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The Importance of Location: User, Cloud PC, and Application Data
Cloud PC location can play a critical role in the performance and end user experience of Cloud PCs. When a Cloud PC is provisioned far from the user’s physical location, it can lead to increased latency, which can negatively impact interactions with the Cloud PC and user productivity. For example, users accessing Cloud PCs remotely across different continents may experience higher latency compared to those users located closer to the region where the Cloud PC is provisioned.
Similarly, it’s important to understand the Application Data location - especially crucial for latency-sensitive applications - since during the session, users likely access it. Application data can reside in the same region as the Cloud PC, a different Azure region, or even back to on-premises. Ideally, the user, Cloud PC, and App Data are geographically close, for example, a user is based in New York with a Cloud PC and Microsoft 365 data in Azure East US (Virginia), however, that is not always the case.
When these elements are not co-located, admins must carefully choose the Cloud PC provisioning region to ensure a smooth experience. In Windows 365 Enterprise, the Cloud PC region is defined in the provisioning policy via Microsoft Hosted Network (MHN) or Azure Network Connection (ANC) settings. If changes are needed later, admins can update the provisioning policy to move Cloud PCs to a new region. While this does not trigger reprovisioning, it does delete restore points from the previous region, so timing and planning are important.
Understanding how users connect to their Windows 365 Cloud PCs is also an essential piece for optimizing performance. When a user initiates a session, traffic first travels to the nearest Azure gateway—determined by the user’s physical location—then continues over Microsoft’s Azure backbone to the region where the Cloud PC is provisioned.
Factors to consider:
User proximity to Cloud PC Location: In general__,__ the closer a user is to the Cloud PC’s location, the faster the response time of keyboard and mouse input and screen updates.
Application Data proximity to Cloud PC Location: Consider the Azure region or the on-premises location of the app data when determining the Cloud PC’s location. For applications that are latency sensitive, moving the Cloud PC closer to the App Data likely improves performance.
Regional regulations and data sovereignty: Compliance with regional data sovereignty and privacy laws may restrict where Cloud PCs can be provisioned.
User Datagram Protocol (UDP) preferred over Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) for optimal end user experience: RDP Shortpath uses a UDP-based transport via the Universal Rate Control Protocol (URCP). URCP optimizes User Datagram Protocol (UDP) by adjusting to network conditions and implementing rate control, resulting in better throughput and greater latency tolerance compared to TCP/Websocket connections.
While latency between users and Virtual Machines (VMs) was previously a key concern, advances in protocols and use of the Microsoft network backbone have greatly reduced its impact. As a result, placing Cloud PCs near application data is now often acceptable and even preferred.
Reliable Network Connectivity for Cloud PC Performance
Optimal network connectivity is essential for delivering a seamless Cloud PC experience. A stable and high-performing internet connection minimizes disruptions caused by network fluctuations and ensures smooth user interactions.
Since users can access their Cloud PCs from various devices and locations, connectivity performance is influenced by factors such as network routing and latency. To enhance performance, administrators should ideally align the network region with the region where Windows 365 Cloud PCs are provisioned. Additionally, the choice of transport protocol plays a critical role: Windows 365 uses the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), which can operate over both Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and UDP. While TCP ensures reliable delivery, it introduces higher latency due to its strict acknowledgment and retransmission mechanisms. UDP, on the other hand, is connectionless and optimized for real-time traffic, allowing RDP to deliver a smoother, more responsive experience by reducing round-trip delays and better handling packet loss. For this reason, UDP is preferred over TCP for Cloud PC sessions, especially in scenarios where low latency and consistent performance are critical.
Another important aspect to keep in mind is that when using Azure Network Connections (ANCs), administrators take on more responsibilities, including Domain Name System (DNS) resolution, subnet and IP address planning, and maintaining low-latency connectivity to Azure regions. Azure continuously monitors network latency using internal tools and publishes performance metrics to support optimization efforts. To learn more about Azure network round-trip latency statistics, see Azure network round-trip latency statistics | Microsoft Learn.
Key network factors to consider:
Bandwidth: Ensuring adequate bandwidth is essential for handling data transfers and maintaining high-quality video conferencing and application performance.
Latency: Lower latency is important for Cloud PCs, particularly in more demanding scenarios such as video editing or video game development.
Network routing: Avoid network hairpinning situations since they can significantly impact latency.
Transport Layer Protocol: UDP (together with URCP) enables faster, higher throughput, lower-latency data transmission by reducing overhead and optimizing real-time performance, look to prioritize this over TCP. More UDP benefits here RDP Shortpath | Microsoft Learn
Packet loss: Look to reduce high levels of packet loss as these can disrupt Cloud PC performance and cause frustration for users.
Jitter: Variability in packet delivery times can impact the consistency of user experiences. Like packet loss, look to reduce Jitter where possible.
Administrators can apply a wide range of resources when planning Cloud PC provisioning for globally distributed teams, including a diverse set of Azure-supported regions, to make more informed and strategic decisions.
Optimizing Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connectivity for Windows 365 can significantly improve connection reliability, reduce latency, and increase available bandwidth. To enhance performance in customer-managed networks (ANC), RDP Shortpath should be used, and it is enabled by default. This feature establishes a direct, UDP-based connection between a supported Windows Remote Desktop client and the session host. By default, RDP attempts a UDP connection first and falls back to a TCP-based reverse connect transport, which offers broad compatibility and a high success rate.
RDP Shortpath supports two configurations:
Managed Networks: Direct UDP or STUN
Public Networks: STUN or TURN
Note: Administrators can verify connectivity to the STUN and TURN endpoints and verify that basic UDP functionality works by running the executable avdnettest.exe.
Additionally, RDP Multipath enhances session resilience by evaluating multiple UDP paths simultaneously and dynamically switching between them in real time. If one path fails, the session continues uninterrupted via an alternate route—minimizing dropouts and improving stability. RDP Multipath is currently available for both Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365.
A valuable resource for administrators managing Windows 365 connectivity is the Connection Quality Report, which provides visibility into round-trip time (RTT) between the client and the Cloud PC, available bandwidth, protocol and other data points. This report helps identify devices that may be underperforming relative to expected benchmarks.
With ongoing enhancements to Windows 365 connectivity, such as the expansion of TURN relay regions and new dedicated IP range, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) performance has improved. RDP can now accommodate latencies of up to 200ms, reducing the criticality of geographic proximity between the user and their Cloud PC. Instead, it is increasingly important to position Cloud PCs closer to the application data they access. This shift helps minimize latency and optimize performance for end users. Organizations are encouraged to thoroughly evaluate regional placement and network configurations to ensure a seamless and responsive Cloud PC experience. We highly recommend reading this document for additional information on Windows 365 Connectivity Principles Connectivity Principles | Microsoft Learn
Strategies for Optimal Cloud PC Provisioning
Regional provisioning
To address latency issues associated with user location or application data location, organizations should consider provisioning the Cloud PCs in data centers that are geographically closer to users and/or the application data location, depending on what’s more beneficial.
Network optimization
Administrators must ensure that network configurations are optimized for Cloud PC usage. This includes prioritizing low-latency networks, taking advantage of new enhancements, increasing bandwidth allocation where needed, and implementing redundancy mechanisms to minimize downtime.
Monitoring and analytics
Continuous monitoring of network performance and user activity is crucial for identifying bottlenecks and areas for improvement. Reporting and tools that analyze latency, bandwidth usage, and error rates can help fine-tune Cloud PC settings can help make informed decisions.
Hybrid models
For users in regions with limited network infrastructure, hybrid models combining local computing resources with Cloud PC access can mitigate connectivity challenges. This approach can help balance performance with accessibility.
User profiling
Understanding the unique needs of end-users, including their location, network capabilities, and workload requirements, enables tailored provisioning strategies. For instance, power users requiring intensive computing may need Cloud PCs provisioned with higher bandwidth and lower latency, or certain specific characteristics when it comes to processing or memory.
Benefits of Optimized Cloud PC Provisioning
Optimized provisioning of Cloud PCs based on user location and network considerations offers several advantages:
Improved User Experience: Faster response times and reduced connectivity issues enhance productivity and satisfaction.
Cost Efficiency: Tailored provisioning minimizes unnecessary resource allocation and optimizes expenditures.
Scalability: The ability to quickly adapt Cloud PC configurations to changing user locations and network conditions support growth and flexibility.
Regulatory Compliance: Provisioning Cloud PCs in appropriate regions ensures adherence to local data protection laws and regulations.
Conclusion
Optimized provisioning of Cloud PCs requires careful consideration of user location and network connectivity to deliver an optimal experience. By addressing these factors through regional provisioning, network optimization, and tailored strategies, organizations can ensure that their Cloud PC deployments are both effective and user-friendly. As remote work and digital collaboration continue to evolve, prioritizing these considerations remain essential for successful Cloud PC integration.