Azure vs Windows 365 - what should you use?

[@ms7165]

Thanks Frank. 365 was not an affordable option for me, as you mention, the lower resource option was just not good. I finally was able to map my local drives to my Azure PC, got the programs installed I need and have a much more powerful cloud PC than I have with my physical PC. The 10% of the time my needs require that extra horsepower, AVD is available and (hopefully) affordable.

[@binarytrekker]

You got my sub with the word "automagically". I find it easy to understand topics you discuss. I appreciate you.

[@LearningandTechnology]

Thanks! I appreciate you as well! Taking the time to watch, sub, and comment makes creating these videos worthwhile and rewarding.

[@michelbolsey6700]

Nice breakdown. I enjoyed the model in the background from Tintin's trip to the moon.

[@LearningandTechnology]

😀 hooray! I always how people will see that 😀 I’ve been a Tintin fan since I was very young. Thanks for watching!

[@GetGooder]

I’ve actually never even heard of Azure. Frank, your delivery, explaining and information are so good. Super impressed with your level of improvement in these videos !

[@LearningandTechnology]

Thanks! I am trying to improve with each video - it’s certainly a learning experience.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Thanks Frank, Those are exactly the use-cases I had in mind and even before you said what you'd use each one for I'd got it. I'll be looking forward to hearing about how you explore these things, I'm facing the same problems and needs myself. Online teaching and heavy use of Teams everyday while I develop teaching materials in engineering software which sounds like a good fit for an Azure VM. I'm on my way to see your video on the cost of an Azure VM, I was just earlier browsing the page about the Spot pricing for VMs.

[@gregufor9484]

it might sound bad (big and remote) but they are wonderfull products that make regular products a thing of the past ----value Product care

[@LearningandTechnology]

They can absolutely be useful. They give access to resources that we can use anywhere.

[@mattjdickson]

Great informative video - thank you Frank 👍

[@jakemacleay]

Thanks for the video Frank. I've been using W365 business license for just a couple of days and agree it is very easy to provision a new VM for computers. A major failing of the system (for my scenario) is it geolocates me to Singapore - I am 3900 miles away in Australia!. This has major implications for how web services treat me and compliance - and it can't be altered. It's pretty much a deal breaker. I also have be using Azure VM's - I didn't notice any of the issues you mentioned about not having multi monitor access or file / webcam etc access - as long as the RDP client software on my local computer is configured properly, these features work seamlessly for me. Plus with Azure VM's I can control my location so my VM and its connection to the Internet is Australia.

[@__s_k__]

Wow..someone finally explained it in a way I can understand! Quick question: if you only wanted to use Microsoft Excel a few times a month, is it more economical to do Azure or Windows 365? Do you have to purchase a license to Excel on top of paying for Azure costs?

[@LearningandTechnology]

If your just using Excel a little - it depends on what you want your do. It’s actually complete free if you use the web version! So there’s that - you can use it on any system with a web browser. If you need the full (paid) version, then it’s less expensive to use Azure, bit potentially a bit time consuming to set-up and install it all the time.

[@__s_k__]

@@LearningandTechnology When I installed Azure with office apps and then tried to use Excel, it wanted me to pay for an office license because it was a "multi session" environment. Do you have a video that walks you through setting up Azure + Windows 11 + MS Office for a single user where you only pay per use without having to purchase an additional license fee to use MSOffice ?

[@reverend_wintondupree]

​@@__s_k__I've been looking for something similar but all I could discern was that the the two are treated as mutually exclusive subscriptions thus a seperate office subscription was required regardless.

[@chanm01]

Very thoughtful analysis and explanation, with a clear conclusion.

[@saschadibbern339]

@Frank: you are not fully right with the "Remote Desktop connection" capabilities to Azure. It is possible to activate webcam, file access, ... to locale resources. It is just a question about clicking the "options"-bottom before connecting and choose the required capabilities. "Remote desktop application" for Window 365 seems more like a user friendly "cooked down" version for non-techs aka. "RDP-noobs", as Microsoft often reinvent their wheels just in another color and UI texture.

[@LearningandTechnology]

Yes - I should have been more clear on that.

[@Keaza.]

Azure is king for the enterprise I run. So many features, allows unlimited flexibility.

[@jimmyplenderleith9471]

Frank, good video. You CAN share local resources like drives / web cam / etc on an AVD VM. In your video you mentioned you couldnt and the 365 experience was better due to being able to.

[@LearningandTechnology]

That’s correct - I should have been more clear. It’s a bit more “friendly” in Windows365. However, you are 100% correct, Azure absolutely supports SMB and NFS.

[@lucius1976]

6:00 It is just standard Remote Desktop protocol. Easy to use that from Linux too (e.g. Remmina)

[@technow4514]

Is it save to trade stocks and run my platform? Cuz my internet is to slow.

[@faansmit6478]

Excellent videos

[@LearningandTechnology]

Thank you! I’m grateful that you took the time to watch and comment - I hope they are useful and help you.

[@bernieackerman2080]

How do you use multiple windows in windows 365. We cannot figure out how to extend the prop gram over multiple monitors

[@Chatsworth1979]

Great vid, thanks. +1

[@ATULAGGARWAL-pu4hg]

Hello Frank, your videos are really helpful and I could solve my biggest hindrance with little cost. I have one question can you tell me how multiple screens can be accessed in windows 365 business, as I could not see in settings ?

[@scotteaton4868]

As somebody that's implemented large VDI installations - cloud desktops (basically off prem VDI) do not present an ROI advantage from a hardware persoective. This is an urban myth present since the days of citrix and 2002. The advantage with VDI is with software management, not cheaper clients. The PC you are connecting to your Azure or 365 desktop requires more hardware support and likely has a faster processor than your cloud PC. The thin client argument went out the window before Netware did. All end points are thin clients now unless you are running a high end Mac or PC. Cloud PCs are a $$$ advantage from a software mgmt column only. Schooled many a CIO with this.

[@LearningandTechnology]

Agreed (to a point) - TCO calculations are definitely not calculated in a manner where hardware dominates. Hardware is “part” of the calculation, but software - and especially support costs - are a much larger factor. What I find interesting is that with BYOD - the hardware cost is even less of a factor for companies. Some companies may offer some reimbursement towards a system, but many companies expect you to own your own computer. Back in the Citrix days, many of the places I knew would provide a standard issue laptop. That was mostly so that if they needed to support it they would just run Norton Ghost and put a standard image on it with the terminal client - all management of software and support would really be at the Data Centre (although… the term Data Centre has different interpretations as well) Your comment makes a lot of sense and it’s evident that you understand TCO. Whenever I do anything around Cloud, one of the most common comments is that the cost is too high. It makes me wonder how many folks underestimate the costs of a computer system - beyond the hardware. The only point of slight disagreement I may have is that I do think that there is some hardware savings in Cloud computing in cases where we have usage profiles which do not require longer periods of usage. For example, if I need to do massive computing a couple times a month and then consume the results of that computation over time. Using Cloud services, Incan stand up and take down resources without having to purchase physical hardware resources. In that case, hardware cost savings do (in my opinion) factor a bit heavier into TCO I’m sure you know this, but in case others are reading: TCO - Total Cost of Ownership BYOD - Being Your Own Device - I’m trying to use less acronyms in public 😀

[@EricvanNugteren]

Thanks for expaining! A difference also in where the files are stored? Azure gives a choice. Does 365 has that option? I ask this a european user who likes to keep the data inside the eu.

[@choongta]

Microsoft will need to launch Windows 366 to account for leap year.

[@LearningandTechnology]

😀

[@farishanafiah8461]

From my observation, Azure is cheaper but very complicated to set up with loads of options to choose from. Windows 365 is more direct and easier to use, but it does cost a lot even for base configuration. I do want to use Windows cloud PC for Android Desktop Mode like Samsung DeX and Motorola Ready For.

[@LearningandTechnology]

I’m hoping that the prices of Windows365 come down at some point. It would be nice to have a permanent CloudPC that was less expensive.

[@RT-vg9my]

Thanks for the helpful video! In azure, can i change the pc specs if my needs change? Or would i have to build a new vm and migrate to it? Thanks :)

[@simonsabir7090]

Many thanks for your video. I must be doing something wrong. In my windows 365 with 8 gb of ram, not getting to connect web cam and working on only one monitor, not all three that I normally use. Any idea why?

[@philipvandeputte4202]

You should use neither of both.

[@LearningandTechnology]

Thank you for your thoughtful analysis. Do you have any reasons? Or - just the opinion?

[@golfregels]

Can sound be played through my local speaks with Azure?

[@LearningandTechnology]

You may be more interested in Windows365 (where you play sounds, share printers, etc)

[@AzharKhan-ie5ie]

Any competitor's for cloud pc ?

[@LearningandTechnology]

Yes - there are a few companies that offer Cloud systems

[@amrianas8717]

Rdp aws 12 months available good price with garantie welcome ❤️

[@LearningandTechnology]

I do plan on making some videos on AWS, Google Cloud, and IBM cloud. So many clouds… so little time 😀

[@amrianas8717]

@@LearningandTechnology thanks

[@jasonluong3862]

Ok, now explain the difference between Microsoft 365 and Windows 365.

[@LearningandTechnology]

Microsoft365 are the Productivity Applications (used to be Office365). Windows365 are Virtual Machines.

[@bitkahuna]

So if neither replaces the personal computer, the use cases seem very limited.

[@LearningandTechnology]

Well - I have quite a few. However, you have to do your own analysis for your specific circumstances.

[@RalfTenbrink]

This just looks like a simple toy. I have over a terra byte of data. That will take months to upload. And how would I even do that? FTP? And for $100 a month I can buy easily 2TB. I don't see why I would ever use a virtual machine. But maybe I am missing something.

[@LearningandTechnology]

What you might be missing is the way that Cloud services are used. Many people just think of how they would be a replacement for a personal system - which they can be. However, this misses the point. Azure is often used on an elastic resource basis - you run what you need when you need it and then you don't. This is just the usage pattern - there are also aspects of access and management that make it an attractive alternative and/or addition to an IT infrastructure. As for Windows365 - I think there is some evolution to still happen there, but it is something that allows for an IT Department to easily deploy and manage a company image to users. Controlling software, access, backups, data, etc. As for your data and uploading it - there are several ways you can move that data to a cloud service. It's probably a good idea to do that because if anything every happens to your storage or physical place - you'll lose it. Just look at the unfortunate folks that have experienced flooding, fires, and tornados - where is their data now?

[@RalfTenbrink]

@@LearningandTechnology Thanks very much for the additional information. That help me in understanding the idea behind it.

[@LearningandTechnology]

@@RalfTenbrink no problem - it’s definitely an evolving option for individuals. For business, the Cloud is very much in the mix. I think for individual users we will see more use, but probably over time. It’s early stage for daily users.

[@icaromendes1250]

The prices are kinda ok, I say that because it is a new thing, and I'm sure that when it becomes more popular, the VM solutions, it will low it's price as much as internet services have done over the years. I think it is the next big thing, Just wait for it. Nice video 👍

[@LearningandTechnology]

I completely agree - I think lower prices will happen and it will be much more widely used.