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Windows 365 is driving the next evolution of desktop virtualization by combining the power and security of the Microsoft Cloud with the versatility and simplicity of the PC.<\/p>\nWindows 365 is driving the next evolution of desktop virtualization by combining the power and security of the Microsoft Cloud with the versatility and simplicity of the PC.<\/p>\n
Windows 365 Cloud PCs let you securely stream your Windows experience, including your personalized apps, content, and settings, from the Microsoft Cloud. Employees can access their personalized Cloud PC on any device.<\/p>\n
At Microsoft Digital (MSD), the organization that supports, protects, and empowers Microsoft employees through technology, we\u2019re discovering new and innovative ways we can use Windows 365 to improve the daily lives of employees across Microsoft.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe see ourselves as the real Customer Zero,\u201d says Carl McBain, director of IT service management for MSD. \u201cSo, we\u2019re always looking for opportunities to use new Microsoft products and services as an internal support organization.\u201d<\/p>\n
For us, two key self-service use cases are emerging as big winners when it comes to deploying Windows 365 Cloud PCs:<\/p>\n
[<\/em>Discover how Microsoft protects assets by shielding virtual machines.<\/em><\/a> Unpack how MyWorkspace streamlines virtual software provisioning at Microsoft.<\/em><\/a> Explore deploying a VWAN using infrastructure as code and CI\/CD.<\/em><\/a>]<\/em><\/p>\n With Windows 365, we have SaaS-ifed the power of Windows. Cloud PCs give organizations the benefit of elasticity across multiple dimensions\u2014scale, power, security and flexibility.<\/p>\n \u2014Scott Manchester, vice president, Windows Cloud products<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n By securely streaming the Windows experience from the Microsoft Cloud to any device, Windows 365<\/a> unlocks flexibility, scalability, and ease of management while simplifying PC provisioning\u2014regardless of an IT admin\u2019s experience with virtualization.<\/p>\n Windows 365 is great for serving an immediate need for a dedicated PC. Employees can have a dedicated Cloud PC with all their Microsoft 365 apps ready to go, and if they’re an existing employee, their OneDrive data automatically syncs to the device, similar to how we provision a physical PC with Autopilot.<\/p>\n \u2014Dave Rodriguez, principal product manager Frictionless Devices team, Microsoft Digital<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cWith Windows 365, we have SaaS-ifed the power of Windows,\u201d says Scott Manchester, vice president of Windows Cloud products. \u201cCloud PCs give organizations the benefit of elasticity across multiple dimensions\u2014scale, power, security and flexibility.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s especially useful in hybrid work environments or settings where users have diverse or shifting device needs. Think contractors and interns, customer-facing agents moving from kiosk to kiosk, or frequent travelers.<\/p>\n In Microsoft Digital, we’re able to use Windows 365 Cloud PCs to quickly help our employees get up and running again when their primary PC stops working.<\/p>\n \u201cWindows 365 is great for serving an immediate need for a dedicated PC,\u201d says Dave Rodriguez, principal product manager on the Frictionless Devices team in MSD. \u201cEmployees can have a dedicated Cloud PC with all their Microsoft 365 apps ready to go, and if they’re an existing employee, their OneDrive data automatically syncs to the device, similar to how we provision a physical PC with Autopilot.\u201d<\/p>\n From an operational standpoint, our goal is making things as simple as possible for our technicians and returning employees to productivity as soon as we can.<\/p>\n \u2014Carl McBain, director of IT service management, Microsoft Digital<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n For us, Windows 365 doesn\u2019t just simplify processes that have the potential for frustration and inefficiency. It also unlocks opportunities for self-service, giving employees the chance to choose the technology that meets their needs in the context that suits them best.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom an operational standpoint, our goal is making things as simple as possible for our technicians and returning employees to productivity as soon as we can,\u201d McBain says.<\/p>\n For our Techlink loaner program and device refresh alternative, we used the process automation capabilities of our ServiceNow enterprise installation to create a first-of-its-kind Windows 365 self-serve request solution. Powered by Microsoft Intune Endpoint Privilege Management, this solution has several benefits that include reducing operations overhead, improving user productivity, and enhancing device security by leaning into Zero Trust principles through the standard user profile for Windows 365.<\/p>\n Like many processes, our Techlink reimaging, repair, and break-fix loaner services had to evolve rapidly because of COVID-19. Microsoft\u2019s transition to a hybrid work model meant we needed to de-emphasize physical service locations and onsite, walk-up support.<\/p>\n The Windows Cloud product group and MSD partnered to present Windows 365 Cloud PCs as ideal alternatives to physical retrieval options like simplified Techlink dispatch locations or digital lockers. As a result, we launched Cloud PCs as a self-service request option within our IT service catalog and made 200 Windows 365 licenses available in our initial loaner pool.<\/p>\n When an employee experiences a device issue, they can initiate a service request within our standard Techlink support portal. The service request pushes them through a workflow that gathers all the necessary approvals and initiates Cloud PC provisioning. Less than an hour later, the employee receives access to a Windows 365 Cloud PC, allowing them to get to their personal files, apps, data, and settings from any device, whether it\u2019s their own or a spare machine someone shares with them.<\/p>\n \u201cMicrosoft is a massive company with so many internal sites to access,\u201d says Tony Bouker, solution delivery product manager for ServiceNow at Microsoft. \u201cSelf-service through our unified ServiceNow solution helps people find things more easily, and it also has the side effect of deflecting some requests that might otherwise come to MSD help desks.\u201d<\/p>\n The result? Our Techlink support specialists save time by avoiding lengthy reimaging processes for physical loaner devices, and our employees get back to work faster.<\/p>\n Providing Windows 365 Cloud PCs as an alternative to physical devices during the hardware refresh cycle follows a similar process, but it\u2019s driven by different needs. Employees might love the layout or familiarity of their physical devices, but the hardware is outdated. More advanced users might want to pair their device\u2019s local computing power with a Windows 365 Cloud PC that\u2019s backed by Azure to boost productivity.<\/p>\n Whatever the reasons, spinning up a Cloud PC on one of your devices instead of buying a new one can have a positive impact on both operations and cost-savings.<\/p>\n When an employee discovers they\u2019re eligible for a device refresh via their administrator or an automated invitation, they access our TechWeb service portal, where they learn about Windows 365. The portal directs them to a workflow where they can select the Cloud PC configuration and start the approval and provisioning process. After that process is complete, they\u2019ll be provisioned with a new Cloud PC in less than an hour\u2014a huge step up from the days or weeks getting a physical device replacement might take.<\/p>\n In our scenarios, the ServiceNow workflow launches after the employee makes their request through a questionnaire detailing parameters including device needs and region. We\u2019ve configured the workflow to check things like Cloud PC eligibility before passing the request along to the employee\u2019s approving manager and then to MSD for the provisioning stage.<\/p>\n \u2014Tony Bouker, solution delivery product manager, ServiceNow at Microsoft<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n On our employee enablement journey, we\u2019ve learned that choice and self-determination help drive effective self-service. So a tool like ServiceNow, which helps us realize the value of Windows 365 for employees quickly and painlessly, not only saves time and money but leads to better outcomes for employees.<\/p>\n \u201cIn our scenarios, the ServiceNow workflow launches after the employee makes their request through a questionnaire detailing parameters including device needs and region,\u201d Bouker says. \u201cWe\u2019ve configured the workflow to check things like Cloud PC eligibility before passing the request along to the employee\u2019s approving manager and then to MSD for the provisioning stage.\u201d<\/p>\n We built Windows 365 to integrate easily with traditional IT workflows, and we invest in APIs to ensure we can automate processes and deliver this IT service model effectively. It\u2019s all about the simplicity of spinning Cloud PCs up and down so we can empower people who make device decisions but don\u2019t have virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) expertise.<\/p>\n \u2014Scott Manchester, vice president, Windows Cloud products<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n After the workflow, ServiceNow\u2019s integration with tools like Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Intune, and Microsoft 365 security features makes deployment simple. The requesting employee gets placed in a Microsoft Entra ID group, and that triggers a provisioning workflow, including the creation of the Cloud PC, a final MSD review, and a notification to the Cloud PC recipient that they\u2019re all set.<\/p>\n Our self-service workflow for provisioning Windows 365 Cloud PCs. \u201cWe built Windows 365 to integrate easily with traditional IT workflows, and we invest in APIs to ensure we can automate processes and deliver this IT service model effectively,\u201d Manchester says. \u201cIt\u2019s all about the simplicity of spinning Cloud PCs up and down so we can empower people who make device decisions but don\u2019t have virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) expertise.\u201d<\/p>\n Windows 365 is our fastest-growing new service in MSD, with over 200 percent growth this fiscal year. We estimate that our support technicians are saving as many as three hours per request. And of course, with Cloud PCs spinning up within an hour of approval, our employees can get back to work much faster than ever before. That\u2019s something everyone can get on board with.<\/p>\n \u2014Dave Rodriguez, principal product manager Frictionless Devices team, Microsoft Digital<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Many organizations don\u2019t have Microsoft\u2019s substantial IT resources or VDI experience. For those businesses, automating Windows 365 self-service Cloud PC provisioning through ServiceNow has enormous potential.<\/p>\n Simplicity and value mean these kinds of programs are accelerating quickly. \u201cWindows 365 is our fastest-growing new service in MSD, with over 200 percent growth this fiscal year,\u201d Rodriguez says.<\/p>\n Within the Techlink loaner program, we\u2019ve already reached our initial 200 Cloud PC loaner capacity, and demand remains high.<\/p>\n \u201cWe estimate that our support technicians are saving as many as three hours per request,\u201d Rodriguez says. \u201cAnd of course, with Cloud PCs spinning up within an hour of approval, our employees can get back to work much faster than ever before. That\u2019s something everyone can get on board with.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s about creating better experiences for our employees.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not just about making something IT loves,\u201d Manchester says. \u201cIt\u2019s about making something every employee loves.\u201d<\/p>\n Here are some tips for getting started with Windows 365 at your company:<\/p>\n Sign up to try Windows 365 Cloud PCs: Share your info with us here if you\u2019re an enterprise customer<\/a> or sign up for a trial here if you\u2019re a business customer<\/a>.<\/p>\nAn elastic PC that unlocks scale and flexibility<\/h2>\n
New approaches to PC provisioning for Microsoft employees<\/h2>\n
Techlink loaner program<\/h3>\n
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Device refresh alternative<\/h3>\n
Linking self-service integration to PC provisioning simplicity<\/h2>\n
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\n(click on image to view a larger version)<\/em><\/p>\nAccelerating the next phase of cloud transformation<\/h2>\n
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