Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by martyb on Tuesday July 28 2020, @03:59AM   Printer-friendly
from the if-you-can-game-remotely,-why-not-work-that-way,-too? dept.

Microsoft is Working on an Azure-Powered Cloud PC service:

Microsoft is building a new desktop-as-a-service offering built on top of Windows Virtual Desktop that could launch as soon as 2021.

Microsoft is currently calling the coming virtualization service "Cloud PC." Cloud PC won't replace locally installed Windows (and Office) -- for the foreseeable future, anyway. It will be an option for customers who want to use their own Windows PCs made by Microsoft and/or other PC makers basically like thin clients, with Windows, Office and potentially other software delivered virtually by Microsoft.

[...] "Microsoft Cloud PC is a strategic, new offering that is built on top of Windows Virtual Desktop to delivering Desktop as a Service. At its core, Cloud PC provides business customers a modern, elastic, cloud-based Windows experience and will allow organizations to stay current in a more simplistic and scalable manner," the job description says.

Microsoft is planning to make Cloud PC a Microsoft-365-powered experience that is managed by Microsoft and sold for a flat per user price, the job description says. This pricing piece is key. Windows Virtual Desktop pricing revolves around Azure consumption. Cloud PC sounds like it will be available for a set subscription fee.

Microsoft had dropped a few hints recently that it was looking to create some kind of virtualized PC management experience. In February, Scott Manchester, who had been Group Program Manager for Windows Virtual Desktop, took on a new role as Group Program Manager for "Cloud Managed Desktops." I'm guessing that this team, along with Windows engineering, are the ones honing the Cloud PC vision and deliverables.

[...] Microsoft also currently offers a service called the Microsoft Managed Desktop (MMD), which is a subscription offering under which Microsoft sets up, updates and manages business users' Windows 10 PCs for a fee. MMD includes Microsoft 365 (specifically, Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and Office 365 ProPlus); Windows Autopilot; and select Windows 10 hardware. Microsoft does the device configuration, security monitoring and remediation, app deployment, update management, desktop analytics and 24-by-7 end-user support. This is a service that is only used by certain large enterprise customers at this time.


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 28 2020, @05:23AM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 28 2020, @05:23AM (#1027510)

    So, what do you have sitting on your desk?

    A computer you bought for Microsoft with your own money, which they permit you to use so long as it's only for things they approve of. In short, the fulfillment of the vision begun with Windows 10 (and probably earlier).

    Why people seem to think Microsoft suddenly got better is something I find baffling. They've actively gotten even worse than they were in the 90s. Chances are their agenda includes lobbying to make privately-owned, independent PCs illegal for "security reasons" in a few years, quite possibly resulting in people going to jail for 5 years for every Raspberry Pi they own.

    As a note: none of the rest of Big Tech has any better plans for you.

    Starting Score:    0  points
    Moderation   +3  
       Insightful=2, Informative=1, Total=3
    Extra 'Insightful' Modifier   0  

    Total Score:   3  
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 28 2020, @05:48PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 28 2020, @05:48PM (#1027704)

    "Why people seem to think Microsoft suddenly got better is something I find baffling."

    do people really think that? the Normals i know are just completely oblivious to all things tech, especially in regards to "freedom" which now means "servitude" in new speak. The vast majority of people are brainwashed slaves who think and do what they are told. Microsoft is big so they are therefore an authority: on "this tech stuff" to most people.