AVD Breadth-First Load Balancing and Start VM on Connect
You have an Azure Virtual Desktop deployment that contains a host pool named Pool1. Pool1 has the following settings: • Host pool type: Pooled • Load balancing algorithm: Breadth-first • Max session limit: 5 • Start VM on connect: Yes Pool1 contains the session hosts shown in the following table. How many additional users must connect to Pool1 to start Host3? - 
Community Votes
70% of anonymous learners picked answer D. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Community Insight
Breadth-first load balancing fills running hosts to their max session limit before Start VM on connect triggers a stopped host, meaning the 6th user connection starts Host3.
This guide explains how Azure Virtual Desktop breadth-first load balancing distributes sessions and triggers the Start VM on connect feature. It establishes that 6 additional users must connect to fill existing session hosts and trigger Host3 to start.
Choosing 5 (Option C) by calculating only the remaining capacity of running hosts, forgetting that the next connection attempt (the 6th user) is actually required to trigger the Start VM on connect feature.
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Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
With breadth-first load balancing, new user sessions are directed to the session host with the fewest active sessions until all running hosts reach their maximum session limit. Host1 currently has 3 sessions and Host2 has 2 sessions, leaving a combined available capacity of 5 sessions (2 on Host1, 3 on Host2). The first 5 additional users will perfectly fill Host1 and Host2 to their maximum limit of 5 sessions each. Once both running hosts are at capacity, the 6th user attempting to connect will have no available running session hosts. Because the "Start VM on connect" feature is enabled, this 6th connection request triggers the deallocated Host3 to start. Therefore, 6 additional users must connect.Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A (1), B (3), and C (5) incorrectly assume that Host3 starts as soon as capacity is exhausted or miscalculate the remaining capacity. Specifically, Option C (5) represents the exact number of sessions needed to fill the running hosts but fails to account for the fact that an actual connection attempt beyond capacity is the trigger for starting a new VM. Option E (10) likely miscalculates by doubling the max session limit or ignoring the existing sessions entirely.Community Comment Notes
Commenters debated between 5 and 6 additional users. Some initially chose 5, noting that "Host1 can take 2 more sessions... Host2 can take 3" to reach the limit. However, as another user pointed out after testing, "Just tested, it's D", confirming that the 6th user connection is required to trigger the Start VM on connect process. The key distinction is that filling the capacity (5 users) does not start the VM; the subsequent connection attempt (6th user) does.Official Reference
Exam Strategy
When calculating users needed to trigger Start VM on connect, first total the remaining capacity of all running hosts. The number of users required to start the next VM is always the remaining capacity plus one, because the feature is triggered by a connection attempt when no running capacity is available.
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