To ensure network traffic from Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts flows through a network virtual appliance (NVA), what should be configured?

To ensure that network traffic from Azure Virtual Desktop session hosts flows through a network virtual appliance (NVA), user-defined routes should be configured. User-defined routes allow you to specify the routing of traffic in your Azure Virtual Network, which can direct traffic through an NVA for inspection, filtering, or other processing.

When you set up user-defined routes, you can establish specific paths for how data packets travel towards their destination, allowing you to enforce policies or use specific appliances for managing traffic. This approach is particularly important when dealing with virtual desktop environments, where managing data flow, security, and compliance is critical.

In contrast, while a network security group (NSG) provides a way to control inbound and outbound traffic to your Azure resources based on defined rules, it does not direct traffic through an NVA. A virtual network serves as the foundational networking infrastructure but does not itself influence routing decisions. An Azure VPN gateway is primarily utilized for connecting on-premises networks to Azure but is not directly involved in routing outgoing traffic from session hosts through an NVA. Hence, user-defined routes are essential for ensuring that traffic flows through the desired network path, including an NVA.