Azure RemoteApp Hosts Desktop Applications

The Azure RemoteApp service offers a Microsoft-hosted environment that provides remote access to desktop applications hosted on a Windows Server-based infrastructure that is automatically provisioned and scaled by Microsoft. Currently in preview, the service publishes Windows desktop applications to Microsoft’s Remote Desktop clients, which are available for most popular OSs. The service will likely prove useful for mobile users who are routinely away from the office or without access to a Windows PC, but the local infrastructure requirements to connect the service and the costs and licensing terms will likely determine the appeal of the service over the long term.

Understanding RemoteApp

Azure RemoteApp, as the name implies, is based on the RemoteApp technology available in Windows Server 2012 R2. RemoteApp is a special mode of Remote Desktop Services (RDS) that enables applications running on a server to appear on a user’s client device in a manner that is almost indistinguishable from locally installed applications. On-premises, RemoteApp generally requires the same hardware, software, and licensing terms as offering complete RDS sessions to clients.