Streamlining Productivity: Mastering Azure Virtual Desktops and Printing

Consider planning a hike in the desert. There are plans we all instinctively know we should make, like bringing enough water. But as someone who has grown up adventuring around the southwest, I’ve learned there are also non-obvious items that, if not planned for, can ruin your adventure—like extra layers for the dramatic drop in temperature at night. Similarly, in the IT world, planning for Azure Virtual Desktops involves obvious considerations, such as user authentication and connectivity. However, failing to plan for how users will print can lead to significant issues that undermine the success of the deployment.

Printing may not be the first thing that an IT professional thinks of when planning a large-scale AVD program. However, printing problems are a common roadblock for AVD deployment, with 20% of VDI teams reporting them as a significant barrier to success. Printing from virtual desktops often involves complex print servers that add latency and bottlenecks, including:

Printer Redirection Issues

Many organizations deploying AVD initially plan to manage printing the same way they did with traditional terminal and application servers—by redirecting printers from the user’s local environment to the virtual desktop. However, this method assumes low-latency, high-bandwidth, and trusted connections, which often isn’t feasible when virtual desktops are hosted in the cloud. As a result, printer redirection frequently becomes unstable and unreliable.

Driver Issues

Another common issue with printing in an AVD environment is the limited support for managing drivers. Microsoft has tried to simplify this by moving to class-based drivers (also known as type 4 drivers or Microsoft Universal Print). In theory, this simplifies printing management by removing the need for driver management. However, many organizations soon discover that some printers do not support these new driver sets, leading to challenges in pushing and installing these drivers in AVD sessions. This results in lengthy scripting and/or GPO deployments, further complicated by non-persistent desktops. Also, many class-based drivers require a compromise of not supporting advanced printing features available on high-end copiers.

Complexity of Network Boundaries

One final complexity that printing provides AVD environments is how to safely transfer print streams from the cloud, where the desktop image resides, down to the trusted network where the printer may be. I have seen many strategies around this, from expensive express links to MPLS and VPNs. Even worse, I have seen some organizations punch holes through their trusted network firewalls for port 9100 and try to maintain ACLs to protect incoming print streams. This ultimately results in security teams halting AVD network deployments until the infrastructure, cloud, compliance, and security teams can come to a solution. 

Just like my hiking analogy, when you find yourself unprepared, it sometimes feels like it’s time to throw in the towel and head back to the car when the journey seems too extreme. But beginning a hike with the right equipment and preparation can make the journey achievable, if not enjoyable throughout.  

One aspect I love about my job is solving complex IT problems, not just “print problems.” The issues holding back large AVD deployments are about security, networking, infrastructure, and enterprise management, and they require finding the right tools and approaches to solve them—that’s what motivates me to show up to work each day! 

One of my favorite IT journeys has been participating in an Army-wide Azure Virtual Desktop deployment and solving the three challenges mentioned above in one of the most complex and critical IT environments. Working with some of the brightest IT minds in the industry, PrinterLogic ensured that printing was not a barrier to the Army’s AVD program.

Combining PrinterLogic with Azure Virtual Desktop printing provides a streamlined printing solution that works seamlessly for employees, whether they are remote or in-office. IT teams also benefit from simplified management and reduced support requirements.

Eliminate print servers, reduce IT overhead, and enhance your Azure Virtual Desktop experience with PrinterLogic.