“In preview, the service claims it will allow an administrator to pre-stage a cloud PC, already loaded with the company’s policies, apps and security controls, so it can be handed to a stranded user in minutes,” he said. “Imagine your laptop dies at a client site. Helpdesk fires off a link, you open it in a browser or the Windows app, and you’re back at a familiar, compliant desktop before your coffee gets cold. At least that’s what they’re promising.”
He likes the idea that Intune manages the virtual devices, so there’s no new control plane to learn, and he also sees potential for other use cases besides providing backups for PCs.
“Reserve could also be a low-friction way to dabble with virtual desktops with minimal commitment,” he noted. However, he does have reservations. “Microsoft’s value proposition is clear: quicker, safer recovery for lost, stolen, or broken devices,” he said. “At the end of the day, IT will still need an operational playbook. How does a user reach support when the primary device fails? Is a physical replacement shipped, or is Reserve the stopgap? Which applications and policies belong in the Reserve image? IT teams will need to sort out those workflows to make Windows 365 Reserve a practical resilience tool and not just another SKU.”
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