Under the name Windows 365, Microsoft comes with a virtual PC that offers a complete Windows environment from the browser.
The cloud PC will be available from August 2. The idea is that you can use a virtual Windows environment from any modern browser and that on any device, even if it runs on Linux, OS X or Android. The idea is that everything you are working on is saved to continue working where you left off.
Windows 365 is aimed at business users and comes in a Business and Enterprise version that both run via Azure Virtual Desktop. There would be twelve possible configurations, ranging from one CPU with two gigabytes of RAM and 64 gigabytes of storage to eight CPUs, 32 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. The prices of virtual environments are not yet known.
With the virtual PC, Microsoft aims, among other things, at organizations with temporary employees or partners who need to be active on the company network. From now on, they can do this with their own device without jeopardizing the security of the company network.
But the virtualization of Windows is certainly not new. Companies such as Citrix have been offering a virtualized Windows environment for years. The Belgian Awingu has also been making apps virtually available via the browser for years, and Microsoft has been offering virtualization services for years.
In the first place, Microsoft wants to let companies set up a virtual environment quickly and easily with Windows 365. This includes companies that do want to virtualize but have not yet taken the step to virtualization or do not have that expertise. For example, Microsoft itself points to Azure Virtual Desktop for organizations with experience and want more flexibility or adjustments.
