Windows Intune - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windowsintune/try-and-buy.aspx
A fair solution for smaller sized IT Teams that do not want to manage the overhead of new systems/hardware for a PC management solution. Larger organizations could use Systems Center. A more reasonable and lower featured product would be the Systems Center Essentials. This would be the 3rd product from Microsoft in the chain but targeted towards SMB and cloud based.
Some quick notes:
- Retail list at $11/month/PC. Discounts for people under software assurance.
- If I am reading correctly, the license rights of Windows 7 are part of the subscription. There are buy out rights if one wishes to cancel the Intune service. Additionally license rights allow 4 instances of virtual windows 7 licenses on each licensed PC. However Intune will not deploy/upgrade windows 7.
- Need to install client manually under admin login
- Firewall policies have to be modified for cloud access
- Special deployment provisions if group policies are in effect
- Endpoint protection. Concerned with strength of Microsoft endpoint protection as reviews I have read do not give it a high enough ranking
-Need professional, enterprise, ultimate versions of XP, Vista, 7. Those deploying home editions in the workplace are out of luck
- Serious concern from reviews is the fact that "end user assistance" is still required for tasks
- Ability to package and keep software to be deployed in the cloud (software should allow/compatible for silent installs)
Microsoft Case Studies: Softchoice
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