Microsoft Gives Customers Control over the Azure RemoteApp Cloud

Announced at TechEd 2014 North America (a moment of silence for TechEd), Azure RemoteApp enables subscribers to install, access, and run company apps in the Cloud. The apps run in the Cloud, but they feel like they are running locally. An Azure RemoteApp client is required to participate, but runs on Windows, Windows RT, Mac OSX, iOS, and Android.

Initially, Azure RemoteApp offered only Microsoft-supplied templates for Cloud deployment. But, based on wide customer request, Microsoft has now enabled the ability for subscribers to create their own Cloud deployments. This means customers can generate and upload their own server images on which to install corporate apps.

There is a caveat for doing so, though. If you choose to use a Microsoft-supplied template, which includes the operating system and Office 2013, Microsoft assumes the responsibility for maintaining updates. But, if you opt to use your own image templates, you will need to assume the responsibility for ensuring the deployment is updated with patches and updates.

Azure RemoteApp is still in public Preview here: Azure RemoteApp