What you need to know
- Microsoft has released Windows 365 to wide availability.
- The service lets organizations save on operational costs by allowing them to split licenses for cloud PCs among multiple users.
- Users can access their cloud PCs from any device regardless of their location.
Earlier this year, Microsoft debuted Windows 365 Frontline in public preview, a new experience specifically curated for frontline and part-time workers. It's designed to give organizations more flexibility when purchasing Cloud PC licenses since it can be split between multiple users.
And now, the company has shipped the experience to general availability. As such, users can now leverage the service's offerings to access their Cloud PCs from any device.
Windows 365 Frontline is now available! 🎉Now you can empower shift and part-time workers with a secure, personalized Windows experience on any device. Find out what's new and what's coming soon: https://t.co/mReBcMpn2t#Windows365 #Frontline #CloudPC #Windows11 #Windows pic.twitter.com/5r8xAAwvX2July 5, 2023
Windows 365 Frontline is an iteration of the Windows 365 Cloud PCs. The only difference is that the service is designed to meet the needs of shift and part-time workers by canceling out the need to share physical devices.
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The service allows users to access their Frontline Cloud PC from any device, regardless of the user's location. This also helps enhance the productivity and performance index, especially for hybrid workers.
Notably, the service has helped organizations that were using it while it was in public preview to significantly cut operational costs, especially for professionals such as healthcare clinicians, consultants, customer service representatives, and more. This is because, unlike the Windows 365 Enterprise arrangement where the organization had to get each employee a dedicated Cloud PC license, Windows 365 Frontline supports sharing the license among multiple users.
Microsoft has detailed how the technique works, as highlighted below:
As employees log on, the Frontline Cloud PC is powered on and a license is used for the duration of their work. As they log off, the shared license is returned to the pool of shared licenses, and their Frontline Cloud PC is powered off. Any of the users within a defined group can access their Frontline Cloud PC without requiring a set schedule.
Microsoft
As seen above, the service works best for organizations with employees working across different time zones and shifts. This way, the Frontline Cloud PC is only used when they clock in.
That said, it's worth noting employees must save their work before signing off for the day. This is important to ensure that their work and projects are not lost in the process.
