Organizations need to constantly re-evaluate their virtual environments to ensure that they are operating as productively as possible. Admins need to check that end-users have Cloud PCs capable of handling the workloads they need to deal with.

Simultaneously, they also need to verify that there are no under-utilized Cloud PCs that could be potentially repurposed. Dealing with issues like these is why Microsoft has consistently provided new features that will help admins better run their Cloud PC environments. With upgrades like the ‘Resize’ feature for the Frontline Cloud PCs, organizations will get a tool that enhances the operation of their virtual environments.

Introducing the Resize Feature

Since its introduction a few years ago, the Windows 365 Cloud PC has provided organizations with an exceptional service that delivers high-powered virtual PCs to employees anywhere. End-users can stream their desktops to their multiple devices and work remotely with ease.

Understandably, IT admins are constantly seeking for ways to run these virtual environments more efficiently. And with the addition of the Resize feature to the arsenal of management tools already available, organizations can now easily make resource adjustments across multiple Cloud PCs within a specific group or task assignment.

The adjustments can take place among resources such as CPU, storage, and RAM among others. A simple example of this could be a business with a group of Cloud PCs with allocated 4 GB of RAM and moderate computing power.

If a situation arises where end-users have more demanding workloads, admins can now quickly and easily perform a few steps that will deliver 8 GB of RAM. They can also increase processing power to every virtual device in that group. Having such a feature could potentially increase productivity with IT admins no longer having to dedicate significant time and effort to adjusting Cloud PCs individually.

Benefits

From the introduction, it’s not difficult to see why the Resize feature would be gladly welcomed by administrators. Organizations get to benefit from an upgrade that is perfectly in line with Windows 365’s goal of delivering streamlined operations that are highly efficient.

With the Resize feature, Microsoft is not simply looking to add another upgrade. Instead, it offers something that will also enhance the great features that Cloud PCs have become known for. Features such as flexibility, ease of working remotely, and scalability, among others, can be enhanced by the Resize feature. Organizations can look forward to:

STANDARDIZED RESOURCE ALLOCATION

One of the things that could previously hinder the effectiveness of a group was having varying Cloud PC configurations within a particular group. Unsurprisingly, without access to the same resources, the quality of work done is bound to suffer.

Fortunately, by using the new Resize feature, IT admins can ensure that all end-users within assignments or teams share a standard configuration for their Cloud PCs. This means that during the more demanding tasks, every user will have access to the same powerful resources. Because of this, every team member will have the capabilities to produce at the same level.

INCREASED EFFICIENCY

As one can imagine, manually adjusting every single Cloud PC that needs attention can be a difficult and time-consuming task. And that’s before we even mention the potential risk of administrative errors that can occur. IT admins will surely be thrilled with a tool that helps them make bulk adjustments swiftly and without hassle. All the time saved can then be dedicated toward more productive tasks.

FLEXIBLE SCALABILITY

Windows 365 is designed to deliver the resources that organizations need when they need them. This flexibility enables businesses to scale up or down as necessary. It also provides businesses another reason to choose the Cloud PC. Most businesses have periods during the year when they know that workloads will spike and greater resources will be required.

By leveraging the Resize feature, IT can quickly scale up resources. And they can do so without end-users facing downtime or the organization needing new virtual instances. This scaled up environment only requires maintenance for the duration of the workload spike. After which, admins can adjust resources back to normal status.

BETTER END-USER EXPERIENCE

To keep end-users happy and productive, having Cloud PCs that function as flawlessly as possible is a must. When teams are dealing with more demanding workloads, they need their computing resources adjusted quickly and accordingly. Busy frontline workers don’t want to be stuck with a sluggish device right when the pressure is on.

So, this gives end-users the resources they need exactly when they need them. It makes the Resize feature immensely valuable to more than just the individuals in the IT department.

How Does It Work?

The Resize feature operates by utilizing the Microsoft provisioning policies that you get in Windows 365. The process works as follows:

•  Provisioning assignments – whenever businesses create provisioning policies for their Cloud PCs, this is what defines the specifications (RAM, CPU, Disk Space, or GPU) of those virtual devices.
•  Group-Based Control – all the Cloud PCs that are linked to a particular assignment will be operating with the same configurations.
•  Resizing on command – IT admins can leverage the Resize feature to select a new predefined Cloud PC size from a dropdown list within the Windows 365 Admin Center. After the new size has been set, all the Cloud PCs that share this particular provisioning policy will be immediately modified.
•  Deployment with zero downtime – key to the success of this new feature is ensuring that end-users experience very little or ideally no disruption or downtime. This is possible by using Microsoft’s secure global Azure infrastructure which guarantees that the changes are carried out seamlessly and in real time.

Resizing Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PCs

Windows 365 Frontline as the name suggests, is a version of Microsoft’s Cloud PC solution. It’s also a game-changer for frontline workers. This particular service aims to be a cost-effective version that allows businesses to provision a single Cloud PC, sharable by multiple users with a single license.

Not surprisingly, Windows 365 Frontline provides a great solution for shift workers. They can easily sign in to Windows 365 from the web or via the Windows App. And at the end of their shift, all one has to do is sign out. From there, the Cloud PC becomes once again available for someone else.

To make the use of these virtual devices even more efficient, Microsoft now enables clients to use provisioning policies to resize Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PCs in dedicated mode. This means that for now, you cannot resize Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PCs in shared mode. The requirements for resizing are as follows:

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

IT admins need to have certain built-in Microsoft Entra roles before they can start resizing Cloud PCs.

•  They must have at least one of the roles below for Cloud PCs provisioned with direct assigned license:
• Intune Service Administrator
• Intune Reader + Cloud PC admin roles
• Intune Reader+ Windows 365 Administrator
•  Similarly, IT admins must have at least one the roles below for Cloud PCs provisioned with a group-based license:
• Intune Service Administrator
• Intune Reader+ Windows 365 Administrator
• Additionally, IT admins should have a role with Microsoft Entra group read/write membership and licensing permissions. This is much like the Windows 365 Admin role.

Note: Another option that clients have would be to assign a custom role that includes the permissions of these built-in roles.

IP ADDRESS REQUIREMENTS

In some situations, organizations may want to resize a Microsoft Entra hybrid join bring-your-own-network Cloud PC,. In these instances, it’s important to know that a second IP address is a must in the subnet for the Cloud PC to action a resize. This second IP address is required when transitioning to the new size during the resizing process.

The reason the requirement for a second IP has been created is to ensure that in the event that something goes wrong, the affected Cloud PC can be rolled back to the original. Setting it up this way also means that resize failures can occur if inadequate addresses are available. Organizations should therefore verify that:

•  Adequate IP addresses are available in the vNET so that all Cloud PCs can be resized.
•  Alternatively, organizations can stagger the resizing process thus ensuring that the address scope is maintained

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Before using the Resize feature, IT admins should check that they have the appropriate licenses in the inventory for the resized Cloud PC configuration. Furthermore, any Cloud PC that you want to Resize must have a status of Provisioned in the Windows 365 provisioning node.

Resizing Cloud PCs in Dedicated Mode

The process of using a provisioning policy to resize Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PCs in dedicated mode is performed as follows:

•   Sign in to the Microsoft Intune admin center, select Devices > Windows 365 > Provisioning policies.
•   The provisioning policy you choose must include an assignment with the Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PCs in dedicated mode that you want to resize.
•   Next, you’ll need to select Edit next to Assignments on the policy page.
•   Navigate to the Cloud PC size column and on the Assignments tab, proceed to select the Cloud PC Frontline entry that you want to resize. Following this action, every Cloud PC in the assignment will be resized.
•   Head over to Available sizes and then in the Select Cloud PC size pane, choose the new Cloud PC size > Next.
•   Select Next on the Assignments page.
•   The last step will require you to navigate to the Review + save tab. Selecting Update will initiate the resize

You can get all the information you need and track the progress of the resize on the All Cloud PCs page. You can also track from the Cloud PC actions Report.

Cloud PC Size Recommendations

Microsoft provides Windows 365 with tools that they can use to better determine the Cloud PC resources they will require for their organizations. In addition to that, businesses can also go over the recommendations below to get a better idea of what they may need.

Cloud PC	Example Situations	Recommended Apps
2vCPU/4GB/256GB 2vCPU/4GB/128GB 2vCPU/4GB/64GB	Firstline workers, call centers, education/training/CRM access, mergers and acquisition, short-term and seasonal, customer services.	Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams (Audio only), OneDrive, Adobe Reader, Microsoft Edge, line-of-business apps, Defender support.
2vCPU/8GB/256GB 2vCPU/8GB/128GB	BYOD scenarios, employees working from home, market researchers, government, consultants.	Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, OneDrive, Adobe Reader, Microsoft Edge, line-of-business apps, Defender support.
4vCPU/16GB/512GB 4vCPU/16GB/256GB 4vCPU/16GB/128GB	BYOD scenarios, employees working from home, consultants, healthcare services, finance.	Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Power BI, Dynamics 365, OneDrive, Adobe Reader, Microsoft Edge, line-of-business app, Defender support.
8vCPU/32GB/512GB 8vCPU/32GB/256GB 8vCPU/32GB/128GB	Software developers, engineers, content creators, design and engineering workstations.	Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Access, OneDrive, Adobe Reader, Microsoft Edge, Power BI, Visual Studio Code, virtualization-based workloads: Hyper-V, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), line-of-business apps, and Defender support.
GPU Standard 4vCPU/16GB/4GBvRAM/512GB GPU Super 8CPU/56GB/12GBvRAM/1TB GPU Max 16vCPU/110GB/16GBvRAM/1TB	Graphic design, image and video rendering, 3D modeling, gaming, data processing, and visualization	Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Excel, Access, Adobe, Figma, Autodesk, Revit, Illustrator, Blender, Unity, ArcGIS, Microsoft Edge, Power BI, Visual Studio Code, line-of-business apps, Defender support.
16vCPU/64GB/512GB 16vCPU/64GB/1TB	Software development, engineering, data analysis and visualization, financial services and wealth management.	Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Excel, Access, Adobe Reader, Microsoft Edge, Power BI, Tableau, Visual Studio Code, Blackrock Aladdin, Bloomberg, Eclipse, line-of-business apps, Defender support.

Wrap Up

The needs of an organization cannot be expected to remain the same at all times throughout the year. Sometimes employees will require greater computing resources and other times they will require less. To ensure that Windows 365 Frontline end-users always have the processing power they need when they need it, Microsoft has introduced the Resize feature. By leveraging this tool, IT admins can now ensure that Cloud PCs are constantly operating at optimum levels.