Windows 365 “levels the playing field” for an organisation’s users, regardless of their status in the company, according to Dan Coleby, Modern Workplace Product Director at Content+Cloud.
Dubbed by Microsoft as a “cloud PC”, Windows 365 was launched in July of this year and runs the operating system from the cloud. It allows users to stream Windows 10 (which will have its support ended in 2025) and the newly launched Windows 11.
Running it on the cloud enables users to collaborate anytime and anywhere as they can use any device to run it, said Coleby (pictured above).
“What you get with a cloud PC through Windows 365 is a full version of Windows, fully capable of running any collaboration or communication tools, like Teams or SharePoint,” he told UC Today.
“You get a personalised and persistent experience. For example, if I log on from my phone or from my laptop, I can pick up exactly where I left off with that cloud PC – the experience is always consistent. It’s the same quality with the same security system behind it, and my work is where I left it.”
It also makes collaboration and communication easier between a company’s employees, particularly those who are contractors or are on a short term contract and who have to navigate what can be a complex process to gain access to the company’s network and software.
“Often organisations have temporary workers or third parties, who sometimes get different levels of access and it’s not a common playing field when it comes to truly collaborating with their colleagues,” he added.
“[With Windows 365] everyone is effectively receiving the same level of desktop and same level of access through that model. That means I can dip into that cloud PC, I can use those collaboration tools to talk to whoever I need to [in the company] in same way that they are [using those tools], which means that it becomes a very good solution for those different types of personas”
It also “democratises” hybrid working for users, who can use the device of their choice to access Windows 365.
“In this world of hybrid working which we find ourselves, it makes it easier for people to fit their work into their life and pick up whatever device they might have at that time or might need to access a particular piece of information,” he elaborated.
“The cloud PC very much democratises that ability to collaborate and communicate by providing the same level of service to more users no matter where they are.”
Watch UC Today‘s interview with Coleby and Content+Cloud CEO Peter Sweetbaum, where they discuss how they were selected to be one of the first partners to pilot Windows 365 with a client and the channel opportunities around the software.
