Azure Virtual Desktop

Microsoft announce that Windows Virtual Desktop is now Azure Virtual Desktop. There are a whole host of new features in preview, as well as a new licensing option. Historically, users licensed with Microsoft 365 E3/E5/F3/Business Premium or Windows 10 E3/E5 or Windows 10 VDA E3/E5 licenses have rights to the service for virtual desktops and apps. Now, there’s a per user option for external users which is a monthly per user price of $5.50 for apps, or $10 for apps + desktops, with a no-cost promotional period from 14 July, 2021 to 31 December, 2021.

Find the announcement here: https://bit.ly/3v4aa56.

Power Automate Desktop

Microsoft announce that Power Automate Desktop is now available to Windows 10 users at no additional cost.

It’s a free download and enables users to automate tasks by recording actions such as mouse and keyboard clicks across multiple applications, and then replaying them when needed. Users who then want to share flows across an organisation and to take advantage of additional capabilities will need to be licensed with a Power Automate with Attended RPA user licence.

This currently costs $40 per user per month, but there’s a promotion beginning on 1 April, 2021 where the licence (as long as a minimum of 5,000 are purchased) will only cost $15 per user per month until 30 September, 2021.

Find the announcement with links to download Power Automate Desktop and to access further information, here: http://bit.ly/2PLXLE7.

Universal Print is generally available

Microsoft announce that Universal Print is generally available.

This is a software-as-a-service printing solution that runs entirely on Microsoft Azure and eliminates the need to maintain traditional on-premises print servers or install printer drivers.

Customers with Windows 10 Enterprise E3 or E5, or Microsoft 365 F3, E3, E5 or Business Premium licences are already licensed for Universal Print, or there are standalone Universal Print licences available.

Each licence includes 5 print jobs per month which are pooled at the tenant level, and if additional capacity is needed there are Add-ons available providing a further 500 print jobs per month.

Find the announcement here: http://bit.ly/30hyRy6, and a useful page on the licensing here: http://bit.ly/38kUiD0.

Windows 10 upgrade licences in education

From November 1, 2020 customers who have purchased Microsoft 365 A3/A5 or Windows 10 Enterprise A3/A5 through CSP can upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Education, and page 42 of the November 2020 Product Terms is updated with this change.

Partners will need to submit a support request to get a Windows 10 Pro Education key which is installed by the customer and then, when the device joins the tenant domain, it is automatically upgraded to Windows 10 Education.

Get a step-by-step guide to the process and an FAQ here: https://bit.ly/36nkkUp, and a useful overview of the Windows 10 editions for education customers here: https://bit.ly/3lfBqJQ.

Windows 10 Qualifying Operating Systems

There’s a new (October 2020) Microsoft Licensing Brief to help you to answer questions around Windows 10 Qualifying Operating Systems.

Note though, that it’s not yet updated for the changes that were made to page 42 of the November 2020 Product Terms whereby Windows 10 Home licences are now qualifying licences for academic customers buying through CSP.

Find this document here: https://bit.ly/38xPnPR.

A new member of the FastTrack family provides Windows 10 deployment guidance

Microsoft announce a new member of the FastTrack family to help customers upgrade to Windows 10. This new deployment guidance is free to customers who have at least 150 Windows 10 E3 or E5 licenses, or Windows 10 Enterprise with SA. Experts will help a customer envision a technical plan, determine how to onboard and deploy new services and/or users, and work with them as they deploy.

Find the announcement here: http://bit.ly/2TsD9P3, for full details and information on how to sign up.

Windows 10 version 1903

Microsoft announce (http://bit.ly/30HUJSt) that the latest Semi-Annual Channel release of Windows 10 (version 1903) is now available to download from VLSC.

With this version, Subscription Activation now gives education customers the ability to step-up from Windows 10 Pro Education to Windows 10 Education eliminating the need to manually deploy Windows 10 images and then provide activation keys.

Find full details of Windows 10 Subscription Activation here: http://bit.ly/2HDPprD.

Windows 10 Licensing Guide

There’s an updated (April 2019) Windows 10 Licensing Guide.

The only major change from the February 2019 version is the table on page 18 which is updated for the new names of the product editions and their availability through the different Volume Licensing programs.

Find this updated guide here: http://bit.ly/MSLicensingGuides.

Windows 10 Licensing Guide

There’s an updated (February 2019) Windows 10 Licensing Guide. The main changes are a Per User Qualifying Operating Systems table added on page 7, and a section on Windows 10 Education Activation added on page 16.

Find this Licensing Guide with hundreds of other Microsoft Licensing Guides that we’ve collected over the years here: http://bit.ly/MSLicensingGuides.