I'm trying to improve our remote access process at work. Right now, one of our employees connects to a virtual machine using both Azure VPN and RDP, but we want to make it easier by removing the VPN while still keeping our access secure. Unfortunately, Azure Bastion isn't an option for us at the moment. What are some efficient ways to reconfigure this access? Thanks in advance!
5 Answers
Honestly, the current setup is pretty streamlined. The only real alternative is something akin to a bastion solution. Azure Bastion is the easiest route, although AVD can require a lot of management and infrastructure, which might not suit your needs.
We’re using Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) for something similar. Check out the details if that could be helpful! You might find it simplifies things a bit.
I'll check on this, thanks!
If security is a priority, sticking with Azure Bastion is a solid choice. It can be paired with good Conditional Access rules, which should keep things secure without too much hassle.
You could consider GSA Private Network. If you install a connector that has a line of sight to the VM, it might meet your needs without the VPN.
Just as a side note, what exactly is the VM being used for? If it’s just for basic tasks like running Excel or browsing, you might want a cheaper Azure VM where you can RDP in directly. That could save some overhead without needing heavy infrastructure.
It's semi-production running scripts and some services.

Yeah, I hear you. I really want to avoid that because it complicates things more for some users.