Microsoft launches a limited public preview of Windows 365 Reserve. This is a cloud service that offers employees temporary Cloud PC access for up to ten days per year in case their primary device fails.
Microsoft launches a limited public preview of Windows 365 Reserve. The cloud service provides temporary access to a so-called Cloud PC when a primary computer is unavailable, for example, due to a malfunction or security incident. Microsoft announced the solution back in June.
Cloud PC is the name for Redmond’s VDI offering, allowing you to use a virtual Microsoft computer via the Azure cloud.
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Windows 365 Reserve enables organizations to offer a pre-configured Cloud PC to employees for up to ten days per year per user. The aim is to minimize productivity loss during unexpected outages. IT administrators can quickly activate a backup environment via Microsoft Intune, complete with business applications, correct settings, and proper security policies.
Continuity
The service is intended as a safety net for situations such as loss, theft, or malfunction of devices, as well as cyberattacks like ransomware. In such cases, employees can log into a temporary Cloud PC from another device via the web browser or Windows App. This way, companies don’t need to purchase and configure modern backup hardware.
Windows 365 Reserve follows zero trust security principles and integrates with existing Intune policy settings. Administrators can revoke access once the employee has a primary computer again. Unused days remain available as long as the license is active.
Simple Management
To use the service, organizations must set up a provisioning policy in advance. This policy specifies, among other things, the region where the Cloud PC operates and which user groups have access. The configuration is intentionally kept simple, with Microsoft automatically selecting some of the specifications.
Backup PCs in the cloud are not automatically created with the policy. Only when an environment is needed can administrators quickly make it available to employees.
Windows 365 Reserve is currently only available in a limited public preview. The offering is solely aimed at business customers. We do not yet know the pricing strategy.