Cloud PC - SCC UK

Why it matters

Device management has become a security and compliance liability. Organisations issue tablets, laptops and desktop computers to users. Some devices never return to the office; users work remotely and devices stay in home environments where security is your responsibility but control is limited. 76% of organisations have experienced device theft in the past two years. Stolen devices mean exposure to proprietary data, customer information and credentials, requiring expensive breach response and potential regulatory reporting. Device lifecycle management requires year round effort, imaging, patching, monitoring, replacing failed hardware and secure retirement. All this complexity exists because traditional computing still relies on physical devices that employees must carry or store.

Cloud PC (Windows 365) inverts the device management model. Your operating environment lives in the cloud, not on physical hardware. Users access their Cloud PC from whatever device they’re using, corporate laptop, personal tablet, cafeteria kiosk, home desktop, and they’re instantly in their secure work environment. When they step away, their work stays in the cloud, not on the device they were using. Device theft becomes a non-issue; there’s nothing valuable to steal. Your IT team manages one instance per user (their Cloud PC), not separate device estates across multiple device types. Provisioning is automated, new users are ready within hours, not weeks. Your security posture becomes consistent across all users because everyone works in standardised cloud instances, not personal devices with varied security configurations.

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of organisations experienced device theft in the past two years. Cloud PC eliminates this risk by moving working environments from physical devices to the cloud.

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of employee onboarding is faster with Cloud PC provisioning compared to traditional device provisioning, reducing time to productivity from weeks to hours.

Key features

Secure Windows from the cloud on any device

Your working environment lives in Microsoft Azure, not on local hardware. Users access their Cloud PC from corporate devices, personal tablets, home computers or shared kiosks using RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol). Their applications, data and settings remain in the cloud; nothing sensitive lands on the device they’re using. When users move between devices, they’re instantly in their same working environment. Data stays in the cloud where you control backup, encryption and compliance.

Simplified management and automated provisioning

Rather than managing individual devices, you manage Cloud PC instances in Azure and Intune. Provisioning new users takes hours instead of weeks, assign a Cloud PC instance, the user receives access credentials, and they’re ready within hours. No imaging, device staging or application installation required. Policy management is simple, deploy policies to Cloud PC instances and they apply consistently. Device firmware updates, driver management and hardware replacement disappear from your operational burden.

Reduced endpoint management effort and security consistency

Traditional device management requires patching, monitoring and troubleshooting across diverse hardware platforms. Cloud PC runs on standardised infrastructure, eliminating hardware variation. Updates and patches apply consistently across all Cloud PC instances. Malware scanning and threat detection happen in the cloud, not dependent on device-level security tools. Your security posture becomes consistent because every user works in a standardised, monitored environment.

BYOD flexibility without security compromise

Users who work on personal devices no longer expose those devices to your data and compliance obligations. Instead, they access Cloud PC from their personal device using a thin client experience. Their personal device never has access to corporate applications or data, everything happens in the cloud. You reduce BYOD security complexity while enabling the flexibility users want.

How it works

Step 1

Discover and assess your current environment

We evaluate your current device fleet, user populations, applications and security requirements. We model Cloud PC sizing requirement, how many vCPU cores, RAM and storage does each user type need? We identify applications that require special handling (GPU-intensive applications, legacy software). We assess your network and connectivity to ensure users can reliably access Cloud PC instances.

Step 2

Build your Cloud PC architecture in Azure

We design your Cloud PC environment in Microsoft Azure and configure it within Intune. We specify instance sizing for different user personas, knowledge workers, engineers, creative professionals may need different CPU, RAM and storage configurations. We establish image customisation, which applications, security tools and policies each Cloud PC instance receives. We configure network connectivity, authentication through Entra ID and integration with your existing identity provider.

Step 3

Run a pilot programme with selected users

Before full rollout, we deploy Cloud PC instances to a pilot user group covering different personas and use cases. We monitor performance, gather user feedback and identify any applications or workflows requiring special handling. Pilot results inform sizing decisions and reveal any connectivity or architecture adjustments needed.

Step 4

Deploy to broader user populations on your schedule

Based on pilot validation, we scale Cloud PC deployment to broader user groups on a schedule you control. Provisioning automation creates new instances for users as they join the programme. We monitor adoption metrics, connectivity, performance, user satisfaction. We provide training and support resources to help users adapt to cloud-based working.

Step 5

Optimise and manage ongoing operations

Once users are in Cloud PC, we monitor utilisation metrics, performance data and user feedback. We resize instances for user groups where actual requirements differ from initial assessment. We manage Azure licensing, ensure security patches apply automatically and update applications as versions change. Cloud PC becomes part of your evergreen endpoint strategy.

Partners

Cloud PC is delivered using Microsoft Windows 365 infrastructure hosted in Azure, combined with Microsoft Intune for instance management and Entra ID for authentication. We configure and operate Cloud PC environments on your behalf, managing sizing, image customisation, security policies and end-user support.

Cisco is a global leader in networking, cybersecurity, enterprise AI platforms and collaboration technologies that securely connect organisations worldwide. SCC holds the highest Cisco accreditations available, including UK Preferred Partner status across Cloud AI, Collaboration, Networking,…

Amazon Web Services provides cloud infrastructure at global scale across compute, storage, databases and specialised services. SCC is an AWS Advanced Partner delivering migrations from on-premises to AWS, managed cloud operations and infrastructure optimisation. We’ve completed 400+ AWS migrations…

Hewlett Packard Enterprise delivers edge-to-cloud solutions spanning enterprise-grade compute, hybrid cloud through GreenLake, AI-ready infrastructure with NVIDIA integration and intelligent networking combining Aruba and Juniper. HPE’s architecture enables organisations to modernise IT…

Ready to move endpoints to the cloud

Cloud PC eliminates device theft risk, simplifies endpoint management and enables flexible work from any device. Let’s assess your current environment and plan a Cloud PC pilot.

Speak to a specialist

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FAQs

What happens if a user’s internet connection drops? Do they lose access to their work?

Cloud PC connections are resilient to brief interruptions. If the network drops, the connection pauses, but when connectivity returns, the connection resumes where it left off. Applications and data stay in the cloud. For users in areas with unreliable connectivity, we can configure local caching for critical applications, but most organisations find Cloud PC works well with standard business-grade broadband.

Doesn’t Cloud PC cost more than buying devices? How is this economical?

Cloud PC replaces device capital costs, device management overhead, helpdesk support for hardware issues, and security incident response for device theft. Comparing cost requires accounting for the full lifecycle, not just licensing. Plus, Cloud PC provisioning is faster and cheaper than traditional device procurement and staging. Most organisations find Cloud PC pricing comparable to traditional endpoints when accounting for total cost of ownership, with significant additional benefits (security, flexibility, management simplification).

Can we run GPU-intensive applications on Cloud PC, data science, rendering, CAD?

Standard Cloud PC is optimised for office applications and light development work. For GPU-intensive workloads, we can provision GPU-backed Cloud PC instances that provide graphics acceleration. These are more expensive than standard instances, so we recommend reserving GPU Cloud PC for users who genuinely need GPU capability. Most organisations use standard Cloud PC for the majority of users and GPU-backed instances for specialist teams.

What if a user prefers a physical device, can they stay on traditional endpoints?

Yes. Cloud PC and traditional endpoints can run simultaneously in your environment. You can offer Cloud PC to users who work flexibly or travel frequently, and keep traditional devices for teams that prefer them. Over time, as users experience Cloud PC, adoption typically increases. Some organisations run both models indefinitely, and that’s a valid strategy.