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Guided MD-102 Domain 2
Domain 2 — Module 4 of 10 40%
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MD-102 Study Guide

Domain 1: Prepare Infrastructure for Devices

  • Device Identity: Join, Register & Hybrid Free
  • Build the Right Device Groups
  • Intune Enrollment Essentials Free
  • Auto-Enrollment & Bulk Enrollment
  • Intune RBAC & Windows Hello for Business
  • Compliance Policies & Conditional Access
  • Windows LAPS & Local Group Management

Domain 2: Manage and Maintain Devices

  • Windows Autopilot: Choose Your Path Free
  • Autopilot: Device Names, ESP & Rollout
  • Provisioning Packages & Windows 11 Upgrades
  • Windows 365: Your PC in the Cloud
  • Configure Windows Devices with Intune
  • Config Profiles: Android, iOS & macOS
  • Control Admin Rights with EPM
  • Intune Suite: Apps, Analytics & Remote Help
  • Cloud PKI & Tunnel for MAM
  • Remote Actions & Device Queries

Domain 3: Manage Applications

  • App Deployment: Prepare & Package
  • Deploy Apps with Intune & App Stores
  • Microsoft 365 Apps: Deploy, Customize & Manage
  • App Protection Policies & Conditional Access
  • App Configuration: Managed Apps & Managed Devices

Domain 4: Protect Devices

  • Endpoint Security: Antivirus, Firewall & Encryption
  • Attack Surface Reduction & Security Baselines
  • Defender for Endpoint: Integrate & Onboard
  • Plan and Manage Windows Updates
  • Cross-Platform Updates & Delivery Optimization

MD-102 Study Guide

Domain 1: Prepare Infrastructure for Devices

  • Device Identity: Join, Register & Hybrid Free
  • Build the Right Device Groups
  • Intune Enrollment Essentials Free
  • Auto-Enrollment & Bulk Enrollment
  • Intune RBAC & Windows Hello for Business
  • Compliance Policies & Conditional Access
  • Windows LAPS & Local Group Management

Domain 2: Manage and Maintain Devices

  • Windows Autopilot: Choose Your Path Free
  • Autopilot: Device Names, ESP & Rollout
  • Provisioning Packages & Windows 11 Upgrades
  • Windows 365: Your PC in the Cloud
  • Configure Windows Devices with Intune
  • Config Profiles: Android, iOS & macOS
  • Control Admin Rights with EPM
  • Intune Suite: Apps, Analytics & Remote Help
  • Cloud PKI & Tunnel for MAM
  • Remote Actions & Device Queries

Domain 3: Manage Applications

  • App Deployment: Prepare & Package
  • Deploy Apps with Intune & App Stores
  • Microsoft 365 Apps: Deploy, Customize & Manage
  • App Protection Policies & Conditional Access
  • App Configuration: Managed Apps & Managed Devices

Domain 4: Protect Devices

  • Endpoint Security: Antivirus, Firewall & Encryption
  • Attack Surface Reduction & Security Baselines
  • Defender for Endpoint: Integrate & Onboard
  • Plan and Manage Windows Updates
  • Cross-Platform Updates & Delivery Optimization
Domain 2: Manage and Maintain Devices Premium ⏱ ~10 min read

Windows 365: Your PC in the Cloud

Windows 365 gives every user a full Cloud PC — accessible from any device, managed like a physical one. Learn how to deploy and manage Cloud PCs with Intune.

What is Windows 365?

☕ Simple explanation

Imagine your work PC living inside your web browser.

Windows 365 gives every user a personal Windows desktop that runs in Microsoft’s cloud. You open a browser (or the Windows 365 app), sign in, and there’s your desktop — with all your apps, files, and settings. It looks and feels like a normal PC, but it’s running in a data centre somewhere. Close the browser on your work laptop, open it on your home iPad — everything’s exactly where you left it.

For Aroha at CloudForge, this means her 30 fully remote employees can work from any device, anywhere, without carrying company laptops.

Windows 365 is a cloud-based service that streams a full Windows desktop (called a Cloud PC) to any device via the browser or Windows 365 app. Each Cloud PC is a dedicated virtual machine provisioned from Azure, assigned to a specific user, and managed through Microsoft Intune — just like a physical device.

Unlike Azure Virtual Desktop (multi-session, pooled), Windows 365 Cloud PCs are single-user, persistent, and always-on — the user’s state persists between sessions.

Windows 365 vs Azure Virtual Desktop

FeatureWindows 365 Cloud PCAzure Virtual Desktop (AVD)
PricingFixed per-user/month subscriptionConsumption-based (pay for what you use)
User assignment1 Cloud PC per user (dedicated)Pooled or personal desktops
Session typeSingle-session onlyMulti-session (Windows 11 Enterprise multi-session)
PersistenceAlways persistent — state saved between sessionsConfigurable — can be persistent or pooled (reset between users)
ManagementIntune (same as physical devices)Azure portal + Intune
Azure knowledge neededNone — fully managed serviceModerate — networking, host pools, session hosts
Best forSimple deployment, predictable costs, per-user PCsComplex scenarios, variable workloads, cost optimisation
Ideal orgCloudForge (30 people, simple needs)Meridian Bank (10,000 users, variable workloads)

Deploying Windows 365 Cloud PCs

Step 1: Licensing

Each Cloud PC user needs a Windows 365 licence, which defines the hardware specs:

PlanvCPURAMStorageBest For
Windows 365 Business2 vCPU4 GB128 GBLight users (email, web, basic Office)
Windows 365 Business2 vCPU8 GB128 GBStandard knowledge workers
Windows 365 Enterprise4 vCPU16 GB256 GBDevelopers, data analysts
Windows 365 Enterprise8 vCPU32 GB512 GBPower users, graphics workloads

Business vs Enterprise:

  • Business — self-service, up to 300 users, no Azure subscription needed
  • Enterprise — full Intune management, Azure AD integration, unlimited users, network configuration options

Step 2: Create a provisioning policy (Enterprise)

Where: Intune admin center → Devices → Windows 365 → Provisioning policies

SettingOptionsAroha’s Choice
Join typeEntra Joined or Hybrid JoinedEntra Joined
NetworkMicrosoft hosted or Azure network connectionMicrosoft hosted (simplest)
ImageGallery (Microsoft-provided) or customGallery: Windows 11 + M365 Apps
Language/regionSelect defaultEnglish (New Zealand)
Windows AutopatchEnable automatic updatesYes

Step 3: Assign licences

Assign Windows 365 licences to users or groups in the Microsoft 365 admin center. Once licensed, Cloud PCs are automatically provisioned based on the provisioning policy.

Step 4: Users access their Cloud PCs

Users sign in at windows365.microsoft.com or via the Windows 365 app (available on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android).

💡 Exam tip: Cloud PC management in Intune

Cloud PCs appear in the Intune admin center alongside physical devices. You can:

  • Apply compliance policies (same as physical Windows devices)
  • Push configuration profiles and apps
  • Perform remote actions: restart, reprovision (factory reset), resize (change specs)
  • Use Windows Autopatch for automated updates

The exam may ask: “How is a Windows 365 Cloud PC managed differently from a physical device?” The answer: it isn’t — Intune manages both the same way. The only Cloud PC-specific actions are reprovision and resize.

ℹ️ Deep dive: Cloud PC networking options

Windows 365 Enterprise offers two networking models:

  • Microsoft hosted network — Microsoft manages the networking. Simplest setup. Cloud PCs connect to the internet directly. No Azure virtual network needed.
  • Azure network connection (ANC) — Cloud PCs connect to your Azure virtual network. Allows access to on-prem resources via VPN/ExpressRoute. Required for hybrid scenarios.

Aroha at CloudForge uses Microsoft hosted (no on-prem resources). Chen Wei at Meridian Bank would use Azure network connection (needs access to on-prem financial systems).

🎬 Video walkthrough

🎬 Video coming soon

Windows 365: Your PC in the Cloud — MD-102 Module 11

Windows 365: Your PC in the Cloud — MD-102 Module 11

~10 min

Flashcards

Question

What is a Windows 365 Cloud PC?

Click or press Enter to reveal answer

Answer

A dedicated, persistent Windows virtual desktop running in Microsoft's cloud, assigned to a single user. Accessible from any device via browser or Windows 365 app. Managed through Intune like a physical device.

Click to flip back
Question

What's the key difference between Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop?

Click or press Enter to reveal answer

Answer

Windows 365: fixed per-user pricing, single-session, dedicated Cloud PC, simple Intune management. AVD: consumption-based pricing, supports multi-session and pooled desktops, requires Azure networking knowledge. Windows 365 is simpler; AVD is more flexible.

Click to flip back
Question

What Cloud PC-specific remote actions are available in Intune?

Click or press Enter to reveal answer

Answer

Reprovision (factory reset the Cloud PC to its original state) and Resize (change the vCPU, RAM, or storage specs). All standard remote actions (restart, wipe, sync) also work.

Click to flip back

Knowledge Check

Knowledge Check

Aroha needs to provide Windows desktops for 30 fully remote employees at CloudForge. They use various personal devices (Macs, iPads, Chromebooks). The company has no on-premises infrastructure. What's the best solution?
Knowledge Check

A Cloud PC user at CloudForge reports that their Cloud PC is running slowly after installing too many personal apps. Aroha wants to reset it to a clean state. What should she do?

Next up: Configure Windows Devices with Intune — creating device configuration profiles, importing ADMX, and using filters.

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Provisioning Packages & Windows 11 Upgrades

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Configure Windows Devices with Intune

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