Microsoft looks to take over the management of enterprise desktop PCs with Microsoft Managed Desktop (MMD)-- a service handing off day-to-day tasks to the Windows developer, allowing admins to concentrate on the business side of things.
The service is combines the Microsoft 365 Enterprise device-as-a-service and cloud-based management. It involves the leasing of what Microsoft calls "modern hardware," systems with the appropriate hardware security and remote management features. Initially the hardware selection consists of 1st party Surface devices, before the eventual addition of 3rd party hardware from the likes of Dell and HP, among others.
As Microsoft puts it, MMD leverages analytics to provide operational and security insights, allowing it to constantly monitor and improve on the global MMD device population. For instance, insights and AI can determine the devices ready for feature updates, or whether a specific app is affecting a particular update.
At first MMD is available for a small number of customers in the UK and US, before an early 2018 rollout in Canada, AUstralia and New Zealand. More geographies will be added come H2 2019.
