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.
- Don Jones - youtube - must watch
- Kevin Marquette - blog
- Jeff Hicks - blog, github
- Mike F Robbins - blog
Powershell and what not
- Jeff Hicks blog and github
- Adam Bertram blog and github
- Guy Leech twitter - there is no better place to be inspired in powershell area ;) blog and github
- 70 best powershell blogs and websites to follow feedspot
- Francois-Xavier Cat blog and github
- Jason Helmick github
- PowerShellConferenceEU youtube
- Virtual PowerShell Groupwebpage
- Polish PowerShell Group github
- PowerShell docs github
- Upcoming breaking changes in Azure PowerShell microsoft
PowerShell - EUC related tools
- PSAppDeploymentToolkit github
Terraform
HashiCorp - Packer
- Gold Image from Azure DevOps Pipeline to deploy a Windows VDA github by Ryan C Butler - converge-2020
DSC
- Ravikanth C blog and github - in context of DSC, great source, if I’m not mistaken he had authored one of the DSC books available
- Troy Ault github and blog - DSC Db related
- DSC Resource Kit
- Troubleshoot DSC WinRM dependency, WMF 5.1
Azure - Bicep
- Bicep github
- Bicep ElYusubov github
- Bicep fundamentals
-
Bicep microsoft learn
-
Bicep deployment reference https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/templates/{provider-namespace}/{resource-type}
- Bicep, Esther Barthel, Freek Berson fabulous intro video, along with all slideck shared by Freek on github
- John Savill - Understanding and using project Bicep youtube
- Bicep, Alex Frankel youtube, Anders Hajlsberg - craftsman of computer language youtube
- StreamingCloud, getting started with Bicep with Freek Berson youtube, github
-
Bicep, Esther Barthel, Freek Berson - Experts Netherlands slideck github - part I, github - part II
- Bicep learning and reference github
-
Bicep and github actions part1 blog
- Packt github - Infrastructure as a Code with Azure Bicep
- Sharing bicep modules with azure container registry dev.to
- Barbara 4bes blog
Azure - 2023 trends
- Template specs
- Deployment stacks
- Azure Automanage Machine Configuration
- Microsoft Entra
Azure - KQL
- Everything you need to know when using Kusto and Powershell for platform management mihai-albert.com
- Kusto Detective Agency for learning KQL webpage
- Practice your KQL Microsoft Query Playground
PowerShell Graph
- All Graph PowersShell in one place linktr.ee
- Introduction to Microsoft Graph PowerShell aka.ms/learngraphs,microsoft learn
- Microsoft Learn webpage
Azure - Automated lab provisioning
- Andreas Fleischmann - Azure-Playground
- Andreas Fleischmann - Azure-Sig
- AutomatedLab blog, github
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
- Azure Arc JumpStart webpage
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 webpage
FSLogix
- FSLogix microsoft docs
- FSLogix docs
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
- Your Guide to Selecting the Nutanix Certification that’s Right for You nutanix blog
- Nutanix University Training & Certification nutanix, linkedin - code shared some time ago: HLW22FRX
- 2022.11 - NCA, NCP-MCI certifications for free link
- Nutanix University linkedin
- Nutanix architecture
- Nutanix Design Guide
- Nutanix Hybrid Cloud Reference Architecture
- Nutanix Frame Solutions documentation
- Nutanix Frame trial and Frame Documentation Frame on Nutanix AHV
Nutanix & Citrix
- Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops on Nutanix best practices
- Citrix DaaS on Nutanix best practices
- Nutanix Citrix DaaS Validated Design
Parallels RAS
If you decide to go RDS way, it will be beneficial for you to consider the product calls Parallels
- Parallels RAS quick start guide youtube, youtube channel
- Paralells RAS technical certification (RAS-TP) youtube
- Parallels RAS (RAS-TPA) youtube
-
Parallels RAS on Azure azuremarketplace
- Awingu - remote access technology that acts as a VPN alternative
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 updates
- How to become a DevOps engineer blog
-
TechmindFactory - Identity youtube
- Azure Developer Cheatsheet github
-
Azure Charts webpage
- Cloud Adoption Framework - Azure Naming Tool github, youtube
-
Azure Academy - Governance youtube
- Merill Fernando - github, twitter
-
Microsoft Entra end-user rollout templates and materials - microsoft - Use these customizable posters, training, stickers, and email templates to roll out Azure Active Directory features in your organization
- http://aka.ms/commands
- Microsoft Cloud command line https://cmd.ms/docs/tips/
- Microsoft cloud adoption framework http://aka.ms/AzureNamingTool
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:
-
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
-
Azure Virtual Desktop Blog microsoft techcommunity
- Microsoft Intune user scope configuration for Azure Virtual Desktop multi-session VMs is now GA microsoft techcommunity
- Dean Cefola - MS Azure Academy - AVD Private Endpoints youtube
- General availability: Static IP configurations of private endpoints azure updates
- Announcing General Availability of Autoscale for Pooled Host Pools microsoft technet
- What is new in Azure Virtual Desktop for September 2022 microsoft techcommunity
-
What is new in AVD Desktop client microsoft learn
- Tom Hickling - updates linkedin, twitter
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
- IGEL OS Shortpath virtualbrat.com
- CloudTrooper Azure Route Server
AVD - Image Management
- Patch management tips: Updating IT systems in large and small networks
- Jim Moyle - Image Management - youtuble playlist
- Vdibuzz, Mohammand Kubaib - Intune enrollment for AVD youtube
- MSI-X app attach on AVD deployment.mx
- February 2023 what’s new in msi-x
- Tim Mangan blog - AppV, MSIX
- AppCure - transform applications from SCCM to MSIX (recommended by Ryan Mangan)webpage
- Askaresh - AVD monthly patching on the golden images blog
-
Askaresh - w11 powershell from marketplace image blog
- Marcel Meurer - Sysprep and deploy Windows 11 22H2 in Azure with a custom image and a workaround
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 🤞 )
- Azure Academy - AVD AIB Custom Image - Managed Identity
- Azure Academy - AVD AIB Custom Image - Managed Identity - json RBAC
- Azure Academy - AVD AIB Custom Image - scripts
- Azure Academy - AVD AIB
- Azure Academy - FSLogix
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 Experience Estimator microsoft
- Azure latency azurespeed.com
- Azure network latency microsoft
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
- Danidu (Madhawa) Weerasinghe - Gold Image Windows Update automation - blog
- Azure Automation DSC -> Azure Automanage Machine Configuration
AVD - troubeshoot
- Troubleshoot agent microsoft learn
AVD - community shares
- wvdcommunity twitter, webpage
- AVD Linkedin group
- Nerdio - Neil McLoughlin twitter, blog, github
- Andreas Fleischmann twitter, github
- Ryan Mangan blog, github, news webpage
- Patrick Koehler blog, youtube
- Bas van Kaam AVD security guidelines cheat sheet
- Marcer Meurer blog, github
- Nathan McNulty blog
- Bas Van Kaam, facts about WVD blog
- Esther Barthel github
-
Guy Gregory WVD public preview links
- avdPunks blog, github
- Danidu (Madhawa) Weerasinghe - AVD oriented blog, arinco.com.au
- wvd monitoring workbook, step by step youtube
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
- Kacper Szurek - 2FA/U2F/FIDO2 - how to use youbikey (session in PL language) youtube, youtube
- PasswordLess Digital Event youtube
- http://Aka.ms/GoPasswordless
- http://Aka.ms/passwordlessWirdlessWizard
- http://Aka.ms/passwordlessderdlessdeploymentguide
- http://Aka.ms/Passwordless10
- http://Aka.ms/FidoMatrix
Passkeys
- Passkeys - Microsoft, Apple and Google’s password killer arstechnica
w365 / m365
- w365 and intune management udemy
- m365 vs w2k22 microsoft techcommunity
- Microsoft 365 Apps migration from Windows Server microsoft learn
- m365 apps on multisession OS avdpunks
- Alex Danilychev linkedin shares
- Thomas Marcussen blog - apps in Windows 365, what everyone wants to know
- Manage Cloud PCs and Virtual Desktops microsoft learn
- M365 recommended block rules microsoft - Defender Application Control
- Monkey365 github
- Windows in the cloud microsoft - insider look at Windows 365
- m365 network connectivity test webpage
Weekly digest
- PowerShell Wekly psweekly.dowst.dev
- Carl Stalhood - EUC weekly digest blog
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
- 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
- What’s new and Next with Citrix DaaS - 2H 2022 youtube
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w34sj6MYmRM
- CVAD what’s new - 2022.09 citrix blog
- Citrix on Azure Enterprise scale landing zone
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
- https://blogs.mycug.org
- James Kindon fantastic blog, github
- James Ranklin blog - great stuff
- Nicolas Ignoto twitter, blog, along with his guide how to setup the lab
- Denis Span blog - he was my inspiration for some automation topics around PVS etc. His blog is full of examples how the installation of the components building CVAD can be automated. You may customize those scripts for your preference, for instance including the Error and Verbose streams, they are great starting point.
- Aaron Parker twitter, blog, github
- ZachThurmond, CriticalDesign.net blog - Automating Lab Builds with XenServer PowerShell, github repository
- Steven Noel blog and github - waiting for his VIAB module which will be suplementary for Ryan’s C Bulter Citrix-VAD-LAB
- Ryan C Bulter github
- Thomas Preischl blog
- Martin Therkelsen blog, github
- Dennis Mohrmann github
- Julien Mooren blog,github - he was my inspiration to fork his AutomatedRDS release back in 2017
- Ryan Gallier blog
- Trentent Tye content under control up, blog, github
- Mike Streetz blog, twitter
- René Bigler blog and his interesting opinion which I trully support
- Marco Zimmermann blog
- Manuel Winkel blog, github
- Daniel Fehler blog
- Jonathan Pitre github
- Julian Jakob blog
- Ben Gelens blog
- Kris Davis blog
- John Billekens blog
- Lee Jeffries blog
- Patrick Matula pages.dev
- Christ Twiest blog
- Barry Browne blog - setup home lab in sixty minutes
- Jarek Sobel github
- Jeremy Saunders blog, github
- Steven Lemonier blog, github
- Mahammad Kubaib blog, youtube
- Nishith Gupta - VMware Tools in PVS Image blog
- Balint Oberrauch blog
Citrix (CVAD) - tools
- Citrix Hypervisor - fsi - flexible server installation webpage, wiki
- Patrick Matua - CDF webpage
- StoreFront citrix logon simulator
- StoreFront citrix launcher
Other
- PL - Weronika Szatan - Co zrobic zeby nie przejsc do gorszej firmy geek.justjoin.it
-
Star Inteview Method webpage - The Secret to Acing Your Next Job Interview
- Galloway on follow your passion youtube
- Kevin Bendeler, I do not like SAFe medium
- Enterprise vs Solution vs Technical Architect leanix
-
Why Some People Get Burned Out and Others Don’t hbr
- turbogeek.co.uk blog
- Josh Duffney blog
- Stephen Owen blog and github
- Free M365 E5 subscription twitter
-
Free Intune Lab tenant with M365 developer subscription
- Experts Live Netherlands youtube, webpage
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