Big Chris's Cloud PC Chronicles

As the need for having user desktops in the cloud evolves, ways to provide a Windows desktop to end users must evolve as well. Providing a cloud PC per user may not be cost effective for some organizations. However, with Windows 365 Frontline, organizations can provide a cloud PC that can be shared with different users who work at separate times.

Windows 365 Frontline allows up to three users to share one Cloud PC license, with one active session at a time, which is called “Dedicated”. Also, you can share a Windows 365 Cloud PC with a group of users in a non-persistent scenario where user data is not preserved, which is called “Shared” Here are types of users this Windows 365 solutions is good for:

• Shift workers
• Customer service
• Healthcare
• Retail
• Manufacturing

Users who have a Frontline license will receive their own personalized Cloud PC, but with Frontline, only one user can be logged in at a time.

You will need the following to provision a Windows 365 Cloud PC with Frontline:

• Windows 365 Frontline licenses
• Users in Entra ID
• Users licensed with Intune
• Network configured (MS hosted or custom for hybrid joined Cloud PCs)
• Permissions to manage Windows 365 in Intune

How to provision Windows 365 Frontline Cloud PCs.

1. Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center → Users → Active Users → Select a user → Licenses and Apps → Assign a Windows 365 Frontline license.

Big Chris says: Remember, you can assign up to 3 users per Frontline Dedicated license, and unlimited (at this time) number of users for Frontline Shared, but still just one user can be logged in at a time.

2. In Intune browse to Devices → Windows 365 → Provisioning policies → + Create policy. In the policy, you can select the settings that apply to your environment.
   • License Type: Enterprise or Frontline (select Frontline)
   • Frontline type: Dedicated or Shared (as shown below)
   • Join Type: Entra ID only or Entra ID hybrid join
   • Network: Microsoft hosted or your custom network

• Image: You can use an image from the image gallery or your custom image.

Big Chris says: If you are using a custom Windows 11 image, before it is NOT BitLocker encrypted before your capture.

3. Assigned the newly created policy to an Entra ID security group.
4. The Cloud PC will begin to provision.

Big Chris notes: Each user in the group where the provisioning policy will get a Cloud PC, but only one user in the group will be able to log in at a time.

5. Users can access the Cloud PC the following ways:

• Via browser: windows365.microsoft.com
• Using the Windows App

Windows 365 Frontline is a terrific way to provide Cloud PC access in a cost-effective way!