensing and Nutanix infrastructure for stable economic planning.
Nutanix and Azure Virtual Desktop Support
Scott Manchester, Vice President of Product for Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop at Microsoft, noted, “Azure Virtual Desktop is built to deliver a secured, scalable, and deeply integrated experience with Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams, and Windows.”
He emphasized that Nutanix’s support will give customers increased flexibility with no compromising on modern security or licensing advantages.
Expanding VDI Opportunities
Nutanix is expanding the virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) landscape, enabling businesses to adapt their environments to their unique needs without being confined to a single deployment model.
The support for Azure Virtual Desktop by Nutanix's Cloud Platform is presently under development.
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