The Transition to Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Cascade

Enabling the Move from CloudWorkspace by NetApp

to Cascade and AVD Provided by Microsoft

Author: Eric Vasbinder

Overview

As of September 2023, Trimble Viewpoint's ERP cloud is in process of changing the mechanism by which users can both create accounts for and log in to RDP sessions in our cloud.   Until recently, this technology was enabled by a combined solution provided by the vendor NetApp.  Starting in September 2023, we will be transitioning away from using the NetApp solution, otherwise known as CloudWorkspace, to a dual solution provided by Microsoft.

Specifically, you will be utilizing the "Cascade" web portal for managing users and published applications in your AVD instance and accessing those AVD/RDP published applications via a Microsoft AVD client.

Applicability

Which part of this change applies to you depends on what you use.  For example, users who are ONLY using VRL to connect to Vista and who are using Trimble ID / Viewpoint ID SSO (or Federated Azure AD) to log in, will NOT be impacted at all by this change.  On the other hand, users who access Vista via RDP will be impacted by BOTH parts of this change:  Cascade for user management and AVD to access Vista's client.

It is extremely important to note that using AVD to access client applications in our cloud is a method that is normally restricted to legacy VEC RDP or Viewpoint For Cloud (VFC) customers.  In rare circumstances, customers of our modern VRL based clouds, known as Trimble Construction One (TC1) or Viewpoint One (VP1), have been given access to use the Vista application in our RDP terminal services.  Those specific end-users will also be affected by this change to using AVD to access the Vista Client.

The Cascade side of this transition applies to all RDP users, regardless of cloud-type AND also applies to VRL users who are using our older method to authenticate to Vista rather than Trimble ID / Viewpoint ID / Azure AD SSO.  Specifically, if your username looks like this, "VIEWPOINT\username.companycode" then you will need to become familiar with the Cascade part of this transition, even if you are using VRL.

In addition, the Cascade side of this transition, also applies to users who are admins that manage permissions for the SMB file shares used for the ADP Integration and/or access to the Viewpoint Repository (usually for automated server to server file imports).   In other words, if you are using the IPSEC VPN to mount a file folder over SMB as a drive from a server in our cloud, regardless of the drive letter, pathname, etc., you will need to use the Cascade portal to manage user permissions to those shares.

:tl;dr 

• If you use RDP today, you will use AVD going forward

• If you use VRL, you will NOT use AVD.

• If you use VRL AND SSO or SQL accounts in Vista, you will NOT use Cascade.

• If you use RDP or VRL with our older usernames today, you will use Cascade.

• If you use SMB mapped / mounted file shares over the IPSEC VPN for either the ADP integration or for automated, server to server imports into the Vista "Viewpoint Repository" you will use Cascade to manage those local AD service accounts.

The following table provides you with a high level summary of our cloud types and which part of this transition (Cascade or AVD) applies to each cloud type.

What Changes

Differences from CloudWorkspace to Cascade

If the Cascade portion of this transition applies to you (please see above table), your admins and end users will see the following major differences:

• (ADMINS) User, Group, and Published Apps Management Portal URL Change:

  • Your new Management portal for all things user related changes to be Cascade, located here:  https://cascade.viewpoint.cloud

    • The old CloudWorkspace portal by NetApp goes away

• (ADMINS) All Published Applications will be Visible to ALL Users

  • However, the ability to OPEN those applications is still controlled

• (ADMINS) Published Application Access is Controlled via Group Membership

  • To allow users to access your published apps, merely add them to the appropriate user group in Cascade

• Password Reset Portal Changes

  • Instead of the older CloudWorkspace "forgot password" link, you will use a new, Microsoft link to reset your passwords

  • Instructions to reset your password:  How to reset passwords for RDP in Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) 

• RDP Usernames change format:

  • Usernames for logins to both the Cascade Portal and to the AVD clients will change:  Instead of the older username format of username@companyIdentifier, your Cascade username will be in the format of FirstInitial.LastName.CompanyCode@viewpoint.cloud

• NON-SSO Vista (including VRL) Usernames will not change format:

  • For users who log in to Vista without SSO, their usernames will not change and will remain most commonly in the format of VIEWPOINT\Username.CompanyCode

  • THIS OLDER FORMAT FOR USERNAMES WILL NOT WORK TO LOG IN TO THE Cascade Portal

Differences from old RDP to AVD

• (ADMINS):  You will no longer be able to log in to the Root / Admin layer of any server Operating System

  • To coordinate the install of new third-party hosted software, configure services, etc. you will need to coordinate a joint web call with a Trimble Viewpoint Cloud Support staff member.

• Use of AVD Client is Required

  • Whether an actual installable client (PREFERRED) or a web browser, the published apps feed in Windows is NO LONGER directly supported.

• MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) is REQUIRED

  • Previously, end users would not need MFA to authenticate to RDP sessions.  Now this is required.

• Usernames change format:

  • Instead of the older username format of username@companyIdentifier, your RDP/AVD username will be in the format of FirstInitial.LastName.CompanyCode@viewpoint.cloud

Differences for Vista Remote Link (VRL) Users

For our VRL users, there are a few unique nuances to this change that have been specifically called out in a separate cloud FAQ article.  If you use VRL in our cloud, then this article MAY apply to you.  Please read the article to determine if it applies to you and what will change:  Cascade and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) for Vista VRL Users 

Using the Cascade Portal to Manage Users

The following cloud FAQ articles will guide you through the process of adding and managing users, groups, and published applications in our new Cascade AVD management portal:

1.   Adding and Importing Users:  Cascade Portal:  Adding and Importing Users 

2.   Adding a User to a Group:  Cascade Portal:  Adding and Removing Group Members  

3.   Editing a User's Details:  Cascade Portal:  Editing User Details 

4.  Resetting Passwords:  How to reset passwords in Cascade for RDP/AVD/Legacy VEC VRL 

5.  Deleting a User:   Cascade Portal:  Deleting Users 

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Setup and Logins

The following cloud FAQ articles should be followed in order to download, install, and set up access via Azure virtual desktop:

1.  How to Choose and Download the Proper Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Client 

2.  How to Install the Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Client 

3.  Setting Up and Using the Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Clients  

4. Logging In - Via Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Rich Client 

   1. (OPTIONAL - WEB CLIENT LOGIN):   Logging In - Via Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Web Client 

Password Resets

The following cloud FAQ article is to be used to walk you through step-by-step either resetting your own password as an end-user, or as an administrator resetting another users password:  How to reset passwords for RDP in Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) 

tags:  Azure Virtual Desktop, AVD, New RDP Method, CloudWorkspace Replacement, NetApp Replacement, NetApp EOL, CloudWorkspace EOL