Netsurit earns Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop advanced specialisation

Netsurit today announced it has earned the Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop advanced specialisation, a validation of a partner’s deep knowledge, extensive experience and expertise in deploying, scaling and securing virtual desktop infrastructure on Azure.

Only partners that meet stringent criteria around customer success and staff skilling, as well as pass a third-party audit of their Windows Virtual Desktop technical practices, are able to earn the Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop advanced specialisation.

Supporting secure remote work for employees is more critical than ever. Windows Virtual Desktop is a Microsoft solution that seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft products and allows customers to implement virtual desktops in a scalable, secure and cost-effective way.

Partners with validated capabilities in implementing Windows Virtual Desktop can help customers deploy and navigate the licensing efficiencies it offers to deliver the solution that is most efficient for their organisation.

“Netsurit has extensive experience with Microsoft WVD, from early private releases,” says Hud Krause, Professional Services Executive at Netsurit. “We have deployed the solution at several customer sites of different types and sizes, and met a variety of technical and business requirements during the last few months. We are hugely impressed with its capabilities. This is going to become a major focus for Netsurit, especially having it delivered out of local Microsoft data centres. COVID-19 has accelerated the adoption of this solution as a means of delivering a secure, modern ‘work from home’ desktop environment to thousands of customers worldwide, and South Africa has been no exception.

Netsurit has 13 Gold Microsoft competencies. When Microsoft announced the Microsoft WVD advanced specialisation, the company jumped at the opportunity to apply and undergo the required audit.

“The accreditation process was stringent, and we passed with flying colours,” says Krause. “The assessors put us through our paces and thoroughly checked the depth and quality of our product knowledge and track record of delivering WVD solutions. Achieving advanced specialisation validates our abilities and demonstrates the depth of our capabilities in this area to Microsoft and our clients. We look forward to the opportunity to implement more WVD solutions to tackle the most challenging requirements.”

Krause says customers have been amazed at the speed and ease of implementing WVD. All the automation capabilities of Microsoft Azure are used to perform a template-based deployment far quicker than an equivalent on-premises implementation. Because applications and user settings are configured centrally, there is little need to touch end-user devices.

“We developed standardised deployment methodologies and automation tools, which enabled us to build large WVD infrastructures rapidly,” adds Krause. “With the time pressures due to COVID-19 lockdowns, we were able to perform large implementations very quickly, which our customers have appreciated.”

With many customers not having a core technology focus in their business, they don’t always have the time, budget, human resources or energy to rapidly take on the support and management of new services. This is a major challenge for many organisations when adopting cloud services such as Microsoft 365 and Azure.

“It was for this reason that we implemented our Netsurit Security and Operations Centre (NSOC) to provide a comprehensive and cost-effective end-to-end management solution for cloud services,” says Krause. “We have incorporated a WVD management service into our NSOC, where we will provide all the back-end and end-user support an organisation needs for a WVD infrastructure. With the combination of the WVD resources in Azure, Microsoft 365 licensing, remote support via our NSOC and optional thin client device rental, we can provide a full end-user computing solution for less than R1 000 per user, per month.”

Gavriella Schuster, Corporate Vice-President, One Commercial Partner (OCP) at Microsoft Corp, added: “The Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop advanced specialisation highlights the partners who can be viewed as most capable when it comes to deploying Windows Virtual Desktop in Azure. Netsurit clearly demonstrated that they have both the skills and the experience to offer clients a path to transition to desktop as a service in a scalable, secure and cost-effective way.”