Back when remote and hybrid setups weren't as common as they are now, getting work done meant using your desktop at your workstation. If you had a laptop, then you could work wherever you wanted, but using only that device.
 
Remote desktops changed this by virtualizing your PC (turning your PC into a software version of itself), and allowing you to access that version on any device that can run it. The remote desktop would boot the same operating system, have the same programs and settings, and access the same network storage as your workstation computer. So, from a practical standpoint, there’d be no difference between using your physical computer and its virtualized counterpart.
 
Now, Microsoft is using the cloud to deliver its own brand of remote desktop experience: Windows 365 Cloud PC.

What is Windows 365 Cloud PC?

Windows 365 Cloud PC is Microsoft’s latest virtualization service. It allows you to stream your Windows 10 or 11 desktop, applications, settings, and content from the Microsoft Cloud to any device. You can even stop using one device and resume right where you left off on another. This means that, for as long as you have an internet-connected device, your Cloud PC is wherever you are.

How is this different from Azure Virtual Desktop?

Windows 365 Cloud PC is a direct offshoot of Azure Virtual Desktop. Azure Virtual Desktop follows a pay-as-you-go model where the amount you pay is commensurate with how much of the cloud service you consume. Windows 365 Cloud PC, on the other hand, is a subscription service. Different plans will offer escalating price points for increasing allocations of processing power, memory, and storage.

How does Windows 365 benefit businesses?

There are two main business benefits of using Windows 365 Cloud PCs:

1. It makes issuing PCs easier than ever before
Thanks to COVID-19, organizations the world over have adopted remote and hybrid work setups for their staff. Issuing work computers like laptops is costly and therefore not feasible for many small businesses. A way around this is to let employees use their personal devices but issue them Cloud PCs instead. And if those companies don’t have IT support, they can have Windows 365 settings applied automatically.
 
However, enterprises with IT support can use Microsoft Endpoint Manager to provision and manage Cloud PCs like they would physical computers. This way, admins can provide staff with the operating system, apps, and storage they need in a quick and secure manner.
 
IT admins can easily do the following with Windows 365:
 
●      Set up Cloud PC accounts – provision resource allocations and configure user settings
●      Monitor Cloud PC performance – see if there are PCs that are malfunctioning or need upgrades
●      Manage Cloud PC accounts – adjust provisions (e.g., increase or decrease memory allocation to users) and decommission accounts as necessary

2. Running resource-intensive apps becomes possible on less powerful devices

Apps like computer-aided design programs normally require a lot of processing power, but since these would be running on the cloud instead of locally, any device can run those high-compute apps. This means that you don’t have to worry about apps’ systems requirements since you can just increase processing power allocations as needed.
 
And in case you’re wondering, any app that works fine on Windows 10 or 11 can run on Cloud PCs. That is, Cloud PCs are not exclusive to Microsoft apps, and your software developers won’t have to modify their apps at all.

If you’re interested in deploying Windows 365 for your own business, turn to our specialists at SimplyClouds. To learn more, leave us a message.