Microsoft and VMware have teamed up a number of times to offer Microsoft's software products on VMware's virtualization products and services. Today, Microsoft announced a new collaboration with VMware to expand the reach of its cloud PC services.
In a blog post, Microsoft announced it has integrated its Windows 365 services in general, and its cloud PC feature in particular, with VMware Horizon Cloud. The new feature is currently in public preview, but there's no word yet on when it will be given a general availability label.
What is VMware Horizon Cloud? The company describes it this way:
The service supports a cloud-scale architecture that makes it easy to deliver virtualized Windows desktops and applications to any device, anytime. And, with a flexible subscription model and turnkey solutions, organizations can easily get up and running and scale quickly.
The new integration with Windows 365 means that businesses and their employees can access virtual Windows 10 and 11 desktops anywhere on any type of connected device. Microsoft's blog adds:
This collaboration brings the VMware Blast Extreme protocol and VMware gateway to Windows 365 Cloud PCs by using the same simple deployment and management capabilities that current Windows 365 customers expect—all while taking advantage of VMware's remoting features and hybrid deployment capabilities.
The blog adds that these new Windows cloud PCs on VMware's service will still be configured with Microsoft Intune for iT admins.
Microsoft says the use of VMware Horizon Cloud for Windows 365 cloud PCs will help to simplify "delivery for on-premises and legacy applications through App Volumes and support for peripherals."
Microsoft recently announced the public preview of Windows 365 Switch. It allows business and enterprise workers to quickly switch between a local desktop PC to a Windows 365 cloud PC so they could use their own personal PCs for work purposes.
