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Microsoft cloud desktops

Azure Virtual Desktop for Charleston businesses

Windows desktops and Windows-only software that open on a Mac, a tablet or a browser, set up by CloudCentric, Charleston to Savannah.

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Azure Virtual Desktop for business

CloudCentric sets up Microsoft cloud desktops using shared desktops or a machine assigned to one person. Choose your business type to see your daily routine running office software from anywhere.

Machine setup

Typical tasks

Example workday

      Microsoft's own screens for Azure Virtual Desktop

      Microsoft's cloud desktops open on Windows, Mac, iPad, Android and in a web browser. Staff access their workspace through a single client.

      Windows App on a Mac, Devices tab, with two desktop cards, one marked Cloud PC with 2 vCPU, 8 GB RAM and 128 GB disk and one named Contoso Desktop

      Windows App lists a person's desktops and apps on macOS.

      Microsoft's own screens are shown unedited. Microsoft Learn

      Devices where Azure Virtual Desktop opens

      People access their workspace through Windows App or a browser using web clients. Your group of machines functions on macOS, iOS, Android, ChromeOS and Windows.

      Windows PCMaciPad and iPhoneAndroid and ChromebookWeb browser

      Signing in needs a work or school account, not a personal Microsoft account.

      Full desktop or individual apps

      A person can see the whole Windows desktop or just the programs you choose to show, a single program shown on its own. Single-program options work with shared desktops.

      A woman in a teal blouse works at a single monitor and keyboard at the reception desk of a small dental practice, with a palmetto and a white lap-siding building with a metal roof in the window beside her

      Azure Virtual Desktop shared and personal desktops

      CloudCentric sets up a group of machines from one image. You choose a shared group of machines sharing resources or personal desktops for one person.

      Several people use one machine at the same time, which reduces the number of virtual machines and operating system overhead.

      Who uses it
      Spreading people across machines connects user sessions to any machine in the group.
      People per machine
      Several users can be on one machine at the same time.
      Sign-in lands on
      A different machine in the group after signing out and back in.
      Updates
      Machines in the group are deployed again from updated images.
      Personal files
      Stored in FSLogix, a profile store, since users land on different machines.
      Scaling
      Turns virtual machines on and off based on capacity thresholds and schedules.

      Azure Virtual Desktop or Windows 365

      Microsoft offers two cloud desktop paths. CloudCentric sets up and manages both solutions for businesses along the coast to Savannah.

      Companies needing shared machines, custom images or a single program shown on its own.

      Billing
      Azure charges for machines and storage are separate from the user license.
      What you manage
      Customers manage the image and virtual machines used for sessions.
      Needs
      An Azure account with an active subscription and a virtual network.
      Desktops
      Full Windows experience with Windows 11, Windows 10 or Windows Server.
      Management
      Built-in delegated access can assign roles and collect diagnostics.

      See our Windows 365 page on this site for the per-person Cloud PC. Windows 365

      Based on Microsoft's documentation opened November 2, 2026; CloudCentric's own setup is quoted separately. Microsoft Learn

      Management for Microsoft cloud desktops

      CloudCentric sets up and manages your Microsoft cloud desktops along the coast. Your team focuses on daily business operations.

      Autoscale

      Autoscale follows a schedule so machines are on at peak hours and off at quiet ones. One plan can be assigned to several groups of machines.

      Updates

      Updates for shared machines come from redeploying from an updated image. Personal machines use standard Windows Updates.

      Personal files

      Shared machines keep personal files in a profile store, FSLogix. Documents follow people across different machines.

      Connection

      Connection opens no inbound ports and Microsoft recommends round-trip time under 150 ms, best from the region closest to the people.

      A woman in a navy polo works on a laptop with a second monitor in a tidy construction site office trailer, with rolled plans on a shelf and a half-framed raised house with a metal roof and a live oak in the window behind her

      Azure Virtual Desktop setup process

      CloudCentric configures your environment in your Azure subscription and manages the images and virtual machines without running gateway servers.

      1. 1

        Azure account and network readied

        Active subscriptions, virtual networks and subnets are established in the same Azure region as the machines in the group.

      2. 2

        Machines built from one image

        Every machine in the group is deployed from the same image for a consistent experience.

      3. 3

        People assigned desktops or programs

        Staff are assigned to application groups, gaining access to full desktops or individual applications.

      4. 4

        People sign into Windows App

        Users connect using their company Microsoft accounts on macOS, iOS, Android, ChromeOS and Windows.

      Requirements

      Azure subscriptionCompany Microsoft accountsEligible Windows licenseVirtual networkWindows App or a browserRegion near your people

      Microsoft Learn: prerequisites

      Questions asked often

      • What is Azure Virtual Desktop?

        Azure Virtual Desktop is a desktop and app virtualization service running on Azure. It delivers a full Windows experience with Windows 11, Windows 10 or Windows Server.

      • Do people share machines?

        Spreading people across machines lets several people share a machine at the same time. A personal group of machines assigns each machine to an individual user.

      • Does it work on a Mac or iPad?

        Users connect with Windows App or the remote client from macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, ChromeOS and Windows, or through a browser using the web client.

      • What licenses does Microsoft require?

        Internal users need an eligible license like Microsoft 365 Business Premium. User accounts must exist in your Microsoft account for the company.

      • What does it cost?

        Azure charges for machines and storage are separate from the user license. CloudCentric's own setup is quoted separately.

      • How does it differ from Windows 365?

        Windows 365 provides a fixed-fee personal Cloud PC automatically upon license assignment. Azure Virtual Desktop offers personal machines or shared desktops. See our Windows 365 page on this site.

      • Where does CloudCentric cover?

        CloudCentric sets up and manages environments for businesses along the coast from Charleston to Savannah.

      Windows 365Microsoft 365Cloud migrationManaged IT services

      Connect your office anywhere

      Call CloudCentric to set up your shared or personal cloud desktops.

      CharlestonMount PleasantNorth CharlestonBeaufortBlufftonHilton HeadSavannah
      Call (844) 422-7000Book a walkthrough
      Call (844) 422-7000
      CloudCentric · Mount Pleasant, SC · serving Charleston and the Lowcountry(844) 422-7000