There is plenty of valuable content on the internet, which is created by the community, here are some of them which are worth following or watching. Keep calm and do puzzles. It’s impossible to list all names of great people who produce the valuable content and link it in one place, never the less it is a good starting point. The question which remains is the order to lay this down, constructively in memory. Apart from that each of us has it’s topics which attracts him or her the most and it is the Team who builds the Virtual Workplace solutions, not the lonesome wariors or stars.

Automation

League of Devops or Clickops.

PowerShell

It’s essential get comfortable with PowerShell, it will help you switch from imperative style of work towards declarative, when you get some hands on experience with DSC and Bicep. There are few great books about PowerShell as well as great quality content on the PowerShell advocates blogs.

Powershell and what not

PowerShell - EUC related tools

  • PSAppDeploymentToolkit github

Terraform

  • Azure and terraform part1 blog
  • Thomas Thronton blog
  • Aj blog

HashiCorp - Packer

  • Gold Image from Azure DevOps Pipeline to deploy a Windows VDA github by Ryan C Butler - converge-2020

DSC

Azure - Bicep

Azure - 2023 trends

  • Template specs
  • Deployment stacks
  • Azure Automanage Machine Configuration
  • Microsoft Entra

Azure - KQL

PowerShell Graph

Azure - Automated lab provisioning

Azure - DevOps

  • John Savill - DevOps Master Class github
  • Microsoft Learn - Azure PowerShell Lifecycle microsoft - when will Microsoft stop supporting the old AzureRm PowerShell Modules
  • AdminTurnedDevops - Devops-The-Hard-Way-Azure github

Azure - Arc

On-Premises / Cloud adjacent

Those are only buzzwords, still in 2022 it’s beneficial to rely on cloud adjacent home lab.

On-Premises - HomeLab preparation steps

  • Hyper-V Core, Active Directory youtube along with the youtube channel playlist - by ShotokuTech
  • Hyper-V core, how to manage it youtube, just a life saver for everyone who is planning to make use of hyper-v and is not yet there with the DSC or PowerShell knowledge.
  • Use Hyper-V and PowerShell to quickly spin up Windows test machines blog
  • Johan Arwidmark blog - building a perfect windows server 2019 reference image
  • AveYo - Media Creation Tool github
  • David McKone - pfsense and basic roles on linux like dns and dhcp youtube

On-Premises - Automated lab provisioning

  • GO-EUC github - along with the Virtual Expo 202209 session of @AntonvanPelt and @pvdnborn
  • Citrix-VAD-LAB github - quickly deploy a full CVAD environment on vCenter with ansible and terraform
  • Steven Noel github - Citrix VAD LAB Single
  • XenDesktop7Lab github
  • LabBuilder github
  • Lability github
  • PS-AutoLab-Env github
  • go-euc-lab github
  • win-aic-lab github
  • Install-Lab github
  • MS-Lab github
  • AutomatedXenServerLabs github
  • AutomatedCitrix github

On-Premises - Storage Layer

  • NerdOnTheStreet channel youtube
  • NerdOnTheStreet Intro to LVM youtube
  • LVM Deep Dive youtube
  • Centos8 - Setup NFS server - blog

On-Premises - Network Layer

  • TheNetworkBerg youtube, github - if you are focused on EUC, here is enough content about networking shared in digestable way, which can help you pass MCTNA and MTCRE

On-Premises - Proxy and linux deamons

  • NetShark - Managing Web Services - Apache - NGIX - Squid - Linux LPIC2 youtube

On-Premises - PKI

On-Premises - Virtual GPU

  • team GRE videos - 14 hours of free content about the GPU Virtualization
  • Jeremy Main github - Gpu Profiler
  • Julian Mooren blog
  • Chris Twiest blog

On-Premises - Profiles

FSLogix

On-Premises - Monitoring

  • AdamYarborough - EUCMonitoringRedux github - ‘End User Compute Monitoring Platform that is FREE and based on PowerShell. Will cover Citrix, VMware and Microsoft technologies. Driven and written by the community for the community’
  • Sacha Thomet - XA-and-XD-HealthCheck github

On-Premises - Remote Desktop Services

  • Microsoft RDS Migration Guide towards AVD
  • Mehic.se blog - RDS with DSC
  • Microsoft Recommended configuration for VDI desktops docs
  • Simon Another Windows Blog - RDS farm behind NetScaler
  • Julian Mooren - RDS powered by PVS - RDS session host on PVS steroids
  • Denis Gundarev twitter, and his great video - How does the remote protocols work on youtube
  • Jonathon Poling - Ponder the Bits webpage - rdp related event logs
  • Freek Berson github and his blog - his blog post are great to lay down the foreground for Citrix which is nothing else than RDS (Remote Desktop Services), it seems to be good idea to start with Terminal Services and RDS which help structualize knowledge needed for a Citrix guy
  • MsFreaks blog
  • Arjan Mensch github
  • Kristin Griffin webpage - her contribution in RDS area seems to be not that well known, but still she brought added value value to the EUC community
  • Devolutions blog, github
  • Sami Laiho twitter

  • DoublePulsar RDP hijacking

  • RDS Gateway integration with Azure AD for MFA microsoft, along with Nate Harris great series on youtube

Nutanix

Nutanix & Citrix

Parallels RAS

If you decide to go RDS way, it will be beneficial for you to consider the product calls Parallels

Azure - Community Shares

Apart from Microsoft learn and docs, there are community shares which helps you being equipped with hints and tips.

  • Microsoft learn webpage
  • The Azure Podcast youtube
  • 8 github repos azure cloud engineers should check out webpage
  • 90 Days of DevOps github
  • MadeByGPS youtube - what is interesting is that she goes straight to the point, there is no marketing, and experience from the field
  • Cloudpartner.fi blog

Azure - Training

  • John Savil - Onboarding to Azure - github
  • John Savil - Azure trainings - youtube

  • Thomas Maurer - 2022 Azure study guide - blog this should be a sufficient amount of knowledge to be prepared for studying to AZ-140

  • CloudCommunity github

  • DirsuptTheCloud podcast

  • Awesome Azure Architecture github

  • Hybrid / Trond advises for building hybrid scenarios blog
  • Cloud / WVD (Windows Virtual Desktop) - AIB (Azure Image Builder) vs Packer youtube

Azure - fasttrack for azure

Azure Exam

  • Tim Warner - youtube
  • Thomas Maurer - Why should you become Azure cetfied blog
  • JurgenOn Azure - All the exams - weekly update github

AZ-900

  • AZ-900 - John Savil’s youtube playlist - updated in 05.2022, github, and it’s 2022 Study Cram on youtube
  • AZ-900 - Thomas Maurer blog
  • AZ-900 - Microsoft learning github

AZ-104, AZ-140

  • AZ-104 - Thomas Maurer blog
  • AZ-104 - Microsoft learning github
  • AZ-104 - Tim’s Warner Azure Administrator certification study image lucid
  • AZ-140 - Deliver remote desktops and apps with Azure Virtual Desktop - microsoft learn
  • AZ-140 - Implement an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure - microsoft learn

Azure Virtual Desktop

Before you start deploying any AVD infrastructure, it would be really convinient to get some understanding of the Storage, Networking, ActiveDirectory and a bit of AVD itself. At the time of writing this it is already possible to join the Host Pools to the Azure Active Directory never the less some scenarios needs the Active Directory Services and Hybrid join. It would also be helpful to bring good and consistent naming convention:

  • naming convention blog, microsoft

  • RDS in Azure, correct regular RDS farm in the cloud, not the AVD yet - year of 2017 by Freek Berson blog

  • Ryan Mangan - Mastering Azure Virtual Desktop book

  • Marco Moioli - Azure Virtual Desktop Succinctly book - Free

  • Travis Roberts - Azure Virtual Desktop - youtube, blog
  • Dean Cefola - Azure Academy - how to setup Windows Virtual Desktop youtube
  • Jim Moyle - WVD Image Deployment - github, youtube
  • Johan Vanneuville blog - AVD with terraform

  • Michawest - Architect WVD Workshop - AVD with PowerShell blog

  • Modern Endpoint Management youtube channel

  • Mahammad Kubaib - AZ-140 youtube, linkedin

  • Mahammad Kubaib - AVD/Citrix vs DNS youtube

  • AVD Cloud adoption framework microsoft docs

  • Recommended settings for VDI desktops microsoft

  • AutoScale Pooled Host Pools techcommunity

  • Azure Architecture Icons learn - svg files
  • diagrams lucidchart, updated with Azure Icons
  • Troubleshoot RDS shortpath learn
  • AVD Considerations in Risk Management spiceworks

AVD - What’s new

AVD - IaC - Bicep

  • Freek Berson - Azure Virtual Desktop as a gaming console github

AVD - lab - IaC

  • StreamingClouds youtube, linkedin
  • Avd Accelerator github
  • Tighetec blog - avd deployment auzre ad join with Bicep, github
  • go-euc-lab github - AVD and Terraform
  • go-euc-lab github - automated deployment of Azure AVD mentioned by Patrick van den Born on twitter
  • Patrick van den Born blog - HashiCorp, IaC, Automated images builds etc
  • Azure/RDS-Templtes github - ARM Templates for Remote Desktop Services deployments

AVD - Networking

AVD - Image Management

Mahammad Kubaib advise


One of the Best way to keep your golden vm upto date and image management in AVD..
(By default when you sysprep and convert golden vm to image, it will make the vm unusable for future use)

1.Create golden vm
2.Install patch and apps (optionally join to domain for apps testing )
3.shutdown the Golden image
4.Clone and create New vm (snapshot of golden vm>create a disk >create vm)
5.disjoin the cloned vm from domain
6.sysprep cloned VM
7.convert the vm to Image (select delete vm option while converting to image)
1. Optionally upload it to compute gallery
9.Build hostpool or add vms to hostpool using the image
*************************************************
10.Turn on golden VM
11.Install or update monthly patches and apps
12.Repeat step 3 to 8

so with this you can keep your golden image always upto date and it allows you to redeploy your hostpool or add new vms to hostpool anytime with the latest image 😉
Note : (citrix and vmware vdi solution does this image management automatically for you ..hope someday will see the same in AVD as well 🤞 )

AVD - key areas towards end user experience

Regardless of the overal engine underneath wich is bringing the Virtual Workplace functionality, there are few key areas which Virtual Workplace ninjas should cover, the list below will expand and cover those elemnts up to some extend.

AVD - Things to consider when planning and designing

  • vdibuzz - Enterprise-scale landing zone reference architecture for Virtual Desktop Service(Citrix/AVD) on Azure blog

AVD - Cost optimization

  • Azure Virtual Desktop x Shutdown and deallocate Session host at logoff avdpunks

AVD - Latency and RTT

AVD - Single Sign on

  • Azure Virtual Desktop SSO with ADFS vdibuzz
  • VDIBuzz SSO and passwrordless with youbikey youtube, along with youbikey supported devices youbikey
  • Enable passwordless security key sign-in to on-premises resources by using Azure AD microsoft
  • In session PasswordLess Authentication microsoft
  • How to enable Azure Virtual Desktop hybrid Single Sign-On blog - by raymondzaagsma
  • Configure Single Sign-On for AVD microsoft - W11 22H2, RDP properties “enablerdsaadauth:i:1”
  • 2022.08.24 - Insider preview microsoft

AVD - FsLogix

  • T-Bone blog, Azure fileshare for WVD with Fslogix blog

AVD - maintenance

AVD - troubeshoot

AVD - community shares

LAPS

  • Orin Thomas - The video for the new LAPS (built into the OS rather than separate add on) presentation is up - Managing Local admin account passwords in AD and Azure AD youtube

Passwordless

Passkeys

  • Passkeys - Microsoft, Apple and Google’s password killer arstechnica

w365 / m365

Weekly digest

EUC

Resources available in context of End User Computing

  • Alternatives to Citrix, Microsoft and VMware for remote work techtarget

EUC - community shares

  • Virtual Desktops Community blog
  • EUC Digest webpage, linkedin

  • World of EUC slack, discord

  • ControlUP resources
  • Login VSI white papers
  • The Pub Forum youtube
  • BriForum youtube

  • RunAsRadio webpage

  • MyCugc webpage, with it’s recoreded webinars on youtube
  • Go-EUC webpage - there is an interesting mission behind the scenes
  • VirtualExpo - free recordings since 2015 blog
  • Guy Leech - Dissecting windows logons - Windows Performance Recorder/Analyzer youtube, slides, slides, Windows Performance Recorder intro microsoft learn

  • Via Monstra Acaremy webpage

  • Bas van Kaam blog - he is one of the Nerdio evangelist, who shared great green book called the FMA Architecture. Hat’s off for the structualized content he brings.
  • Matthias Schlimm blog and github
  • Trond Erik Haavarstein blog and github, Trond is an founder of VirtualExpo.
  • Freek Berson github - Virtual Workplace Ninja slideck’s, along with The Microsoft Platform youtube channel
  • Claudio Rodriguez blog, apart from that there were RAS university initiative - but for some reason this is no longer active at 2022.
  • David Segura github
  • Helge Klein twitter, blog
  • Christiaan Brinkhoff blog

OSDBuilder

  • Akos Bakos - OSDCloud - blog series blog
  • Modern Deployment - Windows 10 Offline WaaS servicing updates via OSDBuilder PowerShell module youtube, blog

Azure Image Builder / AVD VM apps

Citrix

There are great resources in context of Citrix

Citrix DaaS

  • CVAD-as-Code: Applying DevOps to Images and Infrastructure - youtube
  • Denis Span blog - Azure hosting connections in Citrix virtual apps and deskops service deep dive

Citrix Netscaler

  • Esther Barthel github - if you are interested in REST API, Nitro for Citrix ADC and topics around automation, she is the one to follow, as well as some AVD stuff
  • Johannes Norz blog and his fantastic wonderkitchen - here you can benefit for your Citrix ADC skilset
  • Dave Brett blog and github
  • Marius Sandbu blog - content around netscaler and Azure
  • George Spiersblog - his blog is towards, you getting handy with NetScaler and topics on your OS layer
  • Jake Rutski blog
  • Mick Hilrost blog - some Nitro API getting started guide

Citrix - classic’s

Two Carl’s - let’s list them alphabetically: Carl Webster and Carl Stalhood

  • Building Carl Webster lab introduction and the massive pdf - his guide contains 1335 pages. Imagine how much of an errort was made to bring this to life. It’s available for free. Carl’s github
  • Carl Stalhood webpage - great resources and fair amount of links to other places which may bring you up to speed, along with tips for solving many of the issues which may arise, which are not well documented somewhere else.

Citrix - community shares

Citrix (CVAD) - tools

Other

Many of abovementioned EUC experts, links on their blogs shares great tools which may improve your skills in your daily work, and reveal knowledge, which you’ll never get on the trainings guarateed by the vendor, exposing their experience from the field. There are many more, please forgive me I can not enumerate them all here. Depending from the area, many are CTP’s or MVP’s, but there are also grey eminence personas who share valuable information.

Last update: 2023.03.24