Sometimes tech is cyclic, but with generational improvements each time. In this case, the concept of dumb terminals dates back to mainframe days, but as computing evolved more power went to the desktop. Then we saw a return to the concept with thin PCs that allowed Windows Terminal Server or Citrix farms to deploy inexpensive hardware. And then back to desktops but with the rise of the cloud enterprises find they can run secure, on-demand, consumption-priced virtual environments in the cloud that allow a consistent, safe Windows environment for their users. Yet, how do you ensure the end-user's own device is secure and reliable? Indeed, how do you manage the plethora of help desk tickets that arise when you allow staff to connect to your virtual environment from their own desktops? In comes Windows 365 Link.

Microsoft has announced the diminutive little piece of hardware, which is available in select markets - including Australia - right now, in preview. It will be available more widely from April 2025. The unit costs only $US 349 and Microsoft says it will boot into cloud Windows 365 environments within seconds. Users can authenticate with a range of options including FIDO keys - think Yubikey, or FEITIAN for examples - as well as via Microsoft Authenticator and similar choices.

There are some pre-requisites; obviously you must have a cloud-based Windows environment for it to boot into, and be running Windows Intune and select versions of the Windows operating system in your environment.

The Windows 365 Link hardware has four USB ports, Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and dual 4K monitor support. It seamlessly connects to wired and wireless peripherals.

IT teams can setup and administer Windows 365 Link in minutes, using InTune, alongside other company devices. Send one to your remote workers and they're up and running instantly; none of this fiddling around with installing agents on their personal devices, worrying about their own security hygiene and disciplines. If it has a problem swap it out for a replacement.

Windows 365 Link Preview is available right now in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Interested customers can reach out to their Microsoft account team for access. Supported editions include Windows 365 Enterprise, Windows 365 Frontline, and Windows 365 Business. Windows 365 Government is not currently supported.

With no local apps or data, the device remains secure from malicious actors. The hardware protects the operating system from tampering, and the OS patches itself automatically overnight.

Microsoft says video conferencing is fully supported from the start, stating "Windows 365 Link is highly performant for video conferencing and video playback due to local processing, and it supports high-fidelity Microsoft Teams meetings."

A full list of prerequisites is available online.

However, please note Windows 365 Link does not support Azure Virtual Desktop or Microsoft Dev Box.