Cloud PC represents the next important step in cloud computing by connecting the Microsoft cloud and devices in a powerful new way. FSP Global has been choosing cloud by shifting the organization’s in-house computing architecture to a remote cloud infrastructure for many of its benefits: business continuity, flexibility, scalability, and performance being only a few of these.
The Work Trends Index shows that 73% of workers want to keep telecommuting options flexible, but at the same time, 67% say they want more face-to-face collaboration after the pandemic. This creates a mixed work paradox, allowing organizations around the world to figure out how to make connections in a mixed world and provide employees with a way to access the organization’s resources at home, in the office, and in the workplace and all points in between.
Like applying the cloud to other products, the vision of Windows 365 Cloud PC provides organizations with a new way to experience Windows using the power of the cloud while solving new and traditional ways. This new model is more than just enabling and securing remote access. User experience is more important than ever for attracting and retaining talent, increasing productivity, and ensuring safety.
Cloud PC harnesses the power of the cloud and devices to deliver a complete, powerful, simple, and secure Windows 10 or 11 experience. Wherever you are, you can use it to improve the capabilities of your employees.
Windows 365 provides an instant experience and it allows users to transfer all their applications, data, tools, and user settings from the cloud to their device.
You can pick up where you left off because even if you switch devices, the cloud PC status remains the same. You can do the same work on the laptop in the hotel room, on the tablet in the car between appointments, or at the office desk.
Seasonal employees can also move based on business needs, allowing organizations to expand during peak periods without facing the complex security and logistical challenges involved in deploying new hardware.
In addition, companies can provide more specific services to professional employees in creative, analytical, engineering, or scientific roles who need to improve computing power and access key applications.
Zero Trust-based Cloud Security
Windows 365 focuses on a zero-trust architecture and also helps solve today’s critical security challenges by designing, storing, and protecting information in the cloud rather than on the device. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) can be integrated with Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) to explicitly verify any login or attempt to access a cloud PC. You can connect MFA with a dedicated Windows 365 conditional access policy in Microsoft Endpoint Manager to quickly assess the login risk for each session. They also designed the user and administrator experience around the principle of least-privileged access. For example, you can use specific roles to delegate specific permissions such as licensing, device management, and cloud PC management, so you don’t need to be a global administrator. As with physical devices, you can use security baselines from Windows 10, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, and Microsoft edge. They have created a cloud-based PC-specific security baseline to help you get started quickly.
If you use Microsoft Defender for Endpoint to protect your device, it can also work seamlessly with your cloud computer. You can use Microsoft Endpoint Manager to quickly upload your PC to the cloud with Defender for Endpoint, just like your other devices. Not only can you protect your PC from the cloud, but it also provides security recommendations to mitigate risk, allowing you to quickly detect and investigate security incidents.
Finally, use encryption globally. All management disks running the cloud PC are encrypted, all stored data is encrypted when not in use, and all network traffic to and from the cloud PC is encrypted.
When will Windows 365 be available?
Microsoft officially announced Windows 365 in a blog post on July 14. The company has confirmed that it will provide this service to businesses on August 2, 2021.
Windows 365 for businesses
Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 365 will be used exclusively by businesses when it launches, although these businesses can range from sole proprietorships to large enterprises. This opens the door for more launches for consumers, but this is only an assumption at this stage. The seamless remote access that Microsoft advertises here can be very helpful to many consumers, for which we continue to be hopeful.