For years now, many organizations have been looking at remote work situations to assess just how feasible this can be for their operations. Undoubtedly, businesses would want to know the cost implications of establishing such a setup. They’d also want to know the difficulties involved and how security issues are addressed, among other things.

This is why Windows 365 has garnered plenty of interest in recent years. With the Windows 365 Cloud PC, businesses can expect to get powerful virtual PCs that are easy to set up, cost-efficient to run, and highly secure. And when you bring a service such as Nerdio into the mix, you can offer clients an even better experience.

Explaining Windows 365

Let’s start by going over what exactly this product is. The Windows 365 Cloud PC is a virtualization service that Microsoft introduced to businesses a few years ago in 2021. The service’s design enables users to stream their Windows 10 or 11 desktop, its settings, any applications, and content from the Microsoft Cloud to any of their devices.

As a business, this means that your workers can experience the full Windows ecosystem whether someone is using a personal or corporate-owned device. Regardless of where they are working, Microsoft aims to take the cloud computing experience to a higher level.

Having an option like this opens up vast possibilities for businesses. Workers no longer need to be restricted to the physical confines of their office buildings and can work from anywhere. Some surveys show that as much as 73% of today’s workers want to have the option to work remotely. We can see why a lot of organizations show a growing interest in this service.

So, with essentially what is an Operating System-As-A-Service solution, Windows 365 offers virtual desktops that can be accessed in any modern web browser. And with a large number of available features, businesses can get the digital solutions necessary to bring about technological transformation.

Benefits of Windows 365

Windows 365 has plenty of great features that make it an attractive option for many businesses. Among some of them, organizations can expect:

IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY

As a virtual workstation with access from anywhere, the Windows 365 Cloud PC gives users increased flexibility regarding where they can work. With an internet connection and a modern work browser, you can access your Cloud PC wherever you are. Additionally, you have the freedom to use any device, be it your PC, Mac, iPad, Android device, etc.

This simplifies working outside the office even more. You don’t necessarily have to go out and purchase new devices that would enable you to access your Cloud PC. Moreover, if individuals get to use the devices that they are most comfortable with, this may potentially increase productivity for some.

GREAT SECURITY

With all the flexibility and remote access that Windows 365 offers, it is imperative that the security measures be of the highest standard. Fortunately, as data is stored on a Microsoft Cloud, clients enjoy guarantees that their data is extremely secure. And this can be further enhanced by using Zero Trust principles.

Features including strict authentication of all users and use of just-in-time and just-enough-access, among others, provides you with the kind of cyber security needed for the complexities of today’s modern environment and the hybrid workplace. Therefore, admins will have less to worry about regardless of whether people are in the office or working remotely.

COST-EFFECTIVE

Hardware costs can be prohibitive for businesses, especially for those that have just started operations. By using Windows 365, organizations can pour their finances into other critical areas because hardware expenditure is significantly reduced.

And since heavy computing is being carried out on the cloud, you won’t need to worry about having the latest, most powerful devices. This is something that benefits even the more established organizations as well.

Using Windows 365 can help to reduce the costs of regularly refreshing your hardware. As long as your devices meet the minimum requirements, you can use them just fine.

REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

Data centers can be the cause of significant carbon emissions. As such, considering options like Windows 365 for virtual workstations can go a long way in reducing an organization’s carbon footprint. Especially when the Microsoft Cloud operates far more efficiently than traditional data centers.

Some have even stated that it may operate up to 93% more efficiently. And when you combine that with reduced hardware refresh cycles, your organization can potentially make huge strides toward achieving a green operation. Any organization attempting to achieve net-zero emissions may find using Windows 365 to be hugely beneficial towards achieving that goal.

ACCESSIBILITY

One of the best features of Windows 365 is that it’s not a service that targets only big businesses. From massive organizations to smaller ones with less than 300 users, most can find an option that can meet their unique needs.

Microsoft offers two core subscription models, Windows 365 Business for smaller enterprises and Windows 365 Enterprise for the larger ones. Arguably, the best thing about these options is that they share the same range of features. They also provide several Cloud PC configurations from which to choose.

What is Nerdio?

After going over what Windows 365 is and what it offers, one may naturally wonder what Nerdio is and why you would need it. By definition, Nerdio is a deployment, management, and optimization platform for Managed Service Providers (MSPs.) It’s a solution for those using Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365.

Its design helps users simplify the use of their virtual workstations by addressing challenges that clients may often encounter. For instance, people who have previously had issues with storage management in the native solutions will get the assistance they need with managing storage.

In addition to increasing user efficiency, one of the most attractive features of Nerdio for businesses is that it aims to help enterprises with native Microsoft Cloud technologies to run more cost-efficiently.

Tools like the Cost Estimator provide precise information that will help you plan accordingly for the technologies you intend to use. Therefore, not only will virtual desktop users be empowered, but organizations will have a tool that can minimize costs.

Prerequisites

Before your organization can deploy Nerdio Manager for Enterprise (NME), you will need to meet several requirements, including the following:

VNET AND SUBNET

You’ll first need to pre-create a VNET as well as a SUBNET. If your environment is Active Directory-joined, then you need to have connectivity to Active Directory or Microsoft Entra Domain Services domains. You should also verify that DNS and any peerings or WAN connections have been established and are working. Before you can deploy NME, you need to check the following:

• AVD and Azure should have several necessary URLs and ports available.
• Tasks in NME will require additional URLs, which must be accessible for the successful completion of the provisioning process.

DIRECTORY CREDENTIALS AND SERVICE ACCOUNT

To join host virtual machines to the domain, there will be directory credentials required. Additionally, you’ll need a service account with delegated privileges to join computers to the domain. You should note that a domain account could be suitable but is not necessarily required.

ADMINISTRATOR PRIVILEGES

The administrator responsible for carrying out the NME deployment must have the necessary privileges for Microsoft Entra ID and the Azure subscription. Nerdio recommends the Global Admin and Owner privileges as the best option for simplifying the deployment process. Admins should be aware that NME is not assigned as Global Admin or Owner on the subscription.

Despite that, you still need these permissions to complete the setup. Furthermore, if you have access to another Global Admin user capable of granting consent to the required permissions for NME, the Global Admin privilege becomes unnecessary. However, subscription owner privileges still remain necessary.

FUNDED AZURE SUBSCRIPTION

This subscription is another requirement, and it must have the following resource providers:

• Microsoft.DesktopVirtualization
• Microsoft.Compute
• Microsoft.Storage
• Microsoft.Automation
• Microsoft.RecoveryServices
• Microsoft.SQL
• Microsoft.Insights

Most of these resource providers should be automatically enabled by the deployment from the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. Not only that, but NME needs to validate if any resource providers are missing during the initial configuration.

Reasons to choose Nerdio

It’s also important to know that there is far more to Nerdio than just simplifying virtual desktop use or increasing cost efficiency. In this section, we’ll be going over why your organization needs to consider Nerdio as a potentially essential tool for your business operations. According to information provided by Nerdio, there is far more on offer than just cost-savings, and this includes:

AUTOMATION AND REPEATABILITY

Most businesses can appreciate how automation can significantly improve efficiency and minimize human error. This means that certain, often mundane, tasks can be carried out with a greater degree of consistency as well as accuracy.

By providing automation, Nerdio can help you optimize workflows and reduce time wastage. And with almost everything you can do within Nerdio automation, this places the service at least a notch above similar products.

It’s not rare to find management tasks within Windows 365 that some may find too complex or time-consuming. This is precisely why Nerdio would be the ideal solution for handling such issues. The ability to automate some of these repetitive tasks will not only save time but also contribute to cost efficiency.

Furthermore, IT teams will be glad for the help that Nerdio offers them as it reduces their burden by automating routine processes such as on-demand desktop provisioning, desktop (image) management, and software deployment.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

One of the unfortunate things that businesses need to prepare for is system outages. Whether it be due to software/hardware faults or some cyber security event, every organization needs to have a plan in place to handle disruptions. Without the capabilities to swiftly identify and rectify the problem, productivity will grind to a halt, and businesses can suffer massive financial losses.

Ideally, you would want to minimize downtime as much as possible to prevent prolonged customer dissatisfaction. Here is where Nerdio can come through for organizations with excellent tools:

Proactive Measure	Service
Automated regular critical data and system backups	Most people will appreciate the need for having secure data backups in case the unexpected ever happens. So, in the event of a cyber attack, or hardware failure, etc, you can quickly have your system restored. With Nerdio automating this process, you can expect swift, consistent backups with the risk of suffering data loss reduced to a minimum.
Disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS)	This unique solution gives organizations a reliable backup in the event of a systems failure. Having your data and systems replicated to an alternative region safeguards against prolonged downtime in case of disaster. In some cases, your system may be back up in under 30 minutes.
Specified alternative VM sizes and types	Sometimes, organizations may encounter resource shortages in Azure regions. When facing such situations, Nerdio has the capabilities to help you resolve Azure compute capacity limits by providing fallback VM sizes. Therefore, even if your preferred VM size in the region is unavailable, you can still continue with operations such as host creation, auto-scale, auto-grow, and auto-heal.

MANAGEMENT MADE SIMPLER

Nerdio offers clients a great solution to simplify management that comes in the form of three-click management. This service provides your Help Desk with a powerful and user-friendly portal that enables you to manage all aspects of Windows 365.

By using this feature, your organization can easily manage multiple features from one place, including RBAC with an end-user portal, performance and utilization monitoring, alerts and notifications, and MSIX AppAttach, among many others.

DYNAMIC SCALING

Most people can probably agree that manually handling the scaling up and down of resources during traffic spikes can be a burdensome task. This is why organizations with regularly fluctuating workloads can leverage dynamic scaling to minimize time wastage while optimizing resource usage. Nerdio monitors various aspects, such as CPU and RAM, that provide essential data that can be used to determine the actions that need to be implemented.

Additionally, to ensure an even better experience, this service extends to storage as well, and this includes attached disks, Azure files, and more. Ultimately, this service ensures that your business runs as efficiently as possible by helping to allocate resources accordingly. Whenever traffic spikes occur, those who require greater access to resources will get what they need when they need it.

UPDATES AND PATCHING

Keeping up with routine updates can be a hassle for a lot of people. Whether it’s for personal or corporate devices, sometimes people won’t implement the necessary actions to ensure that their devices maintain high levels of security and performance. Most of the time, the reason for this is simple – performing these processes manually can be labor-intensive and thus time-consuming.

Also, recognize the errors that one could easily make. With a lot of IT teams already burdened with a never-ending list of tasks, many virtual machines under their control may end up not getting necessary updates and patches, leaving them vulnerable.

More

Fortunately, Nerdio has a solution for this by offering automation for the update and patching process, thus lightening the load on IT departments. One of the ways you can take advantage of this is by setting up recurring schedules within Nerdio that will automatically install updates a pre-determined number of days after Patch Tuesday. Once this is set up, Nerdio will update your chosen image with the latest patches and the sys prepping process. All this while removing the complexities that the administrator may otherwise have to deal with.

After the update process is complete, you can choose a host pool to test the updates. By doing so, you can verify that all apps are working as they should and that you don’t have any driver or performance issues. Another thing that Nerdio will handle is backing up critical components and integrating them with the Azure Computer Gallery.

With a safety net in place, you can easily go back to your previous versions if the situation ever calls for it. This means that you get to roll out the updated image to your production host pools using the same automated mechanisms only after you’ve satisfactorily tested that everything works as you want it to.

PROOF OF BUSINESS VALUE

The process of establishing an entire AVD environment can potentially be such a massive task that few would envy taking on. Nerdio can help you make this task a lot more manageable by enabling you to provision multiple host pools and machines that can be availed to users within a couple of hours.

Similarly, when a client wants to start a Proof of Value, Nerdio uses this same mechanism. Leveraging the same mechanism helps to maximize efficiency for your organization. Moreover, this can also be combined with scaling profiles.

Nerdio enhances the Windows 365 experience

Nerdio already has a great setup with AVD, so it should come as no surprise that it can also offer services to improve the Windows 365 experience. Moreover, Nerdio Manager starts by providing additional management capabilities for users in addition to what they already get with the native Windows 365 service. Those familiar with the excellent image management options that Nerdio provides for AVD will be glad to know that this will be extended to Windows 365 as well. Not only that, but you’ll be getting it in a single management interface, side-by-side.

With everything being automated and scheduled according to your convenience, image-based software deployments, as well as updating and patching MEM-managed Windows 365 machines, should become much easier.

More

Those who may find themselves in need of a File Server or an Azure Files file share will benefit immensely from the auto-scaling, auto-provisioning, and fine-tuning that Nerdio Manager can deliver. However, this only applies to Enterprise Windows 365 because it has the same network flexibility as AVD. Some of the options you can look forward to are listed below:

• Readying your environment with the necessary prerequisites for Windows 365.
• Creation and management of on-prem network connections and provisioning policies.
• Creation and management of desktop images, including backups and versioning.
• Management of Active Directory profiles.
• Assignment of licenses, groups, and users.
• Cloud PC provisioning as well as re-provisioning.
• Cloud PC machine restarting.
• Leveraging a single interface to manage multiple environments.
• Management of Cloud PC user settings.
• Providing a comprehensive overview of all provisioned Cloud PCs and their status.
• There is an audit of everything, and this can be viewed in detail.

But, before you can enable Windows 365, you need to know a few things. If you are going to successfully complete the process, the individual who wants to enable Windows 365 must be a global administrator. You also need to verify that an Intune license is available in the Entra ID tenant where Nerdio Manager is installed.

Furthermore, you should ensure that the Entra ID has the requisite approval on an application permission request consent page. If you are presented with an option to “grant consent on behalf of my organization“, you must approve.

Wrap up

Cloud computing has evolved to a point where it can offer businesses exceptional computing abilities that are difficult to ignore. By working with services such as Windows 365, organizations can take advantage of very powerful virtual workstations regardless of their choice of physical devices.

Users will have excellent accessibility with great security measures in place to ensure business networks are well protected. And if you want to enhance the experience even more, then partnering up with Nerdio can help you do just that. It provides you with tools that will make setting up and managing your virtual desktops a far simpler task. By doing so, you can lighten the burden for admins and potentially improve overall productivity.

New features and updates are something that we have become accustomed to and regularly expect for several reasons. Take the mobile devices that we carry with us everywhere. When you purchase a new one, one of the most important things you want to know is how many years of support you will receive.

This is because we all want to ensure that our devices can perform to their maximum capabilities for years to come. With this in mind, Microsoft ensures that products like Windows 365 regularly receive new features and updates that will improve the end-user experience.

As a result of this, businesses can expect the Cloud PC environment to often provide them with new and improved functionality. They’ll also address any issues or bugs that need dealing with. For this particular article, our focus will be the new features of Windows 365 Boot and Windows 365 Switch.

Review of Windows 365 Boot

For those who may not be familiar with Windows 365 Boot, let’s start with a review of what it is. Windows 365 Boot improves the overall experience by helping administrators make it easier to sign in for users on physical Windows 11 devices. Administrators can do this by configuring these devices such that:

• Users won’t need to sign in to their physical devices.
• Users can sign in directly to their Windows 365 Cloud PC on their physical devices.

Simply, this means is that Windows 365 Boot enables users of Windows 11 (version 22H2 or 23H2) to directly log into their Windows 365 Cloud PC and as the primary Windows experience on the device. Additionally, when single sign-on is turned on for your Cloud PC, you won’t need to sign in again to sign in to your Cloud PC.

This feature speeds up the signing-in process. It also cuts down on the time spent. Moreover, your business should find this to be an excellent solution for shared devices. Logging in with a unique user identity can take you to your personal and secure Cloud PC.

SHARED PC SCENARIO

This capability allows multiple users to use the same physical device to sign in to their own personal Cloud PCs. It’s design is such that whenever you sign in to the physical device, your unique identity will take you to your assigned and secure Cloud PC.

It’s great for an organization, such as a hospital or call center where people share physical devices then Windows 365 Boot provides you with an excellent solution. It gives employees added convenience by helping them bypass the often tedious startup process.

Consequently, whenever you want to get back to your device, you can boot directly into your secure Cloud PC. From there, you can pick up right where you left off. Colleagues can:

• Sign out from their Cloud PC on the physical device. Once you sign out, the device reverts back to the Windows 11 login screen.
• Hand over the physical device to another colleague at the end of your shift.
• The individual starting their shift can then use the device to sign in to their Cloud PC.

ACCESSING PHYSICAL DEVICES

The objective of Windows 365 Boot physical devices is to enable users to interact with their Cloud PCs without the ability to interact with the physical device. However, to achieve this, you need to set some configuration service provider (CSP) policies.

Administrators should be aware that Windows 365 won’t automatically set these policies to fully restrict end-users from accessing certain resources on the physical device. Therefore, you need to thoroughly review the configuration policies. Understand what applies to your Windows 365 Boot devices. You need to verify that these policies will meet your organization’s security needs for preventing access to the physical device.

PROCESS OVERVIEW

The first step will involve configuring the physical device for Windows 365 Boot. To do this, use the Microsoft 365 Boot guided scenario in the Microsoft Intune admin center. The next step, which is optional, would require you to consider restricting access to Windows 365 Boot physical devices.

And then you’ll need to set up each physical device for Windows 365 Boot configuration. Once the device configuration is complete, multiple users will be able to access their dedicated Cloud PCs from the same Windows 365 Boot physical device.

Windows 365 Switch

When working on your desktop, you want to have an ergonomic working environment where everything you need is easily within reach. To achieve that goal, Windows 365 Switch offers users a feature that makes it a lot easier to move between a Windows 365 Cloud PC and your local desktop. The process is even easier by the fact that you’ll get to use the same familiar keyboard commands, as well as a mouse click or a swipe gesture.

From within Windows, 11 using the Task view feature, users will benefit from the seamless experience, too. Windows 365 delivers by optimizing the way you work. As long as you have a Windows 365 Cloud PC on your device, Windows 365 Switch will pop up automatically inside the Task view feature. But, before we discuss pushing Windows 365 Switch feature components to your Windows 11 endpoints, you will need to meet the following requirements:

• Windows 11-based endpoints (both Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise)
• Update to the latest Windows OS Build on your Cloud PC Windows 11 Enterprise or Professional, version 22621.2361 or later
• Update to the latest Windows OS Build on your physical device Windows 11 Enterprise or Professional, version 22621.2361 or later
• Windows 365 Cloud PC license.

DEPLOYING WINDOWS 365 SWITCH

You’ll first need to ensure that your Cloud PC is updated to the latest Windows OS build on your Cloud PC. Having done that, under Settings, head over to the Windows Update page. Switch on the Get the latest updates as soon as they are available toggle to get the latest Windows OS updates. You can then restart your PC after you get the updates.

Next up, you’ll want to ensure that your physical device is updated to the latest Windows OS build. Then, you’ll head over to the Windows Update page, which is found under Settings, and switch on the Get the latest updates as soon as they are available toggle to get the latest Windows OS updates. After you get the updates, restart your PC.

Once you’ve taken care of all the above, you now have to install the Windows 365 app. Users can download this app from the Microsoft Store on Windows. And you need to verify that it’s version 1.3.185.0 or newer. The Microsoft Store will be extremely helpful to administrators because it’s going to keep the Windows 365 app up to date.

This will reduce the burden on IT admins because they don’t have to worry about maintaining the app. Depending on what is more convenient for your organization, you can have IT admins use Microsoft Intune to download the app for your end-users. Alternatively, these same end-users can follow the steps below to download the app themselves:

• Navigate to the Microsoft Store for Windows and look up Windows 365.
• Select Get to install Windows 365.
• Select Open.

Another option would be to download the Windows 365 app directly from windows365.microsoft.com. After you’ve completed all the given instructions, you’ll still need to wait a few hours. Then, Switch is fully enabled on your device.

Introducing the new updates

Anyone planning on using the new updates needs to ensure that they are enrolled on the Windows Insider Dev Channel. To do that, you need to follow the steps given below:

• Under Settings, go to Windows Update > Windows Insider Program. Select Get Started and this will initiate the enrollment process.
• Sign in with your Microsoft account.
• Select Dev Channel and Continue.
• To complete the enrollment process, you need to restart the device.
• Next, you need to navigate to the Windows Update Settings page and select Check for updates. Here you should select Install all until all the latest Windows updates have been installed.

Your organization can also use Microsoft Intune to enroll endpoints on a larger scale into the Windows Insider Program. To do that, pre-release builds for Windows updates must be enabled. And you must select Dev Channel as the pre-release channel.

What has been added to Windows 365 Boot?

Dedicated mode for Windows 365 Boot

According to the recent announcement, Microsoft is launching a new dedicated mode for Windows 365 Boot. This option, which is now in public preview, allows you to log in to your Windows 365 Cloud PC from your designated company-owned device.

It helps simplify the login process by enabling users. It provides easy log ins to their Cloud PCs from the Windows 11 login screen using password-less authentication methods such as Windows Hello for Business.

Additionally, the new dedicated mode comes with a fast account-switching experience. With this, users can seamlessly switch profiles to log in. They can also personalize the experience with their usernames and passwords, display a picture on the lock and log in screen, and remember their usernames, among other things.

New Microsoft Intune integration for Windows 365 Boot dedicated mode

Going forward, customers will be able to enable the Windows 365 Boot dedicated mode via Microsoft Intune. The integration of Windows 365 with Microsoft Intune allows everyone from IT admins to end-users to have an overall improved experience.

This is because the Microsoft design of both these products is such that they complement each other perfectly. This integration offers multiple benefits that would be pretty difficult to ignore such as:

• Familiarity with how Microsoft Intune works and the ability to leverage this knowledge to give you an even better Windows 365 experience.
• Your organization can potentially reduce expenses because of supporting only a single platform regardless of department.
• IT admins will also get the convenience of using existing profiles as well as deploying existing apps that you already have in your Microsoft Intune inventory.
• Your organization can benefit from the industry-leading security protocols that Intune uses because it can easily integrate with how the Cloud PC operates.

Among the newly added features, we can find an option to configure that will add Windows Hello support to Windows 365 Boot. You can use the Intune guided flow scenario to access Windows 365 Boot as follows:

• Go to Devices > Windows 365
• Under Windows 365 Guides, select Windows 365 Boot or Windows 365 Boot – Public Preview.

New Microsoft Intune integration

When in shared mode, your business can customize the login page to feature your company branding by using Microsoft Intune. If you want to enable customized company logo and name branding in Microsoft Intune:

• Go to Home > Devices > Windows 365 Boot.
• In the Settings menu, search for Personalization.

Fail fast mechanism for Windows 365 Boot

I’m sure that many have been frustrated by the experience of having to wait for the sign-in process to the Cloud PC to complete. And then finding out that Windows 365 Boot failed due to network issues or incomplete setup. It’s not exactly the most pleasant way for you to get started on an urgent project.

Fortunately, this issue is being addressed so that you won’t have to wait for the sign-in process to complete. Because of the introduction of the new smart logic, users will be given timely instructions to address any network issues or complete app setup. Doing so will enable you to have a seamless login experience to your Cloud PC.

Manage local PC settings through Windows 365 Boot

From the beginning, the goal with Windows 365 has been ease of use. Microsoft wants to ensure that using the Cloud PC is a comfortable experience that allows users to work at maximum efficiency and thus improve productivity. Something as simple as managing your local PC settings can end up frustrating, especially if you need to make regular changes.

This is why a newly added feature will simplify matters by making it easier to access and manage sound, display, and other device-specific settings of your local PC directly from your Cloud PC in Windows 365 Boot. So, from now on, anything that Cloud PC users need, will not be more than a few clicks away.

New Capabilities for Windows 365 Switch

In addition to the above, there are also a few new features added to Windows 365 Switch. In this section, we’ll be going over what those new capabilities are.

Improved disconnect experience for Windows 365 Switch

Users will now be able to disconnect from their Cloud PCs directly from the local PC. As you would expect, this adds immensely to the concept of ease of use. Cloud PC users gain additional convenience that further simplifies the process of signing in and out. To disconnect from your Cloud PC directly from the local PC, all you have to do is:

• Navigate to Local PC > Task view.
• Right-click on the Cloud PC button. Select Disconnect.

To make this even easier for users, Windows 365 also has tool tips that show on disconnect and sign out options in the Cloud PC Start menu. This means they can differentiate between these functionalities.

Desktop indicators differentiate between Cloud PC and local PC for Windows 365 Switch

In an effort to make things easier to see and manage, Windows 365 now has indicators to differentiate between Cloud PC and local PC. So, from now on, when you switch between your respective PCs, you should see Cloud PC and Local PC on the desktop indicator.

Gracefully handling increased connection time for Windows 365 Switch to Frontline Cloud PCs

Another new addition will be the capability to view the updates concerning the Cloud PC connection status and the connection timeout indicator while waiting on the connection screen. If you encounter any error, you can quickly resolve it by copying the correlation ID. Do so by using the new copy button in the error screen. Yet again, adding simplicity will serve to be a great tool for admins and end-users. And everyone can work even more efficiently and improve their productivity.

Windows 365 offers an always up-to-date environment

AUTOMATION OF UPDATES

All the new capabilities we have discussed show that Windows 365 is very much committed to ensuring that customers have a service that is constantly improving. They can depend on this service to get even better to improve the end-user experience.

One of the most important things in this respect is to provide automated updates. This is because it can help minimize disruptions. No one wants to interrupt their workday to deal with updates, especially not knowing how long the update process could take. Even while being aware of the security risks of ignoring updates, people can still continue without actually installing them.

This inspires the need for automated updates. Windows 365 can ensure that your devices remain up-to-date at a time that is convenient and doesn’t cause downtime.

This gives you the scheduling flexibility to plan. Coordinate the installation of automated updates for both the operating system and applications working on your Cloud PCs. And schedule them to occur during non-working hours.

Also, since these updates are automatic, it helps reduce the workload for your IT staff for eliminating those manual tasks. All this while your business gets to leverage the latest features and maintain high security levels.

AUTOMATIC PATCHING

To complement the automatic update feature that Windows 365 uses, clients will also get a patch management service that can scan and detect security patches before they’re downloaded and installed.

This feature further helps to optimize the Cloud PC environment by enabling IT admins to keep devices that are under their control and constantly up-to-date with the latest security patches. Leveraging the patch management capabilities that Windows 365 provides. It eliminates the overall need for IT admins to manually check each device to see if the necessary patches are applied.

Having automatic feature updates and security patches applied means that you reduce the risk of hacking. Would-be hackers won’t have sufficient time to exploit any known vulnerabilities and security threats. The last thing any organization wants is to give nefarious actors all the time they need to take advantage of weaknesses in your security.

You need features that can help your business significantly reduce attack surfaces. And you need to keep employee productivity levels unaffected by potential security breaches. Additionally, businesses will get to reap the benefits from reduced expenses for device lifecycle management and repairs.

Wrap up

If you talk to any IT professional about updates, you’ll probably get a very long discussion about keeping your devices secure and optimized. Whether we’re talking about the PC you use at work or your personal mobile device, regular software and security updates are extremely important to ensure that these devices perform at optimum levels.

In this article, we’ve been discussing the new capabilities that have been added to Windows 365 Boot and Windows 365 Switch to make the Cloud PC an even better product.

We all know of the long list of great features that were built into the Windows 365 Cloud PC when it was first introduced. In spite of that, however, any device or service needs constant improvement if it’s to keep up with all the innovation that we are witnessing year after year.

This is why features such as the ones we have gone over today are so vitally important for improving the experience for Cloud PC users. And as we move forward, we should only expect even greater features for Windows 365.

Every business is constantly looking for ways to improve operations, maximize efficiency, and as a result increase revenues. These are precisely the kinds of objectives that cloud solutions can help you meet. They enable businesses to access the computing resources they need when they need them.

Not only do you get excellent computing resources but it also allows you to work remotely whenever it’s convenient for you. In a world where cybercrime is on the rise and physical devices are at risk, cloud services offer an excellent solution that is always available.

With the Windows 365 Cloud PC and the Microsoft Dev Box, Microsoft offers businesses powerful virtual workstations that employees can access from anywhere on any device. These two, however, have their similarities as well as differences. In this article, we shall be doing a comparison of these two services to help you decide which one is most ideal for your business.

Introduction

WINDOWS 365 CLOUD PC

Let’s start with an introduction to both of these services so that we know exactly what they are. The first service is Windows 365 Cloud PC, a virtualization service introduced by Microsoft in 2021. This platform enables individuals to stream their Windows 10 or 11 desktop, applications, various settings, and content from the Microsoft Cloud to any chosen device they prefer.

As an organization, this means that your workers can experience the full Windows ecosystem using personal or corporate devices. Cloud PCs offer a secure environment to store apps, files, and documents. Users can access them anytime and on any device with an internet connection. These kinds of features bring a whole new meaning to the term “portable device.”

The service is easy enough to use. Just purchase a subscription to begin. You can then remotely access a Windows desktop in any modern web browser. Once you have your subscription, you can link Windows 365 to an existing Microsoft account. From there, all your apps, tools, data, and settings will become readily accessible at any time.

Cloud PCs provide you with a consistent experience across any device. This thereby helps users to maintain work efficiency even when working remotely. So, imagine you are working on a project with several application windows open and you suddenly disconnect. The exact same state will restore when you reconnect, regardless of whether you’re using the same device.

MICROSOFT DEV BOX

The Microsoft Dev Box is another virtual computing service from the same tech giant that became generally available in 2023. This particular service was built on the foundation of Windows 365 and was designed specifically with developers in mind. It is meant to help them become more productive by giving them speed and productivity.

What developers get with this solution is access to ready-to-code cloud workstations called dev boxes. These workstations deal with the hardware and onboarding challenges that developers have had to deal with for years.

Dev boxes are configurable with tools, source code, and prebuilt binaries. These are specific to a project, thereby allowing developers to start work as soon as they want.

Comparing cloud services

When trying to decide which cloud solution your business should opt for, it can be a little tricky. First, you need to fully understand what you get from the Windows 365 Cloud PC as well as the Microsoft Dev Box. These two options have several similarities. However, they present different design features for unique user bases.

Again, dev boxes are powerful, pre-configured workstations that allow developers to tackle their tasks almost immediately. Because they are self-service and come ready-to-code, dev boxes eliminate the usual delays that you often face with onboarding.

On the other hand, Windows 365 targets multiple different users and allows them to stream a personalized Windows experience to any device.

Although Dev Box has been built specifically for developers, dev teams are not obliged to use it. Additionally, they can opt for the Windows 365 Cloud PC if they want. Regardless of which you select, you’ll still benefit from the use of Microsoft Endpoint Manager and Intune. And expect to maximize security, compliance, and cost efficiency.

But, the high-performance aspect of dev boxes, among other features, means they will be the ideal option for developer teams. This doesn’t take anything away from the Cloud PC. It still offers businesses virtual desktops that can be set up quickly. Also, they have multiple configurations and can handle various scenarios and workloads.

The multitude of features that Cloud PCs offer mean that businesses can also use them for development purposes. So, if high-performance and self-service access are not prerequisites for your dev teams’ purposes, then Windows 365 could work just fine for you.

Pricing

Another point in favor of Windows 365 is that it will give you predictable per-user/per-month pricing as we can see in the tables given below.

	Windows 365 Business	Windows 365 Enterprise
Basic	$31/month and provides support for up to 300 users. This option allows you to run light productivity tools and web browsers. Clients will get 2vCPU, 4GB RAM, and 128 GB Storage.	$31/month and provides support for unlimited users. This option allows you to run light productivity tools and web browsers. Clients will get 2vCPU, 4GB RAM, and 128 GB Storage.
Standard	$41/month and also supports up to 300 users. Clients will get 2vCPU, 8GB, and 128 GB of storage allowing you to run a full range of productivity tools and line-of-business apps.	$41/month and also supports an unlimited number of users. Clients will get 2vCPU, 8GB, and 128 GB of storage allowing you to run a full range of productivity tools and line-of-business apps.
Premium	$66/month and comes with access to 4vCPU, 16 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of storage. With this option, you get support for up to 300 users and can run high-performance workloads and heavier data processing.	$66/month and gives you access to 4vCPU, 16 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of storage. With this option, you get support for an unlimited number of users and can run high-performance workloads and heavier data processing.

Sku

SKU	Pricing per Dev Box instance   Max Monthly Price	Hourly Compute	Monthly Storage
8 vCPU, 32 GB RAM, 256 GB Storage	$138.20	$1.49	$19
8 vCPU, 32 GB RAM, 512 GB Storage	$157.20	$1.49	$38
8 vCPU, 32 GB RAM, 1024 GB Storag	$195.20	$1.49	$76
8 vCPU, 32 GB RAM, 2048 GB Storage	$271.20	$1.49	$152
16 vCPU, 64 GB RAM, 256 GB Storage	$257.40	$2.98	$19
16 vCPU, 64 GB RAM, 512 GB Storage	$276.40	$2.98	$38
16 vCPU, 64 GB RAM, 1024 GB Storage	$314.40	$2.98	$76
16 vCPU, 64 GB RAM, 2048 GB Storage	$390.40	$2.98	$152
32 vCPU, 128 GB RAM, 512 GB Storage	$514.80	$5.96	$38
32 vCPU, 128 GB RAM, 1024 GB Storage	$552.80	$5.96	$76
32 vCPU, 128 GB RAM, 2048 GB Storage	$628.80	$5.96	$152

Having gone over all the above information, however, Dev Box remains unquestionably the best option. This is especially true for development teams that require high-performance workstations. Also, it’s great for teams who need solutions tailored to their specific projects, self-deployed by developers, and ready-to-code on deployment.

Requirements

For businesses intending to use Windows 365, they will need Intune licenses if they want to manage their devices using Intune. If you’re signing up for Windows 365 Enterprise, then the users should have licenses for Windows E3, Intune, Microsoft Entra ID P1, and Windows 365 to use their Cloud PC.

Alternatively, if you’re signing up for Windows 365 Frontline, users must have licenses for Windows E3, Intune, and Microsoft Entra ID P1. This is in addition to being added to the Microsoft Entra security group in the provisioning policy to use their Cloud PC.

Those interested in using Microsoft Dev Box will also need to meet certain requirements. Each user needs to be licensed for Windows 11 Enterprise or Windows 10 Enterprise, Microsoft Endpoint Manager, and Azure Active Directory P1.

Although clients can obtain these independently, you will also find these licenses included in Microsoft 365 F3, Microsoft 365 E3, Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft 365 A3, Microsoft 365 A5, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, and Microsoft 365 Education Student Use Benefit subscriptions.

Common features

Remote access

A lot of organizations are adapting to the idea of a more hybrid workforce because of the increased convenience and access that cloud services can offer. With workstations being hosted on the Microsoft Cloud, workers can access their PCs from anywhere. And it’s brilliantly efficient, as long as they have an internet connection.

Cloud PCs and dev boxes utilize the same infrastructure, enabling users to enjoy excellent remote accessibility. This level of access can revolutionize virtualization technology by freeing workers from being limited to their workstations or specific locations and devices.

This is great development for both businesses and workers alike. Especially if we consider a Microsoft survey that showed that 73% of workers would be interested in working remotely if the option was available. So, if Windows 365 and Dev Box can provide the platform to do that then it would be well worth adopting.

QUICK SETUP

When Windows 365 was first announced, one of the biggest features was ease of use and setup. Businesses don’t need to bring in additional or specialist IT professionals to configure their Cloud PC environments. In-house IT departments can take won’t need days to have users set up with Cloud PCs.

Therefore, once a new employee starts, they will have access to a Cloud PC almost as soon as they need it. Because Dev Box is built on the foundation of Windows 365, it follows the same concept of simplicity and ease of use. Microsoft is offering developer teams ready-to-code workstations, enabling them to start work immediately.

Developers will get the full complement of tools, source code, and prebuilt binaries. As a result, you won’t need to wait weeks or more to begin contributing to the projects that your colleagues are working on.

SECURITY

Keeping data secure is a very high priority for Windows 365. And this is why Cloud PCs are kept up to date with the latest cumulative updates. Wherever an individual may be working, data security exists. Microsoft also recommends using Conditional Access to secure end user access to Windows 365.

If businesses use this as well as multi-factor authentication for all their users, then it becomes significantly less likely that nefarious actors could gain access to organizational resources. Similarly, Microsoft has ensured that robust security measures are extended to the Dev Box. Businesses can enhance security by joining dev boxes natively to their Azure Active Directory, or even to a hybrid Azure Active Directory domain.

Additionally, they can utilize features such as conditional access and multi-factor authentication in the same way they have been doing with other products and services in the Microsoft ecosystem.

COMPATIBILITY

Another thing that was crucial for Microsoft to attract clients to the Cloud PC was compatibility. Oftentimes, new services will come with strict hardware requirements that can necessitate significant spending on new devices. Not so with Windows 365. Users can comfortably access their Cloud PCs using whatever devices they prefer.

Although you will get the best experience from using a PC, the choice remains yours whether you use a Windows device or a Mac, an Android device or one running iOS. Developer teams that want to use Dev Box will also benefit from similar compatibility. Businesses don’t need to furnish employees with new devices or worry about changing operating systems.

Dev Box users can get all their favorite productivity software and custom line-of-business tools regardless of the platform they are working on. Not only will this feature help minimize hardware expenditure, but it could potentially improve productivity because developers can use the devices and other tools they are most comfortable with.

SUSTAINABILITY

Plenty of businesses are putting in place measures to help them operate more sustainably and do what they can for the betterment of the planet. As a responsible organization, Microsoft has committed to becoming carbon negative by the year 2030 as well as putting in place measures to eliminate all the carbon that the organization has emitted directly or by electricity consumption since its foundation by the year 2050.

Services like Windows 365 and Dev Box can play a mission-critical role in achieving these goals. With workstations that run on the cloud, users can keep their devices for longer which is something that can contribute to a reduction in e-waste.

Moreover, using cloud solutions can do even more for long-term sustainability with some research suggesting that migrating to the cloud can reduce CO2 emissions by nearly 60 million tons per year.

Access simplified

Arguably the biggest goal of cloud-based solutions has been to facilitate easier access for clients using various devices and operating systems. Windows 365 and Dev Box are at the forefront of what Microsoft has been doing in the cloud technology space. But, it doesn’t simply end with these solutions.

Microsoft has just recently announced the Windows App which is going to be the gateway to many Windows services that are available to businesses. This new offering has been designed to allow the use of almost any device on any platform.

Not surprisingly, this will be the source of great excitement for a lot of Cloud PC and Dev Box users. If you happen to be one of the unfortunate people who till now have been forced to use certain devices or operating systems, then Windows App will give you the freedom many sorely desire. Because of the way it has been designed, users will be able to run Windows on their devices of choice.

So, whether we’re talking Macs, devices running Linux, Android, etc, the beauty of this service is that it will still give you secure access to Microsoft’s remote services. And something that we are all going to enjoy is using web browsers to connect to remote services.

CONNECTING TO YOUR CLOUD PC

If you want to use a web browser to connect to your Cloud PC from Windows 365, all you have to do is:

• Open your web browser and navigate to https://windows.cloud.microsoft.
• Sign in with your user account.
• If it’s your first time using Windows App, navigate through the tour to learn more about Windows App, then select Done, or select Skip.
• From the Home tab, select Go to devices.
• At this stage, you are going to see all the Cloud PCs you have from Windows 365 as well as all the other remote resources you have access to. If no Cloud PCs are appearing then you’ll want to contact your administrator.
• Next, locate the Cloud PC you want to connect to. You can use the available filters to help you find exactly what you need to connect to.
• Select Connect. A new tab or browser window opens for that device or app.
• You’re going to see a prompt displaying In Session Settings that will ask you to confirm which local devices or features to use with your Cloud PC. After making your decision, select Connect. You can avoid seeing this prompt every time you connect by checking the Don’t show again box
• As soon as the connection to your Cloud PC is complete, you can start using it.

CONNECTING TO YOUR DEV BOX

If you want to use a web browser to connect to your dev box from Microsoft Dev Box, all you have to do is:

• Open your web browser and navigate to https://windows.cloud.microsoft.
• Sign in with your user account.
• If it’s your first time using Windows App, navigate through the tour to learn more about Windows App, then select Done, or select Skip.
• From the Home tab, select Go to devices.
• At this stage, you are going to see all the dev boxes you have from Microsoft Dev Box as well as all the other remote resources you have access to. If no dev boxes are appearing then you’ll want to contact your administrator.
• Next, locate the dev box you want to connect to. You can use the available filters to help you find exactly what you need to connect to.
• Select Connect. A new tab or browser window opens for that dev box.
• You’re going to see a prompt displaying In Session Settings that will ask you to confirm which local devices or features to use with your Dev box. After making your decision, select Connect. You can avoid seeing this prompt every time you connect by checking the Don’t show again box.
• As soon as the connection to your dev box is complete, you can start using it.

Wrap up

The future of cloud-based services is bound to have plenty of innovative solutions that will help enhance even further the way businesses interact with technology. Businesses can already benefit from the convenience of having access to powerful virtual workstations without the need to set up their own in-house servers. Microsoft Cloud services provide businesses with solutions such as Windows 365 Cloud PC and Microsoft Dev Box that offer exceptional performance as well as high availability.

Additionally, these cloud services can meet you wherever you are in your journey. There are options available that are tailored to smaller businesses just like you have options for larger businesses. And as you continue to grow, you’ll have the flexibility to scale at a rate that is ideal for your business. So, whether it’s the Cloud PC or the Dev Box that fits your business model better, you can be certain that both will deliver industry-leading technology and world-class service.

Businesses tend not to want to implement too many changes to the way they do things when they are already doing very well. As such, this can pose a major stumbling block to the adoption of new products and services.

Migrating to the cloud is something that raises several concerns for businesses. So Windows 365 wants to offer a secure and reliable experience that can alleviate those concerns. It is an easy-to-use virtual desktop environment that also supports legacy applications ensuring that you won’t need to make changes that you are unwilling to make.

You can continue running your preferred applications without worrying about compatibility issues. With that in mind, let’s go over some of those legacy application support features.

Legacy Application Support Features of Windows 365

To allow businesses to use the legacy applications that have been most effective for them, Windows 365 provides users with several legacy application support features. Below are some of these key features:

Compatibility with Older Operating Systems

Newer and more advanced products and services can have significant benefits for most businesses. However, many are not always open to change for plenty of reasons. The potential cost of implementing new systems is one of the main reasons why companies may be hesitant.

But, Windows 365 is built to try and reduce IT expenditure by offering features such as compatibility with older operating systems. This means that your business can continue to use the software programs that you are comfortable with and that brings the most productivity.

Additionally, you don’t need to worry about the time that may be required to train your staff to use new applications. So, what Windows 365 can then offer you are all the benefits of running your desktops on the cloud. And you can do so without completely overhauling everything you currently use.

Another great thing about the compatibility feature is how it means that already overloaded IT departments will not have to deal with additional tasks. Once Cloud PCs have been set up, employees will have available to them the software programs they are familiar with so work can continue as normal.

Integration with Existing Infrastructure

As well as providing compatibility for applications that were running on older operating systems, Windows 365 also seamlessly integrates with existing infrastructure. The benefit of this is that you can continue with some of your legacy applications, without losing access to some of the more modern ones, as well.

As a result, you get the software programs you want and simultaneously benefit from the features of newer applications. Needless to say, the potential of such a setup is not only immense but very cost-effective.

Employees don’t need to have multiple devices running different operating systems to have all the applications they need. Even more importantly, however, this integration allows businesses that want to switch to newer applications to have sufficient time to make the transition.

Cloud PC users can use the software programs that they are familiar with while simultaneously learning about the newer versions. This will provide businesses with considerable flexibility to make gradual changes as they update their virtual desktop environment.

Compatibility with Older Hardware

Hardware limitations can be a massive factor that hinders businesses from migrating to the cloud. So, in some cases, if employees don’t have the latest, most powerful devices, they may not be able to use certain products and services. With Windows 365, this is not an issue because there is support for multiple devices and operating systems.

Consequently, Cloud PC users can stick with their current devices whenever they want to access their virtual desktops. They don’t necessarily need to worry about the specifications of their devices or the operating systems they are running.

As long as the device has either the Microsoft Remote Desktop app or an HTML5-capable browser to access the web, you can access your Cloud PC with no problems. Although Microsoft does clarify that Windows devices will provide the best experience, clients remain free to choose a platform of their choice.

Accordingly, businesses can immediately start preparing to set up their Windows 365 environment. And they can do so without the added concern about first furnishing employees with new devices. Undoubtedly this is something that has been designed to perfectly illustrate how easy using Windows 365 is meant to be.

Support for Multiple Environments

At this point, it’s becoming pretty clear that compatibility is a pretty big issue for Windows 365. Along with older operating systems and hardware, clients also get support for multiple environments. Naturally, you can expect a lot of businesses to have different setups that are tailored to their unique needs.

Therefore, it really should come as no surprise that Windows 365 supports various environments, including cloud, on-premises, and hybrid setups. This gives your business the flexibility to design a virtual desktop environment that can adequately meet the needs of your operations.

Something like a hybrid setup can be hugely beneficial to businesses that are not willing as yet to migrate their entire environment to the cloud. It gives you the time to assess whether or not full cloud migration is the right thing for you. In addition to these different environments, Windows 365 is also compatible with multiple operating systems. It works with Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, among others.

It’s for this reason that most businesses can have access to the Windows 365 environment. Limitations are relatively few concerning the platforms that you may want to use. And there is great flexibility in how you operate.

Benefits of Windows 365’s Legacy Application Support

The features that we have discussed above have plenty of benefits that businesses can get concerning legacy application support. Some of these benefits are given below.

Cost Savings

Unquestionably, one of the biggest advantages that come with using Windows 365, is the potential to cut down on IT expenditure. From the get-go, Microsoft presents Windows 365 as a virtual desktop environment that you can set up on your own without additional IT personnel. This reduces the costs that you face when setting up your employees with Cloud PCs.

Also, maintaining the environment and handling any of the tasks will be easy enough for your in-house IT department. This means less time wasted waiting for IT support services, thus potentially increasing productivity.

Features like compatibility with older operating systems are also going to minimize your costs by eliminating the need to immediately change your OS. And the same thing will apply to the devices that Cloud PC users can utilize to access their virtual desktops.

As long as you have the appropriate application or browser, you can easily access your Cloud PC on your device of choice. Because employees can use any of the devices they already have, this can go a long way in reducing the cost of purchasing devices for new employees or refreshing devices now and again.

Improved Compatibility

Microsoft wants Windows 365 to be a solution that can assure clients they’re getting a product that fits seamlessly with their existing infrastructure. Businesses can leverage all the best that the Cloud PC has to offer without having to completely do away with the systems that have brought them this far.

It’s for this reason that Windows 365 provides compatibility on several different levels to address the concerns that you may currently have. And this helps provide employees with an easier transition to the new infrastructure.

So, whether you’re looking at hardware or software, Windows 365 gives you a level of compatibility that caters to your goals. You can get to have the Windows 365 experience with your Windows, Apple, or Android devices, among many others.

This is something that can be an excellent tool in enhancing how employees work and how IT departments increase efficiency. Additionally, businesses can expect to see fewer downtime issues from problems that may otherwise arise from compatibility challenges.

Greater Flexibility

In the same way that Windows legacy application support features can help you reduce IT expenditure, they will also improve flexibility. And this is vitally important considering how remote work and distributed workforces have become integral to the operations of a lot of businesses.

Many now want to have the flexible working conditions that they are now accustomed to as a permanent solution. Hence the need for platforms like Windows 365 that enable you to easily run legacy applications using your current devices.

Coupled with what employees stand to gain, the business as a whole has the flexibility to choose what devices or operating systems are best for improving efficiency. Windows 365 does not have stringent restrictions concerning which devices or operating systems you can use. So, you can choose the best devices on the market to suit the needs of your business. And you’ll be able to use them to access your virtual desktops without any problems.

Enhanced Productivity

Cloud computing presents businesses with a solution that aims to help improve productivity. With Windows 365, you are getting virtual desktops that are easily accessible from remote locations and facilitate collaboration among colleagues.

This means that employees can work from anywhere, making sure that projects are completed on time, even with people collaborating from different countries. Because of the support for multiple environments, operating in this manner becomes very easy to achieve. Not only that, but Windows 365 ensures that all communication and collaboration are extremely secure.

Something else that will help enhance productivity is the fact that Windows 365 can integrate with your existing infrastructure. Doing so enables you to adopt this solution without it costing you unacceptable amounts of downtime that could be used more productively. And we can say the same thing about the compatibility with older hardware.

Cloud PCs are easy to set up and deploy so that work continues seamlessly while simultaneously increasing efficiency. Furthermore, these features also help your business to swiftly adapt to any changes in the market. The regular updates that Windows 365 receives are perfect for ensuring that you always have the best features to potentially give you an edge over other businesses.

Increased Security

Most people will agree that plenty of businesses are reluctant to make the migration to the cloud because of a lack of trust in the security measures. There is a tendency to want to keep all data in-house so that it is kept secure.

And this is precisely why Windows 365 utilizes industry-leading security measures to keep clients’ data as secure as possible. Because of the support availed for multiple platforms, Windows 365 offers regular updates and security patches to maintain high levels of security.

And this, in turn, allows you to run your legacy applications easily with minimal concern about your data being compromised. Moreover, Windows 365 has several redundancies in the system. These ensure that regardless of what disaster you may encounter, your data should remain secure and accessible. Therefore, whether employees are in the office or working from remote locations, you can conduct business operations reliably and securely.

Conclusion

Arguably one of the biggest things that service providers would want to offer clients is a solution that can improve the ease of doing business. It’s these kinds of considerations that have brought about the legacy application support features that Windows 365 offers. They aim to improve accessibility and flexibility for businesses by enabling support for older software run on modern hardware without compatibility issues.

Because of this level of support as well as integration with existing infrastructure, businesses can boost productivity, improve security and efficiency, as well as minimize expenditure. All of these benefits should provide you with more than enough reason to think about making the migration to the cloud.

The state of the environment is a massive topic of discussion all across the globe. Whether it’s in meetings bringing together world leaders or at business summits, the issue of how to reduce our impact on the environment is regularly on the agenda. This responsibility doesn’t fall solely on the shoulders of politicians but on those of business leaders as well.

And when it comes to the IT industry, there is a great need to consider adopting more sustainable solutions. This is because of how this sector has contributed to carbon emissions from data centers, computing devices, and more. Hence the need for a solution like Windows 365.

With this service, customers get a cloud-based virtual desktop infrastructure solution designed to help reduce their carbon footprint. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at how Windows 365 can help you to operate more sustainably.

Energy Efficiency Features of Windows 365

To help various businesses meet their sustainability goals and reduce their carbon footprint, Microsoft has created several features for Windows 365. In this section, we’ll discuss some of those key energy efficiency features.

Cloud-Based Infrastructure

Many businesses envision attaining net-zero sustainability for their operations. Although this is a very ambitious goal, it is not out of reach with solutions like Windows 365. You only have to go through the Microsoft report on the carbon benefits of cloud computing to see how this may be possible.

According to that report, the Microsoft cloud can be anywhere between 22% and 93% more efficient than traditional data centers depending on the comparison. And this would undoubtedly be something that can contribute massively to help reduce your carbon footprint.

The most obvious area where you will see these benefits is with reduced energy consumption. On-premises data centers require a lot of energy to not only power them but cool them as well. So, by leveraging shared cloud infrastructure, such as what Microsoft is offering, you can put yourself in a great position to attain your net-zero targets.

Windows 365’s cloud-based virtual desktops also encourage remote work, and this is something that can potentially reduce transport emissions. Cloud PC users can work from anywhere without being restricted by location.

Dynamic Provisioning

Running a business efficiently requires you to have the computing resources you need at all times to maximize productivity. This is something that Windows 365 values greatly to adequately meet all customers’ needs. With the availability of dynamic provisioning, businesses can easily provision and de-provision virtual desktops as needed.

As you can imagine, this will help you to run your business more efficiently because you do not need to retain any resources that are in excess of requirements. However, if the need for more computing resources arises, you can add more Cloud PCs quite easily.

When running your own data center, you won’t necessarily have the same flexibility to increase or decrease your computing resources with the same ease. And this can be very costly not only financially but in terms of carbon emissions as well. A business with a larger data center than it needs will find it a lot more difficult to meet its sustainability goals. And it may actually increase its carbon footprint.

Automatic Scaling

The business environment can change very suddenly, and organizations need to have solutions available that can help them swiftly adapt. Windows 365 offers businesses automatic scaling to help improve how efficiently they can run their IT operations.

When we talk about scaling, we are simply referring to the ability to increase or decrease computing resources as needed. Because businesses are trying to implement measures to reduce their carbon footprint, having an automatic scaling feature available goes a long way to simplifying that task.

Windows 365 can automatically adjust the computing resources that virtual desktops have access to depending on their various usage needs. By automating this process, Cloud PC users can be more productive. This is because they will have the resources they need when they need them. In addition, by not over-provisioning computing resources, businesses can minimize energy waste. And this moves you closer toward running sustainable operations.

Power Management

The unfortunate reality is that there are plenty of businesses that waste power and are not even aware of it. Consequently, this means that you are unnecessarily spending more as well as increasing your carbon footprint.

Around offices, it’s not uncommon to see devices that are always on, regardless of whether or not they are in use. Some people won’t or may not even know how to set their devices to switch off after a certain amount of idle time.

Fortunately, for Cloud PC users, this is something that you will get assistance with. Windows 365 has power management capabilities that are designed to help businesses minimize the wastage of resources.

By enabling you to automatically power off virtual desktops that are not currently in use, you can easily reduce your energy consumption. This feature gives you an essential management solution. And it can be key to how you monitor energy use within your business.

Benefits of Windows 365’s Energy Efficiency Features

The energy efficiency features discussed in the previous section have several benefits that can be of great importance to your business. These include:

Reduced Energy Consumption

Every business wants to improve how it runs its operations and ultimately improve productivity. And one of the best things about putting in place measures to reduce your carbon footprint is that it allows you to pinpoint inefficiencies in your organization. Addressing issues such as wastage of energy will help create savings that can be invested in other areas.

Other features, such as automatically powering off idle devices, allow you to better assess energy use in your business. This may be an important determining factor if your business is considering scaling your computing resources.

Something else that businesses can benefit from operating more sustainably is increased brand equity. We find that in some studies, 55% of consumers have indicated a preference for products made by businesses that have implemented sustainable practices.

Therefore, reducing your carbon footprint will not only help you to meet your sustainable objectives, but it can boost business as well. And if that is not enough, then you also need to consider current and potential future legislation that may affect your business.

As mentioned earlier, climate change is a hot topic at all different levels. So a lot of regulations are changing, and you may risk finding yourself non-compliant.

Lower Operating Costs

Even if the climate change discussions aren’t something that you are particularly interested in, you cannot ignore solutions that may potentially lower your operating costs. With that in mind, the energy efficiency features of Windows 365 are certainly worth a look.

By providing you with a cloud-based virtual desktop environment, Windows 365 allows you to save costs on purchasing and refreshing devices for your employees. As long as an individual has a device with a modern browser, they can access their Cloud PC relatively easily from any location.

This increased flexibility will also boost operational efficiency and can potentially improve productivity. Additionally, with capabilities such as dynamic provisioning, your business constantly has the resources to operate optimally.

You don’t need to worry about paying for more than you need. This is because if your computing resources become inadequate, you can always scale up. Another recent update that will help reduce costs is the introduction of Windows 365 Frontline. This latest update allows users to share Cloud PCs, which is particularly beneficial for employees that work in shifts.

Improved Scalability

Scalability can prove to be a major challenge for businesses that operate their own data centers. Not only can this be a complex affair, but it’s often very costly. Windows 365 is built to simplify scalability for businesses, regardless of size.

You can easily provision or de-provision virtual desktops as and when they are needed. Having this capability means that scaling up or down your computing resources becomes a quick and easy solution without significant costs. It also means that whatever happens in your section of the market, you’ll be well-placed to swiftly adapt and gain an edge over other companies.

This can also help you grow your profits significantly, especially when compared to other businesses that may face huge costs when scaling. Furthermore, this improved scalability is great for smaller businesses that need to grow at a pace that does not compromise the quality of service.

Windows 365 has a subscription option targeted at smaller businesses that can be scaled up as operations expand. Taking advantage of a system like this is an excellent choice for the long-term because it is going to promote customer loyalty. Whenever you experience an increase in traffic, you can manage it efficiently while still delivering excellent service.

Increased Productivity

Using cloud-based virtual desktops allows more businesses access to technologies that were in the past only available to a few. The degree of accessibility and flexibility that Windows 365 provides enables businesses to run more efficient operations.

In addition to that, Cloud PC users can collaborate with greater ease from anywhere across the world on any number of projects. With the ease with which employees can do this, your business may experience higher levels of productivity.  No longer do you have to contend with the restrictions that often come with working from static locations.

Automation has been a game-changer for users of cloud-computing technologies. Businesses can stop being concerned about a lot of daily tasks that consume time that may be used more productively.

By automating tasks such as scaling, power management, and updates, among others, IT personnel have less to deal with. They can contribute more to core business activities. Moreover, the Windows 365 automation features are crucial in helping to minimize costly errors that compromise efficiency. Virtual desktop users also benefit from the improved data security and disaster recovery measures provided by cloud computing services. Because of this enhanced degree of protection, there is a huge boost in the ease of doing business.

Environmental Responsibility

Cloud computing services are meant to reduce your carbon footprint, minimize emissions, and promote the use of greener energy sources. When you look at large-scale data centers, such as what Microsoft offers, you’ll find that they mostly run on renewable energy sources.

Therefore, businesses that are intent on switching to more sustainable operations can leverage solutions like Windows 365. Using this service also means that your business can reduce what it spends on new devices because most employees will be able to access their Cloud PCs on the devices they currently own.

In the long term, this will create significantly less electronic waste and keep you on track to reaching net-zero sustainability. Similarly, the use of the Microsoft cloud and enhanced power management capabilities means that businesses can start to reduce energy consumption.

Even though many may not see it, utilizing these features can be instrumental to reducing your carbon footprint. Coupled with all this, the ability to work remotely can further reduce emissions by limiting how much commuting employees will need to do and also reducing the need for massive corporate offices.

Conclusion

Cloud computing services are playing a massive role in helping enterprises to operate more efficiently and introduce more sustainable solutions. Service providers like Microsoft run large-scale data centers far more efficiently than the average business. As a result of this, businesses using Windows 365 get a solution that allows them to reduce their carbon footprint overall and contribute to a greener planet.

Users of this service get several energy efficiency features such as cloud-based infrastructure, dynamic provisioning, automatic scaling, and power management. These are going to allow businesses to utilize more sustainable options, reduce operating costs, and become more environmentally responsible. Undoubtedly, if we are to have a better future and create a greener planet, everyone will need to play their part.

A lot of progress has taken place in the domain of cloud computing over the last few decades. And it’s not surprising just how much the technology evolution is out there when you consider the way a lot of businesses operate in modern times. Leveraging the best technology on the market can be integral to the success of your business.

But, businesses like yours also need to be able to do so without breaking the bank. This is why the “as-a-service” sector is thriving. Organizations have access to all the resources they need for significantly less than what it would cost for an on-premises infrastructure.

Seeing the need to ensure clients can get even better service is why Microsoft brought us Windows 365. It’s design revolutionizes what you can get from a desktop-as-a-service platform. Today we’ll be going over the most frequently asked questions about Windows 365. So you can discover how it can benefit your business model.

What exactly is Windows 365?

The best place to start is with questions about definitions. A lot of people have heard about Windows 365. But not everyone understands its capabilities and purpose. Familiarity exists especially because Microsoft also announced Windows 11 in 2021.

Initially, there is some confusion about the two Windows solutions. However, these two are completely different products. Unlike Windows 11 which is an operating system that you install on your device, Windows 365 is a cloud-based service. The latter creates Windows virtual machines for your end users. It is these virtual machines that Microsoft calls Cloud PCs.

So the goal for Windows 365 is to enable business clients to access these Cloud PCs from anywhere. As mentioned above, Microsoft wants the Windows 365 Cloud PC to be the next step in the evolution of desktop-as-service.

Using Windows 365, clients can access their ‘desktops’ on devices running macOS, iOS, Linux, and Android. Ultimately, this means that Microsoft will no longer provide the operating system only. Now it will now be offering ersatz hardware with Windows virtual machines running on its Azure servers. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella had this to say:

“Just like applications were brought to the cloud with SaaS, we are now bringing the operating system to the cloud, providing organizations with greater flexibility and a secure way to empower their workforce to be more productive and connected, regardless of location.”

Each Cloud PC created will then be assigned to an individual user and thus becomes their dedicated Windows device. Clients will also be able to benefit from the productivity, security, and collaboration provided by Microsoft 365.

As for accessing your Cloud PC, it’s a simple matter of navigating to the Cloud PC website. From there, users sign in using any modern browser. Alternatively, you can also use Microsoft’s Remote Desktop app.

What’s different about Windows 365?

For businesses that already have experience with various VDI platforms, you may rightly be wondering how Windows 365 is different from all the other platforms out there. For starters, simplicity. That’s what Microsoft is aiming for with the Windows 365 service.

When you consider traditional VDI platforms, you’d be looking at setting up servers, installing the necessary applications, and then giving users access. Windows 365 just about eliminates all of the above.

By offering you a Cloud PC, this means that Microsoft alone will take care of the virtualization. Ultimately this will make the deployment of operating systems a lot faster. Moreover, you won’t have to deal with the hassle of hardware and software configurations.

The automation of the various processes also means that there is no need for additional VDI expertise or resources. Microsoft will ensure that you can scale the service as necessary to meet your organization’s needs. And as organizations start to reap the benefits of a highly productive remote workforce, the need for a solution like Windows 365 grows even more.

The ability to customize and provision a desktop based on the users’ needs is beneficial. It means that for the most part, it doesn’t really matter what device an individual is using. It also doesn’t matter whether it’s a corporate-owned device or a personal one. The security measures that come with Windows 365 ensure that end-users can securely access corporate resources on personal devices.

How much will it cost me?

Microsoft’s Windows 366 Cloud PC service provides clients with a range of different fee options. This ensures there is flexibility available for different enterprises. From the small company, only needing a handful of PCs, to the larger enterprises that may require unlimited options, there’s an affordable solution for everyone.

The pricing ranges starts at $20 per user per month for the lowest-end SKU. Fees can go up to $162 per user per month for the most expensive setup.

Clients will also notice that unlike with the consumption-based pricing model that you get with Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365 gives you fixed monthly subscriptions. And if you need to scale, then you have the option to choose a different subscription, as well.

For the Windows 365 Business edition, the $20 per user per month fee is going to get you a single virtual core, 2GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. Although you will require Windows Hybrid Benefit, which is Microsoft’s Bring-Your-Own license model that helps clients apply existing (or new) licenses toward the cost of a product.

Otherwise, if you don’t have Windows Hybrid Benefit then the cost goes up to $24 per user per month. At the other end of the spectrum, clients will be able to purchase the Business SKU that offers eight virtual cores, 32GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage for $158. And similarly to the previous one, without Windows Hybrid Benefit the cost goes up, this time to $162.

Clients that need the Windows 365 Enterprise edition will also have a similar range of pricing. At the lower end, you’ll get a single virtual core along with 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage for the same $20. However, if your computing needs are a lot greater, then you can choose the option that offers eight virtual cores, another 32GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage at a cost of $158 per user per month.

What about licensing?

Licensing for services similar to Windows 365 is typically where things start to get complicated, and expensive. Although Windows 365 will not attract everyone, Microsoft has tried to make their offering reasonably accessible.

Both Windows 365 Enterprise and Windows 365 Business are going to provide a complete cloud-based offering with multiple Cloud PC configurations depending on the needs of the various organizations.

Clients will be able to buy Windows 365 as a separate license per user for a fixed monthly fee to access and use each Cloud PC. However, in some cases, you may incur additional costs based on your network usage.

Windows 365 Enterprise

For this edition of Windows 365, clients can make their purchases directly from Windows365.com or from their account representative. After this, you can then proceed to provision and manage your Cloud PCs using the fully integrated Microsoft Endpoint Manager.

It’s also worth noting that before an individual can use Windows 365 Enterprise, they need licensing for the following: Windows 11 Enterprise or Windows 10 Enterprise, Microsoft Endpoint Manager, and Azure Active Directory P1. Even though these licenses can be available separately, you’ll also find them included in:

• Microsoft 365 F3,
• Microsoft 365 E3,
• Microsoft 365 E5,
• Microsoft 365 A3,
• Microsoft 365 A5,
• Microsoft 365 Business Premium,
• Microsoft 365 Education Student Use Benefit subscriptions.

So for those who are interested in using Windows 365 Enterprise, but don’t meet the licensing requirements, head over to the Windows 11 Enterprise page or the Microsoft 365 page. There is more information there, along with the ability to purchase the ideal plan to meet your needs.

Windows 365 Business

Similar to the above, clients interested in purchasing Windows 365 Business can also do so directly from Windows365.com. Upon purchase, you can then set up your account without a domain. As for provisioning and management of the Cloud PCs, you can do that directly from the Windows 365 homepage on the web.

Moreover, clients should be happy to note that there are no additional licenses that will be required with only your credit card necessary to get you started. If you’re already a client of Microsoft 365, the purchase will complete through the Microsoft 365 admin center. All you simply need to do is get in touch with your global administrator. Alternatively, your billing administrator can assist in completing the purchase.

What are the device requirements?

One of the major benefits Microsoft intends to provide businesses is a reduction in IT costs, especially related to hardware. Because Windows 365 is essentially PC hardware that runs in the cloud, the importance of your actual physical device is significantly less. As long as you have an internet connection, you’ll be able to operate a reasonably powerful Windows PC. And you can do so using just about any device.

Accessing this Cloud PC is easy. You can use any modern browser or the Remote Desktop app. A setup like this is going to be extremely beneficial for organizations, too. More specifically, it’s a game-changer for those with a sizeable remote or seasonal workforce.

Additionally, your organization won’t need to make a massive investment in hardware for all those employees. Even better is the fact that they’ll be able to easily access these Cloud PCs anywhere, without losing any progress.

In short, all Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices are expectedly going to be compatible with Windows 365. The best part, however, is that clients will be able to easily stream a Windows 365 session to hardware running macOS, iPadOS, Linux, and Android.

However, for the best experience, Microsoft recommends devices that have a traditional keyboard and mouse. For the most part, as long as your device has an HTML5 browser and a DSL connection or a wireless internet connection capable of streaming a video, you will be just fine. The amount of bandwidth that you’ll need, however, will depend on your workload.

Which configuration is right for me?

Choosing the right configuration for your business is going to be key. If you want to get the most out of Windows 365, you’ll need to understand your needs. After all, you don’t want to select a configuration that eventually proves incapable of meeting your computing load.

But, you also don’t want to pay for access resources that you do not need. The best way choose is to get in touch with Microsoft Support. From there, you can get advice on how best to set up your environment.

However, there are some examples that we can look to get a good idea of what you may require:

• 1vCPU/2GB/64GB – the first configuration is ideal for call centers, frontline workers, and education/training/CRM access.
• 2vCPU/4GB/64GB – in this scenario, the offer is ideal for short-term and seasonal users, those working from home, customer services, mergers and acquisitions, and Bring-Your-Own-PC situations.
• 2vCPU/4GB/128GB – suits the same scenarios as above.
• 2vCPU/4GB/256GB – also suits the same scenarios as above.
• 2vCPU/8GB/128GB – ideal for market researchers, working from home, Bring-Your-Own-PC scenarios, and government consultants.
• 2vCPU/8GB/256GB – suits the same scenarios as the previous configuration.
• 4vCPU/16GB/128B – ideal for Bring-Your-Own-PC scenarios, working from home, healthcare services, government consultants, and finance.
• 4vCPU/16GB/256GB – same as previous configuration.
• 4vCPU/16GB/512GB – same as previous configuration.
• 8vCPU/32GB/128GB – ideal for content creators, engineers, software developers, and design and engineering workstations.
• 8vCPU/32GB/256GB – same as previous configuration.
• 8vCPU/32GB/512GB – same as previous configuration.

Is it the same as Azure Virtual Desktop?

Any business that has previously considered cloud-based solutions will be aware that Microsoft already has another service that it offers called Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD). There are probably plenty of businesses that already use AVD. So understandably they would want to know the advantages of switching. Or is Windows 365 the same as Azure Virtual Desktop?

The simple answer is no. These two products are quite different. Although they do have several similarities. For starters, both of them aim to give clients the latest in what cloud technology has to offer.

This means you’ll have high-end security features, a flexible work environment, and premium remote work experience. And you’ll get this at a relatively affordable price. There are some differences, however. AVD is a cloud VDI that customizes the infrastructure of clients and also manage the resources that support the virtualized infrastructure.

On the other hand, Windows 365 gives you a fully managed desktop-as-a-service solution. It offers you the great Windows experience that you have to come to expect. All without having to deal with the management of infrastructure.

Technical features

When it comes to the technical side of things, there are several differences that you need to know for you to decide which service is right for your business. Some of the differences are as follows:

• Design – Windows 365 has been designed to be simple and easy to use whereas AVD has been designed more for flexibility.
• Desktop – clients get personal desktops for Windows 365 and AVD (single session). For AVD (multisession) there are pooled desktops.
• Pricing – the pricing structure for AVD follows a consumption-based model whereas Windows 365 offers a fixed per-user per-month pricing.
• Subscription – subscriptions are customer-managed for AVD and fully Microsoft-managed for Windows 365 Business. Windows 365 Enterprise is also Microsoft-managed with the exception of networking.
• VM SKUs – Windows 365 has various optimized options for multiple use cases. On the other hand, AVD offers any Azure VM including GPU-enabled SKUs.
• Backup – AVD clients will get to use Azure backup services while Windows 365 users get local redundant storage for disaster recovery.

In summary

Looking at the different services helps us to know that AVD will get you the best price on Windows 10 with Windows 10 multisession, exclusive to AVD. Azure Virtual Desktop is fully customizable and runs on Azure. It would be ideal for you, if you already have experience with VDI solutions. It’s also a good fit if you require industry-leading technology that gives you the flexibility of a fully customized environment.

On the other hand, Windows 365 gives you a solution that is simple and easy to provision. It’s simple to deploy without requiring special IT skills and has predictable pricing. It also gives you the option to scale in either direction, according to the needs of your business.

Therefore, if you have no previous experience with Azure Virtual Desktop, as well as a hybrid or seasonal workforce that needs PC management, then Windows 365 is the choice for you.

How secure is Windows 365?

Arguably one of the biggest concerns for businesses regarding cloud-based solutions is cyber security. Cloud solutions enable businesses to have their employees working from home while using personal devices. This means the risk of compromise is very high if security is lacking.

There are plenty of areas in the network that could be potentially very vulnerable to security breaches. However, Microsoft is well aware of these concerns. And it offers several guidelines to help improve the security of your Cloud PCs. These are as follows.

Conditional Access

Using Conditional Access policies is highly recommended to maintain strict control over the devices and apps that can access company resources. Conditional Access also helps you to secure end-user access to Windows 365. Another way to further enhance that security would be to use Azure AD multi-factor authentication to verify users.

Microsoft Defender

Microsoft advises connecting Microsoft Defender for Endpoint to Cloud PCs devices to help you identify threats and set devices as non-compliant. In addition, you’ll be able to apply device compliance policies to Cloud PCs as well as use Conditional Access for threat identification.

Applicable Blocking

Devices with a high-risk level need to be blocked from accessing corporate resources until the issues are resolved. And you can easily do this by using Intune compliance policies with Conditional Access policies to identify the high-risk devices and users.

Up-To-Date OS

Keeping your OS up-to-date is a key aspect of maintaining high levels of cyber security. Updates bring you enhanced security measures and other new features that serve to improve the user experience while fortifying your corporate network. And when it comes to your Cloud PCs, IT admins can use Endpoint Manager to configure Intune Windows 10/11 updates and policies for Windows Update for Windows.

Admin Security

Another security measure that Microsoft has put in place is that Windows 365 Enterprise end-users will not be admins of their Cloud PCs. This particular feature comes as a default setting.

Integrations

Lastly, Microsoft has created an integration of Windows 365 with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. What this does is give you a scenario that allows security and endpoint admins to work together managing the Cloud PC environment similar to how they would manage a physical endpoint. Consequently, subscribed Cloud PCs will:

• Send data through to Microsoft 365 Secure Score.

• Appear on the dashboards of both Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

• Security Center and threat analysis when unhealthy.

• Similar to how other managed devices function, Cloud PCs will also respond to the various remediation measures.

What features does Windows 365 Business have?

Windows 365 Business is the edition made for smaller organizations. More specifically, it is meant for businesses that need to deploy no more than 300 Cloud PCs. As far as technology prerequisites go, Microsoft has made it very simple for businesses.

All you’ll need to do is use the Windows 365 cloud portal to purchase, deploy, and manage Cloud PCs at any time.

Furthermore, because everything works with Azure natively, Windows 365 Business clients aren’t going to require an Azure subscription or domain controller. Your workload will be lighter, as all the components will be running inside the Microsoft cloud and managed by Microsoft.

Purchasing Windows 365 Business can be done directly from the Microsoft 365 admin center. Upon purchase, you can then set up your account without a domain. And you can provision and manage cloud PCs directly from the Windows 365 web portal.

Other Advantages

Another advantage that comes with Windows 365 Business is that no other licenses are needed. So getting started is very easy and may only require a credit card.

The self-service capabilities on offer enable end-users to perform maintenance on cloud PCs via the Windows 365 web portal. The actions supported include Restart, Rename, and Reset (which allows you to remove your personal files, apps, or changes that you may have made to settings).

It’s also important to note that you’ll need to backup all your important files to a cloud storage service or external storage before resetting. This is because the process will delete these files. Windows 365 Business also has native Azure AD support. This means clients aren’t going to require an existing Active Directory domain or Azure subscription.

In addition to Windows 365, Microsoft also announced the successor to Windows 10 in 2021. And given that Windows 11 is the ideal operating system to optimize hybrid work, it’s great to know that new Cloud PCs will come with this OS installed by default. So organizations will benefit from all the new improvements to Windows. They’ll additionally enjoy the enhanced security features that come with it.

What features does Windows 365 Enterprise have?

Windows 365 Enterprise is the ideal edition for larger organizations. Unlike with Windows 365 Business ,which tops out at 300 users, Enterprise clients won’t have any such limits.

If the objective for your business is to manage Cloud PCs with MEM and leverage the integrations with other Microsoft services, then you’d be smart to purchase Windows 365 Enterprise.

By doing so, you benefit from other services such as Azure Active Directory and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Although this edition may not have a license limit, users will still require a license for Windows 11 Enterprise, Windows 10 Enterprise, Microsoft Endpoint Manager, and Azure Active Directory P1.

Purchasing and Setup

When it comes to purchasing channels and license assignments, the former will be done via Web Direct, Enterprise Agreements (EA), CSP. And the latter via the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. Clients using Enterprise will have networking through their Azure VNet, since it isn’t included in the license.

As for the administration side of things, the provisioning can be configured and customized to meet the specific needs of your organization. Your admins can set up the VNet, configure user permissions, and then assign the policy to an Azure AD group.

After that, the admins can proceed to provision the Cloud PCs with a choice of either standard gallery images or custom images. Clients using this version also get support for Group Policy Objects (GPO), Intune MDM, and application deployment.

End users can restart, rename, and troubleshoot their Cloud PCs on the Windows 365 homepage. In addition, users get assigned standard user roles on the Cloud PCs and this is by default.

However, when the need arises, admins can change this setting in the Microsoft Endpoint Manager admin center. And as with Windows 365 Business, users can access their Cloud PCs via the Remote Desktop app or on windows365.microsoft.com using any modern browser.

Furthermore, you enjoy great security measures with Conditional Access that can be implemented using the MEM admin center or Azure AD. In addition, there is support for per-user multi-factor authentication and integration with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.

How do you deploy Windows 365?

Once you have purchased the Windows 365 licenses that your organization needs, the Windows 365 node in Microsoft Endpoint Manager becomes active for management. So now you can begin provisioning your Cloud PCs. Setting up your system to provision Cloud PCs will require you to follow the steps below.

Assign licenses

For a user to have access to a Cloud PC, they will need to have a Windows 365 license assigned to them. You can use the following methods to assign the licenses:

• For individual users, you have the option of using the Microsoft 365 admin center.
• For group license assignments, you have the option of using the Azure AD admin center.
• Lastly, for the assigning of direct licenses to a list of individual users, navigate to Assign licenses for Windows 365 or alternatively go to Assign license.

Create an on-premises network connection

An on-premises network connection (OPNC) is the crucial element that allows you to provision Cloud PCs that are attached to a virtual network that is under your management. Microsoft allows you to have 10 OPNCs per tenant. Creating an OPNC requires you to meet a few criteria:

• You need to be an Intune Admin in Azure AD.
• You also should have Owner permissions on the Azure subscription that contains the VNet with connectivity to your on-prem domain controller and network. 
• Finally, you should have a PowerShell execution policy that is set up to enable RemoteSigned scripts. And for those that use Group Policy to set execution policy, you’ll need to ensure that the GPO targeted at the Organizational Unit defined in the OPNC is configured to allow RemoteSigned scripts.

Provide users a localized Windows experience

A great way to improve end-user comfort and potentially productivity levels, is by presenting Windows with a language that the user is comfortable with using. Setting up a localized Windows experience can be configured as a provisioning policy or by creating a custom device image.

One of the announcements made by Microsoft in February 2022 regarding Windows 365 Enterprise, talked about an important update that will enhance the user experience for different users from across the globe. The objective is to enable you to configure a Language & Region pack that can be installed on the Cloud PCs during provisioning when you are creating your provisioning policy.

At present, there are 38 languages available. And Microsoft will allow you to change the configured language for existing provisioning policies and subsequently reprovision any desired Cloud PCs.

Add or delete custom device images

Microsoft enables you to use a custom device image by simply adding it into your Azure subscription. From there, you can use it for Cloud PC provisioning. The standard Azure Marketplace gallery is where you’d navigate. Or you could also create your own custom-managed image. For those with a Shared Image Gallery in Microsoft Azure, they can convert one of those images into a managed image.

Create a provisioning policy

The last step in this process will require you to create a Provisioning Policy so that you can provision the Cloud PC with an image of your choice and is based on Azure AD security groups. Provisioning policies hold key provisioning rules and settings, allowing the Windows 365 service to set up and configure the right Cloud PCs for your users. Once the provisioning policies have been created and assigned to the Azure AD user security groups or Microsoft 365 Groups, the Windows 365 service will then:

• Check the appropriate license for each user.
• Configure each Cloud PC as necessary.

Why should our organization be interested?

Remote work has been a major topic of discussion, especially over the last few years. Therefore, Windows 365 is available at the best time. The concept of the Cloud PC will help your organization by simplifying the process of having your staff working remotely.

By having a PC running in the cloud, your workforce can access their desktops from anywhere without difficulty. This kind of flexibility is something that can make your organization more attractive when it comes to attracting and retaining talent.

Not only is Windows 365 going to allow you to take advantage of hybrid work. But it’s also going to address what is probably your next concern – security. When using Windows 365, your data will store on the cloud where Zero Trust Principles are in effect.

Moreover, Microsoft Endpoint Manager solutions will help fortify the platform for greater cyber security. Thus, organizations can rest easy knowing that although their workers are not on the premises, they can still remain productive without compromising the security of your data. And if you need to scale, it’s equally simplified without hassle.

Other Benefits

Windows 365 enables you to configure the size, CPU, and RAM of your Cloud PCs according to your needs. This versatility means that if the need arises to increase or reduce the computing resources that you require, you’ll be able to do so.

Windows also aims to help your organization lower your expenses in the hardware department. Because users will have desktops running in the cloud, you won’t face any significant costs regarding purchasing high-end devices.

In addition, you potentially won’t have to refresh your organization’s hardware as frequently. The Cloud PC will be handling the heavy computing on the Azure servers. Your organization may also save costs during the setup process.

Since Microsoft designed Windows 365 for ease of use, setting it up is not going to require you to bring in specialist IT professionals onto your team. Your IT people will be able to deploy and manage the configuration of any PC, much like they have been doing all along. 

What kind of support is available?

Undoubtedly every organization that wants to sign up for Windows 365 would like to know about support. The last thing you need is to run into the kinds of problems that could prevent your organization’s staff from accessing their Cloud PCs. Microsoft has availed support for Windows 365 clients in various ways. Each level of support is available, depending on how your Windows 365 subscription was purchased.

If you made your purchase via the self-service feature, you can request support through the Microsoft 365 admin center. For those who would have made their subscription purchases through volume licensing, they will need to contact their Microsoft account managers for assistance.

And lastly, if your Windows 365 subscription was purchased through a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP), the latter can submit support requests for you. These requests, which can be for non-technical issues such as enrollment, membership, billing, subscription, and user management, can be submitted in the Microsoft Partner Center.

Can I use my apps on Windows 365?

According to Microsoft, Windows 365 was designed with compatibility in mind. This falls in line with the goal of trying to make clients’ apps compatible with the latest versions of Microsoft software. So if you have apps that you were using on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10, then you’ll be glad to know that they will work on Windows 365, as well. And if you have any challenges with your apps, Microsoft can help you address them for free with an eligible subscription through the Fast Track App Assure program.

Wrap Up

Windows 365 is a service that has plenty to offer your organization. Although it may not be the first such product in the domain of virtualization technology, it intends to perform like no other before it.

One of the key goals is to avail cloud computing technology to as many as possible and make it easy to use. The recent global pandemic showed us what can happen to countless organizations if adequate solutions aren’t available.

Going forward, I believe that the remote workforce will continue to grow and businesses will need to find ways to take advantage of this. Sometimes the ideal person for a particular task may be on the other side of the globe. And by leveraging Windows 365 and its communication channels, collaborating with anyone anywhere can be safe and easy.

And if there’s anything else that you may need answers to, Microsoft will be hosting monthly Windows 365 Ask Microsoft Anything events, on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Now, there’s no denying that the Windows 365 Cloud PC may not be for everyone. But, it’s certainly a product that’s worth taking a good look at.