Credit: Microsoft
Microsoft provides a recommended set of configuration settings for IT professionals who want to configure Windows 10 devices in the cloud in the first place. These settings are called Windows 10 “in cloud” configuration, and apply to Windows 10, Microsoft Endpoint Manager, and a subset of Windows programs. On February 2, Microsoft released cloud config details via a new website and documentation.
Cloud config is not a new version, version or mode of Windows, officials stressed. It is a set of settings that can be applied to existing computers running Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education and is used by Microsoft Endpoint Manager.
Microsoft is targeting Windows 10 cloud config on enterprise and educational settings. Microsoft’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) area on its website describes cloud config as ” a Microsoft-recommended device configuration for Windows 10, optimized for users with specific workflow needs. ‘
Cloud configuration is for groups of users with simplified needs, such as productivity and browsing, officials said. The ideal candidates for this will not depend on on-site infrastructure; use Windows 10 devices that do not require many complicated settings, personal agents and the like; and uses a focused set of apps, including some internal application programs, in addition to Microsoft’s own Office-related programs. Devices will be set up with the standard Windows 10 security baseline and receive automatic updates via Windows Update for Business.
Via cloud config, users are subscribed to ‘Azure Active Directory; configure using Intune in EndPoint Manager; and receive an “IT composite” set of apps, including the new Microsoft Edge, Teams, OneDrive, and possibly Microsoft 365 apps. (Some Microsoft 365 subscriptions contain all of these pieces, or each can be licensed separately.)
Microsoft calls frontline workers, remote workers and educational users as good potential candidates for Windows 10 cloud config. As a number of our Microsoft viewers have noted, Microsoft needs a simpler, streamlined way to manage computers, especially in education, if it intends to get on well with Chrome OS and Chromebooks. With the first Windows 10X PCs to hit the market in the coming months – and the rollout of Microsoft’s Cloud PC virtualization service expected to be imminent – this is a good time for Microsoft to try (again) to get a grip on. Windows 10 Computer Management enhancement and streamlining.
The overview and setup guide for Windows 10 cloud config is here.