Microsoft Managed Desktop Announced
With Microsoft Managed Desktop (MMD) for Windows 10, Microsoft has announced a new service for enterprise customers. This new management service includes not only the complete management of Windows 10, but also pre-configured hardware. Microsoft Managed Desktop will be provided through a monthly subscription fee per user; the cost of this service will vary depending on the number of users, the size of the business, and the type of devices being managed.
According to the software company MMD will contain pre-configured Windows 10 devices, the complete administration along with monthly patch management and installation of the semi-annual feature updates as well as the initial setup of enterprise applications. A security monitoring as well as the replacement of defective or three years old hardware is included in the monthly subscription. In the case of the Windows 10 hardware, the software group is currently still limited to its own Surface products, but it is also planned to certify systems from other manufacturers, such as HP or Dell, and to include them in the portfolio. In addition, MMD includes Microsoft 365 Enterprise, the bundle license from Windows 10 Enterprise, Office 365, and Enterprise Mobility and Security.
Initially, the new management service will only be available in the US and UK, and in early 2019 in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The expansion of sales to other regions is only planned for the second half of 2019.
However, with the introduction of MMD, Microsoft will not replace any of its existing products, Microsoft 365 will continue to be sold as an independent subscription, and Windows AutoPilot, a service for setting up, resetting, and deploying Windows 10 systems, will also be available separately.