Concepts
To ensure the security and optimal performance of your Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop environment, it is essential to regularly apply operating system (OS) and application updates. By doing so, you can take advantage of the latest features, bug fixes, and security patches offered by Microsoft. This article will guide you on how to apply these updates to your Azure Virtual Desktop image.
1. Preparing your Image
Before applying updates to your Azure Virtual Desktop image, it is crucial to have a properly prepared base image. This image should contain the necessary components and applications that your users require. Microsoft provides guidance on building a custom image using Azure Marketplace images or your own custom OS image. Follow the steps outlined in the documentation to prepare your base image.
2. Configuring Automatic Updates
Azure Virtual Desktop supports automatic updates for Windows operating systems. You can configure the Windows Update settings through the Azure portal or by using PowerShell commands. To enable automatic updates, navigate to your Azure Virtual Desktop host pool, select the “Session host” option, and enable Windows Update. Refer to the official Microsoft documentation for detailed instructions.
3. Updating the OS
To apply OS updates to your Azure Virtual Desktop image, you have several options:
a. Windows Update: Enable automatic updates as mentioned in the previous step, and the OS updates will be installed automatically. You can also manually initiate Windows updates on each session host from the Azure portal or using PowerShell.
b. Azure Update Management: Use Azure Update Management to centrally manage and schedule updates across multiple Azure Virtual Desktop deployment. This allows you to ensure that all session hosts are up to date with the latest patches. Refer to the documentation for detailed steps on configuring Azure Update Management.
4. Updating Applications
Just like the OS, keeping your applications updated is crucial for security and performance. There are multiple ways to update applications on your Azure Virtual Desktop image:
a. Manual Installation: Depending on your application requirements, you can manually install updates by downloading the latest installer or using package management tools such as Chocolatey or
Answer the Questions in Comment Section
True/False:
When applying OS and application updates to an image in Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop, the image needs to be generalized before it can be updated again.
Answer: False
Single Select:
Which of the following tools can be used to apply OS and application updates to an image in Azure Virtual Desktop?
a) Azure Portal
b) Azure PowerShell
c) Azure CLI
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
True/False:
It is not possible to automate the process of applying OS and application updates to an image in Azure Virtual Desktop.
Answer: False
Single Select:
Which of the following is a benefit of using Azure Image Builder to apply OS and application updates?
a) It simplifies the image update process by providing a graphical user interface.
b) It allows you to automate image update workflows.
c) It is only available for Windows-based images.
d) It requires manual intervention for updating images.
Answer: b) It allows you to automate image update workflows.
True/False:
When applying OS and application updates to an image in Azure Virtual Desktop, it is recommended to create a new VM from the updated image to validate the changes before deploying to production.
Answer: True
Multiple Select:
Which of the following deployment methods are available for applying OS and application updates to an image in Azure Virtual Desktop?
a) In-place update
b) Blue-green deployment
c) Rolling update
d) Canary deployment
Answer: a) In-place update and c) Rolling update
True/False:
Applying OS and application updates to an image in Azure Virtual Desktop requires the VMs to be restarted.
Answer: True
Single Select:
Which of the following imaging tools is recommended by Microsoft to apply OS and application updates to Azure Virtual Desktop images?
a) Azure Marketplace
b) Azure Automation
c) Azure Image Builder
d) Azure Resource Manager
Answer: c) Azure Image Builder
True/False:
During the process of applying OS and application updates to an image in Azure Virtual Desktop, user data and settings are preserved.
Answer: True
Single Select:
Which of the following strategies can help minimize the impact of applying OS and application updates to Azure Virtual Desktop images on end-users?
a) Scheduling updates during off-peak hours
b) Enabling image rollback options
c) Using Azure DevTest Labs for image testing
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
This blog post on applying OS and application updates to an image for AZ-140 is really informative. Thanks!
How do you ensure that the updates don’t break any existing configurations in Azure Virtual Desktop?
Can someone explain the steps to apply application updates to a golden image?
The information provided lacks depth on managing update rollout in extensive deployments.
Great post! It really helped me understand the update process better.
Are automated updates a good idea for Azure Virtual Desktops or should it be done manually?
How does one manage updating different types of images, e.g., persistent vs. non-persistent?
Does applying updates to an image affect licensing in any way?