What Exactly is Windows 365?

On August 2, Microsoft launched Windows 365, virtual desktop service that allows users to access Windows operating systems entirely through the cloud. It is a cloud PC, a computer that resides on remote servers that you can access from almost any device.

What is a Windows 365?

Windows 365 is a virtual desktop that enables users to stream a full version of Windows entirely through the internet. An operating system (OS) is the software that allows you to communicate with your computer; currently, most of them reside on computer’s hard drives. When a user first purchases a computer, an OS such as Windows 10 or Mac OS is usually pre-installed. With Windows 365, the operating system doesn’t reside on your physical device. Rather, it resides on Microsoft servers that can be accessed through the internet. Regardless of the device used to access Windows 365, users can utilize all aspects of a desktop.

What makes Windows 365 different from my other Microsoft products?

To illustrate how Windows 365 interacts with other Microsoft products, separating said products into three distinct categories (hardware, operating systems, and apps) is quite useful. Hardware is the physical computer/tablet/device, and without an operating system, only experienced software engineers would be able to interact with it. This is why operating systems such as Windows 10 exist; they enable users to communicate with their devices. The apps are the programs that you access through the OS. They include products such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

What are the benefits?

It is rather prescient that Microsoft launched its virtual desktop now, as it offers a solution to many of the security concerns remote work poses. When employees work from home, they often work on personal devices that are not particularly secure. A virtual desktop such as Windows 365 allows companies to give their employees access to cloud PCs that reside on a secure network. This extra security stems from the fact that no actual data resides on the device itself; rather, all the data resides on Microsoft’s extremely secure Azure cloud. Another advantage for employers is the control it gives them over their employees’ work. Temporary employees can be easily given access to one of the company’s virtual desktops through their own devices, and that access can be revoked with a click of a button.

Businesses will also be able to keep their hardware for longer. Since Windows 365 is hosted entirely on the cloud, any laptop with an internet connection will be able to run it. Some businesses need to buy new computers every 5 years or so, and with Windows 365, the shelf-life of hardware can be significantly extended. This is because users will always be using the most updated version of Windows, and the capability of the computer itself matters very little beyond its ability to connect to the internet.

As is usually the case, these benefits are not without their costs. One prominent disadvantage of virtual desktops is the fact that a user’s experience is only as good as their internet connection. There is also an issue of practical functionality. Although Microsoft Apps are integrated with Windows 365 and are web based for many businesses, the same cannot be said for all programs. Many companies have apps such as QuickBooks hosted on their local servers and will need to move them to Microsoft’s cloud server to access them via the virtual desktop. Finally, there is the issue of price.

How does pricing work?     

Currently Microsoft is only offering Windows 365 to businesses, and it is offering them many different options. Costs are per user per month, and the prices vary depending on the type of virtual desktop being used, as they do with traditional desktops. Businesses can therefore assign employees virtual PCs with different size memories and processing capabilities, depending on the needs of each employee. Instead of a one-time computer purchase, businesses will have a recurring monthly expense for their computers. Depending on the business, this method of pricing can either be expensive or cost-effective.

Final Thoughts

A virtual desktop such as Windows 365 can be a powerful tool for some businesses and costly and ineffective for others. There are also many different companies that offer virtual desktops in addition to Microsoft (such as Citrix), and those companies have a variety of virtual desktop packages. Contact DDKinfotech to find out if a virtual desktop is right for your business, and to get help implementing it to increase your businesses’ revenue and efficiency.