If you’ve ever planned a Nerdio Manager for Enterprise (NME) deployment, you may be aware that there isn’t just one way to install it. Depending on how your Azure environment is structured — identities, tenants, permissions, governance, and AVD architecture — the installation path can look very different.
This is one of the questions I’m asked most often by customers:
“Which installation method do I actually need to use?”
To make this easier, I created a simple decision tree (I’ll include a diagram at the end) and broke down each installation type. Whether you’re deploying for a single small environment or a global multi-tenant estate, this guide should point you in the right direction.
Why are there multiple installation methods?
Nerdio Manager integrates deeply with:
- Entra ID
- Azure subscriptions
- Azure Virtual Networking
- AVD / Windows 365 resources
- App registrations
- Service principals
- Resource providers
Because every customer structures their identity and resource topology differently, NME provides installation paths for a range of real-world scenarios — including restricted RBAC environments and split-tenant setups.
Summary of All Installation Types
Here is a high-level overview of all six installation methods available in Nerdio Manager.
1️⃣ Standard Install (Azure Marketplace)
The most common and simplest deployment method.
Use this when:
- Your user identities and AVD resources live in the same Entra ID tenant.
- You have the required permissions to deploy and initialise NME.
- You don’t need to customise the Entra ID application name.
Typical customers: Most AVD/W365 deployments, POCs, and standard single-tenant setups.
📄 Guide: https://nmehelp.getnerdio.com/hc/en-us/articles/26124313550477-Nerdio-Manager-Installation-Guide
2️⃣ Custom Entra ID Application Name
Some customers need to customise the app registration name (e.g., naming conventions or multiple NME instances in the same tenant).
Use this when:
- You do have app creation permissions.
- You need a non-default app name.
- You want to avoid conflicts when deploying multiple Nerdio Manager instances.
📄 Guide: https://nmehelp.getnerdio.com/hc/en-us/articles/26124326251405-Advanced-Installation-Methods
3️⃣ Split Identity Deployment
This is for customers whose user identities exist in one Entra ID tenant, while the AVD session hosts and Azure resources live in another.
This is common with:
- NHS Trusts
- Shared services
- Large groups that centralise identity
- Multi-organisation structures
Use this when:
- You must separate identity governance from Azure resource management.
📄 Guide: https://nmehelp.getnerdio.com/hc/en-us/articles/26124326194573-Advanced-Installation-Split-Identity
4️⃣ Pre-Created Entra ID Application
Some organisations do not allow deployment engineers to create app registrations — typically due to strict RBAC, identity governance, or Conditional Access rules.
Use this when:
- You don’t have permission to create an Entra ID app.
- A separate team (Identity/Security) needs to pre-create the Nerdio app for you.
- You’ll reference the existing App ID, Secret, and Object ID during initialization.
5️⃣ External Identities (Guest Accounts)
Some customers have user identities mastered in another tenant but synchronised into the AVD tenant as guest / external identities. This is not split identity — everything still runs in a single AVD tenant.
Use this when:
- Your users are guests from another tenant.
- You want them to connect to AVD/Windows 365 using External Identities.
- You want to avoid maintaining a full split-tenant architecture.
This overlays onto Install Types 1, 2, or 4.
📄 Microsoft announcement: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windows-itpro-blog/windows-365-and-azure-virtual-desktop-support-external-identities-now-generally-/4468103
6️⃣ Multi-Tenant Deployment
Once NME is installed, you can manage AVD deployments across multiple Entra tenants from a single console.
Use this when:
- You’re an MSP, enterprise group, or global organisation.
- You want one Nerdio Manager instance for multiple tenants.
- You need unified monitoring, autoscale, images, apps, and governance across tenants.
📄 Guide: https://nmehelp.getnerdio.com/hc/en-us/articles/26124299740685-Tenants-Overview
Putting It All Together — The Installation Decision Tree
I created a simple flowchart to help customers quickly identify the correct installation type. It includes:
- Tenant topology
- Permissions
- Identity architecture
- Guest user model
- Multi-tenant requirements
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right installation method is crucial for:
- Proper AVD lifecycle management
- Compliance with your organisation’s identity model
- Ensuring NME has the permissions it needs
- Avoiding rework later
- Supporting multi-tenant or cross-tenant architectures
If you’re planning a new deployment or reviewing your existing setup, this guide (and the diagram) should help you pick the correct path with confidence.
Modern EUC by Wayne Bellows 