Microsoft has today introduced Windows 365, its new thin Windows PC client for companies in the Cloud, less than a month after handing out Windows 11 as its most recent desktop operating system to Insiders in the Dev channel. It is a new component of the Microsoft 365 software package. What is Windows 365 Cloud PC, how does it function, and how does it vary from Azure Virtual Desktop, Microsoft’s current remote desktop software? That’s exactly what this post will cover.
Windows 365 Cloud PC: Explained (2021)
According to Microsoft, Windows 365 is a cloud service that offers organisations of all sizes a new option to use Windows 10 or Windows 11. Many, though, already claim that repackaging Azure Virtual Desktop in a fancier package and charging a premium is just a bunch of public relations. In this essay, we’ll take a close look at the impending Cloud PC service and attempt to figure out why.
What is Windows 365?
Microsoft’s latest SaaS (Software as a Service) product, Windows 365, combines the flexibility and ease of a client PC with the strength, security, and convenience of the cloud. The new service provides a cloud virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) platform that allows remote apps and virtual desktops for a subscription charge, much to the Azure Virtual Desktop. Microsoft expressed its expectation that the new Windows 365 service will assist teams and businesses in being more flexible and productive in a news release. Picture from Microsoft
Microsoft claims that Windows 365 would enable users to securely stream (their) customised Windows experience, including the desktop, programmes, settings, and content, whenever they want to any device.
According to the corporation, the service would update how Windows experiences are provided to users of all devices. Additionally, it would provide end consumers with a premium experience since they wouldn’t have to worry about their computers stuttering or having a patchy internet connection. According to Microsoft’s official Windows 365 documentation, it’s simple to use and just as simple for IT to manage using familiar tools and procedures.
Windows 365 Target Audience
Simply said, Windows 365 delivers a Windows-based Cloud PC that can be accessed using a web browser on a Windows PC, a Linux machine, a Chromebook, a Mac, an iPad, an iPhone, or an Android device. It is fundamentally a thin client that gives companies remote Windows PCs as they strive to embrace remote working in the wake of the epidemic. Windows 365 may be used in any contemporary browser, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple Safari, just like Office 365.
Windows 365 is not a consumer product for retail users; it is solely an enterprise service. Small businesses with a few employees as well as large firms with thousands of employees dispersed across several sites around the world are both able to sign up for this Cloud PC service, meaning they may all utilise Windows 365.
Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microsoft, claimed that Windows 365 would give businesses more flexibility and a safe solution to enable their staff to be more connected and productive, regardless of location.
Even though companies with just one employee can technically sign up for Windows 365, doing so requires them to go through the same laborious deployment process that involves creating, allocating, and managing the remote virtual desktop service through Microsoft Endpoint Manager, a difficult task that is best left to corporate IT departments.
Windows 365 Security
If Microsoft later releases a consumer version of the service with one-click setup for retail consumers, that remains to be seen. But it continues to be a wholly business-oriented offering, at least for the time being. Retail users have the option of upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 right now in order to take advantage of all of the new Windows 11 features. That covers the new user interface, the Widgets panel, the Microsoft Store’s support for Android apps, and more.
Security is one of the pillars of Windows 365, according to Microsoft. The solution is secure by design and was constructed using Zero Trust principles, claims the company. You wouldn’t expect anything less from a firm that would have access to all of your sensitive corporate data given the growing cybersecurity concerns, which may be extremely advantageous for cybercriminals if they can get into the system.
How to Set up Your Windows 365 Cloud PC?
Your information in Windows 365 is said to be saved in the cloud rather than on the device, making it extremely secure even when employees access the service from unprotected devices, according to Microsoft. Of course, you would anticipate that any business would spend a lot of time discussing the security measures for any enterprise-oriented solution. This is especially true for cloud-based services, where unauthorised access to private data could have serious repercussions.
As we’ve already indicated, setting up Windows 365 is a difficult procedure that’s best left to IT administrators with experience. Microsoft has created the offering as a fully managed service, necessitating the use of business tools like Microsoft Endpoint Manager by IT to allocate and set up Cloud PCs.
Microsoft asserts that IT teams would find it reasonably simple to adopt Windows 365. You can take a deeper look at the process for deploying a Windows 365 cloud PC for your team in the video below. However, there is currently neither a consumer version nor an easy setup option for potential retail customers.
Windows 365 has an intriguing feature that lets you adjust the Cloud PC’s specifications to meet demand. Microsoft claims that this useful feature will assist businesses in allocating the appropriate amount of resources to different users in accordance with their needs.
Windows 365 vs Azure Virtual Desktop: What s the Difference?
For Cloud PCs, this feature of on-the-fly spec upgrades is new. Every virtual PC assigned to every user will be given a Resource Performance Score as part of the plan, which will let IT managers know how well a distant PC is operating. If a user’s score is low, you can increase the user’s RAM, CPU cores, or storage capacity.
It’s challenging to identify every resemblance and distinction between the two services because Microsoft hasn’t yet released all the information on its future remote desktop service. However, the Windows 365 service will be far more streamlined than the current Azure Virtual Desktop option, according to Microsoft’s official blog post.
Windows 365: Device Compatibility
Cloud PCs are now considerably simpler to set up for IT administrators and lot simpler for distant employees to use. It will also likely be simpler to install because it won’t require the effort required to set up a complete remote desktop environment on the Azure cloud.
Windows 365: Price and Launch Date
You may theoretically access Windows 365 from any device that can run a standards-based web browser because it is a platform-neutral service. It is compatible with Windows PCs, Macs, Linux machines, Chromebooks, iPhones, iPads, Android devices, and tablet PCs. A contemporary online browser, such as Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari, or Opera, is all you need to access the Cloud PC service.
Microsoft hasn’t made any pricing announcements yet, but one of the membership tiers was accidentally made public. The cost of the entry-level Windows 365 Cloud PC, which has one CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage, is currently unknown, but it is priced at $31 per user per month when equipped with two CPUs, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. But that’s not all. More SKUs from the Redmond behemoth will provide IT administrators the option to set up more potent Windows 365 PCs for remote workers.
Windows 365: Old Wine in a New Bottle?
Additionally, the Redmond behemoth has announced the precise date of the introduction of its brand-new remote desktop service. From August 2, 2021, Windows 365 will be accessible to companies of all sizes. When the service launches the next month, we will update this article with more information regarding price.
