Microsoft Makes “Reserve PC” Available via the Cloud

Microsoft Makes “Reserve PC” Available via the Cloud when your Device is Defective

Is your regular PC temporarily unavailable due to technical defects or theft? Business customers can then get a temporary replacement in the cloud from Microsoft.

Microsoft announces in a blog new features to better prepare business customers for IT disruptions. One of these features is Windows 365 Reserve: a service where Microsoft provides temporary access to a cloud PC when your physical PC fails. Interested parties can sign up for the preview.

Windows 365 Reserve gives employees quick access to a temporary Cloud PC when their regular device is unavailable due to loss, theft, or defect. According to Microsoft, three out of four companies experience this at some point, with negative consequences for productivity and data security. With a ‘reserve PC’, such risks can be mitigated without having to manage additional hardware.

Ten Days per Year

In the registration form, Microsoft states that the cloud backup is available for up to ten days per year. These ten days can be used spread out or all at once during a prolonged outage. The cloud PC contains pre-installed M365 applications, OneDrive synchronization, and configured settings and security so that the user can get started immediately.

Microsoft does not communicate prices. It is unclear whether you pay each time you need to invoke the reserve PC, or if Microsoft considers it as an insurance that you pay in advance just in case. A preview period will run for about twelve weeks.

Disaster Recovery

Other features Microsoft announces focus on disaster recovery and facilitating cloud migration. The new disaster recovery option for Windows Frontline allows companies to keep backups of Cloud PCs in other regions. In case of a disaster, these can be quickly restored to an alternative location.