Case Study: Lionstreet’s Azure Virtual Desktop Implementation
Lionstreet is a rapidly growing, national network of elite firms and financial professionals serving high-net-worth, high-income and business-owner clients with sophisticated life insurance, wealth management and financial planning solutions. With an increasing number of contractors working on various projects, the company faced a challenge of providing them with secure access to machines and business applications without having to provide outside contractors with a company laptop or access to the company network. To address this challenge, Lionstreet, with advice and assistance from their Microsoft Cloud Partner – 360 Visibility – decided to implement Azure Virtual Desktop, a service that allows for the creation of isolated virtual machines with apps pre-installed, making it easy for contractors to sign in and start working immediately.
Implementation:
To implement Azure Virtual Desktop, Lionstreet first had to set up a virtual network in Azure and then create virtual machines within that network. 360 Visibility configured these virtual machines with the necessary apps and software, and the company’s IT team ensured that all the necessary security measures were in place to protect the virtual machines and the data they contained.
Once the virtual machines were set up, Lionstreet provided contractors with access to the virtual machines through a secure remote desktop connection. This allowed contractors to work on projects remotely, without needing new devices to be provisioned or shipped out. Strict security policies were maintained as no external connections were made to the network.
Benefits:
Security
By using Azure Virtual Desktop, Lionstreet was able to provide contractors with access to machines and business applications without having to provide them with a company laptop or access to the company network. This significantly reduced the risk of data breaches and other security incidents. Additionally, the virtual machines were configured with the necessary security measures to protect the data they contained.
Performance
The virtual machines provided by Azure Virtual Desktop were optimized for performance, ensuring that contractors could work efficiently and effectively. Devices access virtual compute machines with enhanced specs capable of any workload required.
Cost savings
By using Azure Virtual Desktop, Lionstreet was able to save on the cost of purchasing and maintaining laptops for contractors. Additionally, the company was able to reduce the costs associated with managing a remote workforce, such as the cost of VPNs and other remote access solutions.
Efficiency
With Azure Virtual Desktop, Lionstreet was able to provide contractors with access to the machines and business applications they needed to work on projects, without the need for a company laptop or access to the company network. This made it easy for contractors to sign in and start working immediately, increasing the efficiency of the contractor workforce.
Conclusion:
Lionstreet’s implementation of Azure Virtual Desktop has allowed the company to mitigate challenges of allowing outside contractors devices and access to their network. AVD allowed Lionsteet to provide contractors with access to machines and business applications without having to provide them with a company laptop or access to the company network. This has significantly improved the company’s security, performance, cost savings and efficiency. Lionstreet is now able to focus on delivering high-quality services to their clients, with the knowledge that their contractor workforce is working in a secure and efficient environment.
