Enhancing Data Security and Performance for Remote Engineering Teams with Azure Virtual Desktops

Summary

An engineering company with a globally distributed remote workforce needed a secure, high-performance, and reliable solution for accessing a suite of graphical applications and at the same time, establish a secure connection to their central vault server that’s required to remain within Australia. With these set of requirements, NSN Infotech implemented Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) within Microsoft Azure with a private endpoint. This setup provided private and secure access to the AVD environment for employee devices, high performance computing with strong data protection which minimizes the risks often associated with remote work environments. This solution also provides the company with strong data security and protection of their intellectual property with AVD’s encryption, secure access controls, and network isolation features.

The Challenges

As an engineering company with a remote workforce, the organization faced unique challenges. Their engineers and draftsmen required high-performance computing devices capable of supporting 3D AutoCAD design and Autodesk Inventor engineering tools, along with secure access to a central vault server, which was required to remain within Australia. With over 40 engineers and designers working remotely, the company needed a solution that addressed these challenges effectively while safeguarding their intellectual property.

The main objectives of the project included:

• Cost-effectively support the high-performance computing requirements of more than 40 remote workers.
• Provide secure and reliable access to the company’s central vault server for remote workers.
• Minimize the risk of data leaks and ensure strong protection of the company’s intellectual property.

Implementation and Solution

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) with Secure Connection

To meet the performance and security needs of the remote workforce, NSN Infotech deployed Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). AVD provided virtualized desktops with the processing capacity and memory required to efficiently run resource-intensive engineering applications like 3D AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor. To secure connections, employees needed to connect to the company’s network using a site-to-site VPN before accessing the virtual desktops remotely. This ensured a secure link between the end-user devices and the AVD environment. Additionally, access was controlled using Microsoft Intune policies and Azure Active Directory Conditional Access to further enhance security by implementing multi-factor authentication and restricting unauthorized devices. This setup effectively mitigated security risks related to remote access and prevented unauthorized access from external and unmanaged devices.

Cost-Effective Resource Allocation through Host Pool Management

To ensure reliable performance and optimize resource allocation, NSN Infotech configured four virtual machines within a host pool. These virtual machines were configured to provide load balancing, distributing computing resources equally among users to ensure smooth performance and consistent user experience. Given Azure’s pay-per-use model, the four virtual machines were configured to align with the company’s business hours. During off-peak hours and weekends, three of the virtual machines automatically powered down, leaving one VM active for any urgent or unplanned work. This configuration helped the company significantly reduce operating costs without compromising availability or performance during critical business periods.

Private Endpoints for Enhanced Security

To meet the requirement of keeping all data within Australia, both the AVD and the company’s central vault server were hosted in Microsoft’s Sydney Data Centre. Furthermore, instead of using the public endpoints generally available for AVD, we configured private endpoints. This ensured that only users connected to the company’s network could access the AVD environment, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.

Results

By leveraging Azure Virtual Desktop, NSN Infotech enabled the engineering company’s remote workforce to operate effectively, meeting both performance requirements and security standards. Key outcomes of the implementation include:

• Access to High-Performance Virtual Machines: More than 40 remote engineers and draftsmen can now seamlessly run resource-intensive applications like 3D AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor through Azure Virtual Desktop. AVD provides access to virtualized desktops with high memory and processing power, ensuring smooth operation and eliminating the need for high-spec physical devices at each employee’s location.
• Secure Access to Central Servers: Ensuring that data remained within Australia was a key requirement for the customer. NSN Infotech achieved this by hosting the central vault server and the Azure Virtual Desktop environment in Microsoft’s Sydney Data Centre. This ensured compliance with data sovereignty requirements, enabling secure access to critical data and design files while maintaining the highest standards of data protection.
• Minimized Risk of Data Leaks and Enhanced Intellectual Property Protection: NSN Infotech configured Azure Virtual Desktop as a private endpoint, restricting access exclusively to users within the company’s network. Unlike the public endpoint configuration, which allows global internet-based access, the private endpoint setup significantly enhanced data security. This ensured that sensitive engineering designs and intellectual property were fully protected from external threats, reducing the risk of data breaches and enhancing the overall security posture.

About the solution

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is a comprehensive desktop and application virtualization service running in the cloud. AVD enables users to run virtual desktops and applications hosted on Azure infrastructure, providing a flexible, secure, and scalable solution for remote work.

Key features of AVD include:

• Scalable Virtual Desktops: AVD allows organizations to provision and scale virtual desktops on demand, depending on their workforce requirements.
• Secure Access Control: Integrating with Azure Active Directory and Conditional Access, AVD ensures that only authorized users and compliant devices have access.
• Integration with Microsoft 365: AVD seamlessly integrates with Microsoft 365 apps, enhancing productivity for remote users.
• Cost Efficiency: AVD offers pay-as-you-go pricing, allowing organizations to only pay for the resources they use, with capabilities for auto-scaling virtual machines during peak and off-peak times.
• Centralized Management: Administrators can centrally manage the AVD environment using Azure’s management tools, simplifying IT administration and reducing overhead.

With the implementation of Azure Virtual Desktop, the engineering company successfully met its goals of improving workforce efficiency, securing data, and reducing IT infrastructure costs, ultimately empowering their remote workforce to work securely and productively from anywhere in the world.