Azure Virtual Desktop

About Azure Virtual Desktop

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is the virtual desktop environment that allows members of the Pomona College community to connect remotely from almost any device to commonly used software and on-premises files without a VPN connection.

When you access Azure Virtual Desktop, there may be several options available to you.

Academic Desktop - functions much like our public computer labs, with access to software including Microsoft Office, Matlab, SPSS, Mathematica, etc...
Staff Desktop - available to Faculty and Staff and includes access to OnBase.
Depending on your department, other desktops with more specialized applications may be available.

Accessing Azure Virtual Desktop

Connect using a Web Browser:

Open a web browser on your device and sign in to https://remote.pomona.edu.
Sign in to the environment with your Pomona College credentials.
Select a desktop from the choices available to you.
If applicable, select local resources from your physical device that you want to make available to the virtual desktop and click Allow.
You will be asked to enter credentials again (which should already be filled in with the account provided in step 2). Click Submit and you will be signed into the desktop.

Connect using Standalone Applications

Microsoft provides detailed instructions for connecting to Azure Virtual Desktop by a variety of methods. The following are simplified instructions for more common devices.

Connect using Microsoft Remote Desktop on PC

Download and run the Remote Desktop Installer.
- This link is for the 64-bit version which will be the most common version for most devices. For other downloads, please follow Microsoft's instructions and download the appropriate version for your device.
After installation completes, launch the Remote Desktop application.
The first time you subscribe to a workspace, from the Let's get started screen, select Subscribe or Subscribe with URL.
Select Subscribe with URL, enter https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com as the URL and select Next.
Sign in with your Pomona Single sign-on credentials and Duo MFA authentication and you will be presented with any Desktops to which you have access

Connect using Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac, iOS/iPadOS, or Android

Install the Remote Desktop Application
- For macOS
  - Install the Remote Desktop application from the Mac App Store
  - Users on Pomona College-owned Macs can also install this application via the Jamf Self Service app located in your computer's Applications Folder
- Apple iOS/iPadOS
  - Install the Remote Desktop application from the App Store
- Android
  - Install the Remote Desktop application from Google Play
Open the Microsoft Remote Desktop app (macOS) or RD Client app (iOS/Android) on your device.
In the Connection Center, select +, then select Add Workspace.
In the Email or Workspace URL box, either enter https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com as the URL and select Add.
Sign in with your Pomona Single sign-on credentials and Duo MFA authentication and you will be presented with any Desktops to which you have access

Additional Information

You can only be signed into one desktop at a time. When you have finished using a desktop, please fully sign out of the desktop.

To sign out completely, open the Start Menu, select the icon for your account (gray circle with a silhouette), and select Sign Out to ensure your session closes completely.

We will continue to provide more information about the new Azure Virtual Desktop environment as we continue the transition from Citrix to AVD.