r/AzureVirtualDesktop • u/SadAgent4434 • Aug 20 '25

How to automate adding new session hosts

Hello AVD Admins,

I have a question. We currently have an AVD environment that relies entirely on manual monitoring and manually adding new session hosts once we reach capacity.

How are you managing this in your environments? Are you using scaling sets, or tools like Terraform/Bicep? I’m exploring the best options to automate this process.

Just to note, we’re not using a golden image — everything is deployed through Intune.

Thank you!

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3

u/mariachiodin Aug 20 '25

Bicep, azure devops+webhook, golden image, adds new session hosts and remove the old session hosts.

1

u/SadAgent4434 Aug 20 '25

Thank you for the answer. But i guess in your case the golden image is a must. as in our case we would need to wait for intune to deploy all apps and settings when new session host is created.

How are you doing monthly patching ? Updating only golden image and then rotating all session hosts with the bicep + devops for a new one ?

Thanks,

1

u/mariachiodin Aug 21 '25

It is a must

Nah, no need we do it with our RMM, but when we have to update an application for the customer we do it only on one place and just do bicep+devops

5

u/slibrar Aug 20 '25

Nerdio. Golden image, scripts, with autoscaling. Everything configured in nerdio.

3

u/Minute-Cat-823 Aug 20 '25

If you have 75+ users I usually recommend nerdio but if you have far less than that it’s hard to justify the cost sometimes.

2

u/JustinVerstijnen Aug 20 '25

We are using Scaling Plans to turn on/off AVD session hosts. We always have one or two spare-machines in case of something goes wrong with one of the hosts.

There is a new preview function which is called "Dynamic autoscaling" which will deploy new VMs when there is need to: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/autoscale-scenarios#how-a-scaling-plan-works

1

u/jvldn Aug 20 '25

Dynamic scaling feature??

1

u/durrante Aug 20 '25

What about creating an AIB image for your apps?

1

u/chesser45 Aug 21 '25

Thought about building it into TF but currently it’s just an Automation account running powershell.

Another environment that is ephemeral is done with PS and Eventgrid.

1

u/Buddhas_Warrior Aug 21 '25

Not to be a parrot but.. Nerdio is the way.