Microsoft announce Managed Desktop Service for Enterprise

Today Microsoft announced a new Managed Desktop Service powered by the Microsoft Cloud to help enterprise customers stay secure and up to date.

Microsoft Managed Desktop (MMD) brings together Microsoft 365 Enterprise, device as a service, and cloud-based device management by Microsoft.  MMD is built on modern devices that meet Microsoft’s specification and runtime quality bar. Microsoft also leverages analytics to provide operational and security insights and learnings, allowing Microsoft to constantly monitor and improve, as well as manage the global MMD device population. This global view allows Microsoft, for example, to use AI to determine which devices are ready for feature updates or, conversely, whether a specific app is blocking a device’s ability to update.

Microsoft said customer feedback and insight were also at the heart of MMD. Microsoft worked with Lloyds Banking Group to deploy MMD, as well as the Seattle Reign FC to help Microsoft expand and develop the MMD offering. Microsoft also partnered with key strategic partners like Dell, HP, DXC, HCL, Computacenter and Accenture/Avanade to provide devices and experiences alongside MMD.

Microsoft launched the service with a small number of customers in the U.K. and the U.S., and are starting operations in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand in early 2019.  From there Microsoft plan to expand to several other geographies in the second half of 2019.

Microsoft believes that MMD will be an option that allows organizations to fundamentally shift how they think about and manage their IT. Through MMD, customers will be able to move toward a secure, always up-to-date environment with device management by Microsoft.

Those interested in MMD can contact their local Microsoft account manager to learn more.