Ultimate Guide to Deploying Azure Virtual Desktop with Bicep

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Welcome to our comprehensive tutorial on deploying Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) using Bicep. This guide will walk you through the entire process, from setting up resource groups to deploying virtual machines with specific configurations. Whether you are setting up a lab or deploying for production, this guide aims to provide you with all the necessary steps and considerations.

Introduction to Azure Virtual Desktop Deployment

Azure Virtual Desktop is a comprehensive desktop and app virtualization service running in the cloud. It’s the perfect solution for providing a scalable and secure virtual desktop experience. In this session, we will deploy an AVD using Bicep, a declarative language for describing and deploying Azure resources.

Step 1: Setting Up the Environment

Start by creating a resource group, host pool, application group, and workspace in Azure. Initially, I attempted to modularize the virtual machine deployments, but due to issues with the AVD agent, I refactored the code to include necessary extensions directly. First you will create a user account and grab the principal ID.

Step 2: Refactor and Configuration

Include the necessary extensions for Azure AD login and session host configurations in your Bicep code. Specify the configuration or artifact URL that suits your deployment needs. If possible, separate the virtual machine and use different extensions. If you want to try out the the lab with the default parameters, just change the principal ID over to the ID of the user account you created.

Step 3: Deployment

Deploy your setup in the West US 3 region using Visual Studio Code, which offers an intuitive interface for Azure deployments. Alternatively, the Azure CLI can be used for those who prefer command line tools. Ensure you have the object ID of a created user (without requiring a paid license) to set permissions correctly within Azure.

Step 4: Handling Permissions

When configuring permissions, it's essential to understand the scope of your role assignments. For simplicity, I've assigned permissions at the subscription level. However, you can make this more modular by assigning at the resource group level, depending on your organizational needs.

Step 5: Deploying and Configuring the Virtual Machine

Discuss the extensions necessary for deploying the virtual machine, such as the DSC extension for the AVD agent and any custom scripts required. Make sure to clean up any residual configurations from previous deployments to avoid conflicts.

Step 6: Monitoring Deployment and Troubleshooting

Monitor the deployment process and address any permission issues that may arise. Permissions might fail if they already exist from a previous deployment. Also, watch for any domain trust issues if you redeploy under the same VM name.

Step 7: Final Steps and Testing

Once deployment is complete, test your setup by logging into the Azure Virtual Desktop through the global URL which is https://client.wvd.microsoft.com/arm/webclient/index.html using an incognito window to avoid caching issues. Ensure all configurations are functional, and you have internet access on the deployed virtual machine. When signing in for the first time do not enable MFA are either license requirements per user, or you will require conditional access to get MFA to work. Alternatively you can set up Azure AD Domain Services to domain join the machine.

Once you sign in the deployed resources should appear under the workspace and application names.

If you get prompted for your credentials, thats a good sign your deployment is working!

Looks like we got a working deployment!

Conclusion

Deploying Azure Virtual Desktop using Bicep provides a structured and scalable way to manage virtual desktops in Azure. By following these steps, you can ensure a successful deployment and efficient management of your virtual resources.

Remember to subscribe and check out our GitHub repo for more resources and updates on Azure Virtual Desktop deployments. Your feedback and suggestions are always welcome!