- Windows 365 Reserve offers temporary cloud PCs with up to 10 days per year per user for incidents.
- It's managed with Intune, enforces Zero Trust policies and security, and deploys on demand.
- Covers loss, theft, breakdowns, cyberattacks, and delivery delays, with notifications and refunds to save time.
- Currently in limited preview, with registration by form and no final prices.
Windows 365 Reserve It is Microsoft's new proposal designed for those critical moments when a main team fails and work cannot be stopped. We are talking about Temporary, preconfigured, and secure cloud PCs, which employees can connect to from any device to continue their workday without missing a beat while their equipment is being repaired or replaced.
In a context with increasingly frequent interruptions due to theft, loss, breakdowns, delivery delays or cyberattacks, the idea is to offer a safety net ready to be activated when the unexpected happens. This is not a traditional VDI, but a modern and scalable offering that grants up to 10 days of annual access to a Cloud PC per user, with the flexibility to consume that time in a row or spread over several incidents.
What is Windows 365 Reserve and why it matters
Windows 365 Reserve is a standalone offering within Windows 365 that provides a cloud-hosted Windows desktop, dedicated and temporary, when the employee's primary PC is unavailable. Its objective is minimize operational and financial impact from interruptions, allowing the person to regain productivity from any secondary computer, whether managed or personal, and without waiting for the repair or replacement of the original device.
These Cloud PCs are delivered with applications of Microsoft 365, corporate configurations and Organizational security policies applied by default, following Zero Trust principles. Thanks to its native integration with Microsoft Intune, IT teams can manage them just like any other device, with centralized policies, automated provisioning, and simplified license control.
It is not a solution for long-term continuous use. Its design is intended to cover specific incidents and maintain business continuity. The Reserve license grants up to 10 days of access per year per user, which can be consumed all at once or divided by events. When the counter runs out, access expires, with automatic warnings to administrators and users to avoid surprises.
It is important not to confuse Windows 365 with Microsoft 365. Windows 365 Securely stream a full Windows desktop from the cloud to any device, while Microsoft 365 refers to a productivity subscription with apps, services, and security. Windows 365 Reserve falls into the first group: Cloud-based PCs ready to use on demand.
Main usage scenarios
The impact of a single device going down can escalate rapidly. A breakdown or attack halts deliveries, clears schedules, and overwhelms the IT team.If scaled across hundreds or thousands of employees, downtime costs become a critical business issue. Reserve addresses precisely that gap, with immediate, frictionless coverage.
- Loss, theft or breakage of equipment: The user connects to their Cloud PC in minutes and continues working while IT manages the physical incident.
- Delays in the delivery of new devices: Avoiding blank days for new additions or replacements, ensuring that employees start on time.
- Unexpected failure of hardware or software: operational continuity during diagnostics, repairs or reinstallations.
- Incidents of ciberseguridad: Keeping productivity safe while investigating, containing, and remediating an attack.
- Onboarding and testing: temporary access for new remote additions or for validate system images and applications before implementing changes in production.
Recent data among IT leaders shows that a very high percentage of organizations have suffered device theft over the past two years, with significant legal and productivity effects. In that scenario, Reserve operates as proactive safety net to protect revenue and ensure continuity in the face of common disruptions.
How it's managed: policies, provisioning, and control
Management is based on Microsoft Intune. After purchasing Windows 365 Reserve licenses for the tenant, the team creates a specific procurement policyThis policy defines the geography where the Cloud PCs will be created and that Microsoft user groups Enter are covered. Optionally, the main gallery image, Language Pack and scope labels for supply.
To improve efficiency and respond to large-scale disruption events, Reserve automates decisions: select a default Cloud PC size, choose the region according to capacity, uses Microsoft Hosted Network (no support for custom networks) and sets the gallery image version supported in that region, without supporting custom images.
A key aspect operationally: policy and group allocation must be created at least seven days before of provisioning. After that period, administrators can deploy when necessary, as long as the license is active.
Unlike Windows 365 Enterprise or Frontline, Reserve Cloud PCs are not created automatically when defining the policy. Just-in-time provisioning occurs when the user is affected by an outage, with apps, configurations and policies already established, facilitating a quick return to productivity.
License control is simple: each user has up to 10 days of annual access. The platform sends push notifications when There is close to running out. When the person recovers their primary device, the administrator can deprovision from Intune and keep unused days for future incidents while the license remains valid.
What the end user sees and does
Once deployed, the employee accesses their Cloud PC from any permitted device, via Windows application or Web navigator. The experience is equivalent to a full desktop of Windows 11, with corporate resources and secure access. The interface also clearly displays the expiration date of the access so that you have visibility of the remaining time.
Reserve send expiration notices with sufficient notice. When the user returns to their primary computer, they can choose to return the Cloud PC from the same application, reserving unused days for future use, as long as the license is valid. The goal is minimize interruptions and maintain a nearly constant workflow, despite the incident.
Security and Design with Zero Trust
The proposal is secure by design. It is based on the Zero Trust model and inherits the organization's security posture by default. Access can easily revoked from Intune with administrative controls, ensuring data protection and compliance even during incident recovery.
It is important to be aware of some availability limitations. By relying on cloud infrastructure, the service is conditioned by capacity in Azure and requires a network connection to use Cloud PC. In the event of massive disruptions, advance planning and strong Reserve coverage make it easy to maintain seamless continuity.
Current status: Limited preview and participation
Windows 365 Reserve is in public preview with restricted accessParticipation requires an application, by complete form or contact with the Microsoft team. During this phase, the design and experience can be adjusted and not all functions are initially available.
For now, There are no final prices or official schedule.The priority for many organizations is to ensure business continuity, valuing protection against downtime costs rather than direct returns on licensing costs.
How it compares to other Windows 365 offerings
It is essential to distinguish Reserve from Windows 365 FrontlineThe Frontline solution is designed to frontline staff and shift work, allowing up to three employees to share a single license, and Cloud PCs to automatically power on and off based on activity. Reserve, on the other hand, focuses on cover emergencies and specific disruptions for employees with conventional PCs.
Another new feature in the Windows 365 ecosystem is the thin application provisioning, useful for certain profiles. However, the main piece we consider in this document, Reserve, activate a full cloud desktop when the primary device fails or is unavailable.
When evaluating requirements, some sources suggest that additional licenses may be required such as Windows E3, Intune and Microsoft Enter ID P1Given the preview phase, it's recommended to consult with your account representative or for updated documentation before implementing.
Key benefits for IT and the business
From an operational perspective, Reserve allows restore productivity quickly. Advance preparation ensures that, in the event of an incident, the administrator deploys a Cloud PC with apps, policies, and secure accessDisruption is minimized and recovery is agile.
Plus, management is easier: Reserve Cloud PCs are manage like any other device in Intune, with centralized policies, automated provisioning, and license control. Its 10 days per year per user provides flexibility, allowing you to use that time on multiple occasions and manage its use through shortage of supplies.
In terms of security, it should be noted that Reserve apply the zero trust stance, enables revoke access and works as a robust backup solution for temporary PCs, rather than legacy or loaner equipment.
Good practices for effective adoption
To ensure the effectiveness of Reserve, it is advisable plan aheadDefining provisioning policies, user groups, and geographic locations helps reduce incident response time.
Likewise, carry out controlled tests With a group of users and IT teams, verify that provisioning, access, and return processes are working correctly. Additionally, preparing a communication and proactive notification plan prevents confusion in a disruption situation.
Finally, maintain a capacity plan Tailored to the number of critical employees and potential risks, considering regional capacity and connectivity, ensures adequate coverage in the event of massive disruptions.
All this makes Windows 365 Reserve a Continuity policy that is easy to manage, quick to activate, and aligned with modern security standards., designed to keep teams connected and productive even when physical infrastructure fails.
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