Educational Episodes: Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI)

Microsoft continues push the envelope of the Windows PC cloud experience. As we recall, they unveiled the Windows 365 solution back in 2021. Ever since, the solution continues to evolve, adding new features and functionality. Now, they are doing something that is a departure from the software advances of the past few years. They are unveiling purpose-built hardware to take advantage of Windows 365. Windows 365 Link is billed by Microsoft as the first Cloud PC device that is purpose-built for the Windows 365 solution. What is Windows 365 Link? The new Windows 365 Link is a lightweight device that is designed to provide a streamlined connection experience into the Windows 365 Cloud PC environment. You can think of the device as a “thin client” that connects you to the Windows 365 Cloud environment. The device has several appealing qualities when it comes to using it as a daily driver to connect into your Windows 365 environment. It has a quick boot time and, according to Microsoft, wakes from sleep almost instantly. You also have the ability with the Link to run dual 4K monitors for pros that need the screen real estate for running their applications and multi-tasking. Windows 365 Link Microsoft is heavily targeting organizations that have many desk-based workers that use Windows 365. It will provide the hardware needed to make sure connectivity to Windows 365 is secure and productive, including situations where hot desks are used, like in call centers. Use cases and deployment When looking at where the Windows 365 Link may fit in terms of deployment scenarios, there are a few target use cases they serve well. These include the following: Shared stations and hot desks – If there are environments where multiple users need to access the same workstation, the Link device connects users to their Cloud PC environment in a secure way Remote Work – For home or remote locations and teleworkers, the Windows 365 Link provides a consistent and will allow users to have a secure connection to their work environment in Windows 365 Cloud PC, and provide hardware that is easily managed by IT staff and secure by design Temporary workers or contractors – Contractors and other temporary workers can be provided with a Windows 365 Link allowing them to access their secure environment in Windows 365. It will allow organizations to provide secure access to resources without sending over full-fledged laptops or workstations which will reduce the overhead for providing hardware to these types of temporary positions Connectivity options and peripherals The Windows 365 Link device has several connectivity and I/O options. These include (4) USB ports, ethernet port, Wi-Fi 6E capability, Bluetooth 5.3, and can connect to a wide range of peripherals. The modern Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth capabilities mean you can transfer data between devices very quickly. This will be a welcome capability with those who use modern peripherals and devices. Windows 365 Link has good I/O connectivity for peripherals, etc Also processes things locally You may think that Windows 365 Link would be quite anemic in terms of processing power locally. However, that is not the case. Link has the hardware capabilities to process things like video playback and video conferencing over platforms like Microsoft Teams. Microsoft has also stated that it is cooperating with other video conferencing vendors and solutions like Webex by Cisco and working to make sure the device provides high performance streaming capabilities for various other platforms. Secure by design Microsoft has thought through the security design of the Windows 365 Link device. By default Link has no local admin users, no local data storage or apps. Users can’t execute or install any software on the device which greatly helps to protect the environment from malware. Also, users of the device do not have administrative privileges and they are able to login using passwordless authentication with Microsoft Entra ID. This allows organizations to take advantage of the additional protection of multifactor authentication made possible using the Microsoft Authenticator app, passkeys or FIDO USB security keys. By default, you don’t have to worry about hardening the device as it already has the default security baseline policies applied. These default policies include features like the following: Secure Boot Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Hypervisor Code Integrity BitLocker encryption enabled Microsoft Defender for Endpoint detection and response sensor These default security settings cannot be disabled by users. Easier management by IT staff One of the primary reasons that organizations may lean towards using the Windows 365 Link device is the simplified management process. It allows IT staff to configure and manage the Link devices with their other traditional workstations in the environment. Devices appear under the name “WCPC” for Windows Cloud PC and can easily be identified with other client devices. Windows 365 Link will help with management challenges for IT staff Managing endpoints can be a complex task for IT departments. The Windows 365 Link simplifies this process by integrating seamlessly with Microsoft Intune, allowing IT administrators to configure and manage the devices alongside other PCs using existing knowledge and policies. Devices are named with a prefix “WCPC” (Windows Cloud PC) for easy identification. The device also ensures it stays up to date by downloading updates in the background and applying them during periods of inactivity, minimizing disruptions to users. Energy and cost efficient One of the additional benefits of the Windows 365 Link is that it is energy efficient. Since it doesn’t have the hardware footprint of a full desktop workstation, the components are energy efficient and minimalistic to help reduce power consumption. This in turn helps organizations to lower their carbon footprint. With energy costs rising worldwide and this becoming more of a consideration, the Windows 365 Link device will help businesses achieve their sustainability goals. It will also lead to less e-waste over time. What’s next? Microsoft is certainly continuing to evolve the capabilities and benefits of Windows 365. However, the Windows 365 Link is a unique new offering that introduces the purpose-built hardware needed to fully take advantage of the capabilities of Windows 365, while at the same time benefiting from the efficiency it makes possible. The Windows 365 Link looks to strike a good balance between local performance for video streaming and other needs and efficiency for a low-power footprint that helps businesses meet their sustainability goals and save on energy costs. Future updates to the Windows 365 Link may include further integrations with Microsoft’s suite of productivity tools. It will be interesting to see the feedback from early adopters as this will no doubt help to shape future enhancements to the hardware and capabilities. Wrapping up It is interesting to see Microsoft entering the hardware game with Windows 365 Link. However, the device is certainly complementary hardware to the capabilities provided by Windows 365. Microsoft’s vision of Windows 365 cloud PC continues to evolve as they look to modernize endpoints. With its strong security features and connectivity options along with the local performance it provides, it strikes a really good balance between performance and efficiency. For more detailed information, you can refer to the official Microsoft announcement.

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