Announcing Hydra for Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid: Now Available in Private Preview for Hyper-V Environments
May 12, 2026
Building off Login VSI’s robust Microsoft collaboration and based on clear market demand, Hydra extends its practical management layer to Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid, starting with the hypervisor customers are requesting most for Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid.
- Hydra for Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid now in private preview, starting with Hyper-V
- Same operational model as Hydra for Azure Virtual Desktop, no retraining required
The newly released public preview of Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid marks a major shift in VDI history: organizations can now run Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts on their own infrastructure while remaining integrated with the Azure Virtual Desktop service. But infrastructure flexibility alone doesn’t solve the real challenge teams are facing today.
Running hybrid environments day-to-day consistently, predictably, and without operational disruption is where teams struggle the most.
That’s where Hydra for Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid comes in.
Today, we’re announcing the private preview of Hydra for Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid, extending the same operational simplicity, workflow familiarity, cost control, and real-time visibility Hydra brings to Azure Virtual Desktop to Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid environments.
And we’re starting where we see the market heading and with what our customers are requesting most:
Hyper-V.
Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid opens the door for more flexible deployments, and success comes down to how these environments are actually run day to day. Hydra by Login VSI gives teams a practical, familiar way to operate across cloud and on-prem without changing how they work.
John Vigeant
CEO, Login VSI
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Why We Started with Hyper-V for Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid Support
Our decision to build Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid support starting with Hyper-V came directly from what we were hearing from IT teams in the market this year.
- Teams already running Microsoft environments are increasingly standardizing on Hyper-V for Azure Virtual Desktop environments
- Many are already licensed, trained, and operating it today
- It’s built and supported by Microsoft, aligning directly with Azure and Azure Virtual Desktop
- It’s the easiest path to test, adopt, and scale hybrid without introducing new vendors or cost layers
We started with Hyper-V because that’s what customers told us they’re using, already understand, and can deploy today. This is a direct reflection of how we build Hydra: grounded in real operator needs.
John Vigeant
CEO, Login VSI
Figure 1 – Hydra stopping 1 host and creating a new session host on Hyper-V
Hyper-V aligns directly with our Microsoft collaboration and the broader Azure and Azure Virtual Desktop ecosystem we’re already deeply integrated with. While some vendors are starting elsewhere, Hydra is focused on what customers are asking for and can operate immediately.
In addition, Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid provides a migration path away from legacy VDI platforms, and Hydra is purpose-built to be the operational layer for that transition.
[Also planning a VDI platform migration? Download our new EUC Migration Playbook, a free phase-by-phase guide for teams moving from Citrix, Omnissa Horizon, or physical endpoints to AVD and Windows 365. Download free →
How Hydra Manages Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid Across Cloud and On-Premises
Hydra makes Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid feel familiar for teams coming from traditional VDI, so they can modernize without disrupting how they work.
From a single interface, teams can:
- Create, update, delete, start, stop, and restart session hosts on premises
- Provision new session hosts from existing images
- Capture and manage images across cloud and on premises
- Automate updates, patching, and application installs
- Monitor sessions and infrastructure in real time with the Hydra Agent
- Operate hybrid host pools similar to Azure Virtual Desktop
Figure 2 – Hydra creating and configuring new session host on Hyper-V
Figure 3 – Hydra Agent on AVD Hybrid enables realtime monitoring of resources and processes
All of this is executed locally through the Hydra Proxy, a lightweight agent that securely connects your data center to Hydra (no inbound firewall changes or VPN required).
Figure 4 – Architectural Diagram shows Hydra Proxy on-prem
The result: a consistent, consolidated and familiar way to run Azure Virtual Desktop across cloud and on-premises environments.
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A Familiar Operational Model for VDI Teams Migrating to Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid
One of the biggest barriers to adopting a hybrid approach isn’t the infrastructure itself, it’s the anticipated operational disruption of migrating and adapting to a new environment.
Hydra removes that complexity with the same familiar workflows VDI teams are used to coming from Citrix or Omnissa Horizon, a unified control plane to manage it all, and the same day-to-day operations they’re accustomed to, so no retraining is required.
Whether session hosts run in Azure or on premises, they are managed the same way with Hydra.
This is exactly what the market has been waiting for. Being able to run Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop on existing Hyper-V infrastructure and manage it with the same operational model as cloud removes a huge barrier to adoption.
Thomas Poppelgaard
Microsoft MVP, Principal Technical Architect, and CEO
That continuity is exactly what Hydra is designed for: modernizing infrastructure without forcing teams to relearn how they operate.
Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid Use Cases: Where Hydra Delivers Immediate Value
Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid isn’t about replacing the cloud, it’s about using what you already have more effectively.
- Extend existing on-premises investments instead of abandoning them
- Transition from legacy VDI without forced cutovers
- Run in cloud and on premises side-by-side during migration
- Control cost by placing workloads where they make sense
Hydra becomes the operational layer across all of it. Not only that, but Hydra’s per-peak-concurrent-user pricing model was built so you’re only paying for what’s actually in use, whether workloads run in Azure or on premises. No minimums or onboarding fees.
Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid gives organizations the flexibility to extend Azure Virtual Desktop to their own infrastructure and migrate to the cloud at a pace that makes sense for their business. Hydra by Login VSI helps customers operationalize that flexibility by bringing consistent management, automation, and visibility across hybrid environments.
Steve Downs
Principal Product Manager, Microsoft
Validate Before and After Your Migration with Login Enterprise
Migration risk doesn’t end when session hosts are online. Our product Login Enterprise gives IT teams automated performance testing to validate workspace environments before go-live and continuously after, so issues are caught before users are ever impacted.
As a private preview participant, you can receive a free 30-day trial of Login Enterprise to start validating your Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid environment from day one.
Hydra for Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid Private Preview: What’s Available Today
Hydra for Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid is already in use with early customers, working directly with our product team as we continue to expand capabilities.
What’s available now
- Hyper-V support (initial release)
- Core lifecycle operations (e.g., start/stop/create/image)
- Hybrid host pool management
- Hydra Proxy deployment and the Hydra Agent
What’s coming next
- Deeper automation and policy controls
- Broader enterprise rollout capabilities
Join the Hydra for Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid Private Preview
Hydra for Azure Virtual Desktop Hybrid is included at no additional cost for all active customers during the preview period starting June 2026.
Get early access and work directly with our team.
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Not yet a Login VSI customer? Start a free trial of Hydra or Login Enterprise and request private preview access. It’s included at no additional cost during your trial.
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