Microsoft this week announced a new recommended set of configurations that allows IT professionals to set up Windows 10 devices and optimize them for the cloud.
The new offering – called “cloud config” or “in cloud,” is designed to use the technology infrastructure organizations already have – like Microsoft Endpoint Manager, Windows 10 and apps – to save time and money while getting employees set up with the right device.
On its website, Microsoft describes cloud config as a “Microsoft-recommended device configuration for Windows 10, cloud-optimized for users with specific workflow needs.” IT admins can use Microsoft Endpoint Manager to apply a standard, cloud-based configuration of Windows 10 to a selected set of new or existing devices.
In a blog, Jared Spataro, corporate vice president for Microsoft 365, said cloud config gives users a familiar Windows interface and productivity apps while admins get a familiar management experience.
“All it takes is a Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise PC, Endpoint Manager, and to apply the cloud configuration apps and settings,” Spataro writes. “And in addition to Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Edge, and OneDrive for Business, cloud config gives you the flexibility to securely deploy Win32 and critical line-of-business (LOB) apps either directly to the device or via virtualization.”
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According to Microsoft, cloud config can be used “for anyone whose role can be performed with some combination of browser, Microsoft teams, email, optional productivity apps, and a limited number of internal line of business applications delivered directly to the device or through desktop/app virtualization.”
The standardized configuration can be used for scenarios like standardizing configuration across departments, enabling remote work with virtualization and a simple device configuration or for educational use, according to the company.
Cloud configuration can be deployed to any devices on a Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education license. It can be applied, removed and changed anytime using Endpoint Manager.
Spataro said this allows customers to deploy and update from a single dashboard and deliver apps to every user, provides secure access to corporate networks, and provides data storage to make it easier for users to access data from any device.
“And given their many competing demands, customers tell me, again and again, they need this solution to be cost-effective, secure, and simple to deploy,” Spataro writes. “They need it to work seamlessly with Windows and other tools and experiences—including Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Edge, and OneDrive for Business—that people know and want. And they need it today.”
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