Microsoft announces Windows Virtual Desktop now in public preview. Law firms can begin to deploy Windows 7 and Windows 10 on the Microsoft Cloud.

Microsoft announced the public preview of Windows Virtual Desktop on Microsoft Azure. Windows Virtual Desktop is a desktop and app virtualization service that runs on the cloud rather than on your Windows 7 or Windows 10 computer. Law firms can migrate case management, time and billing, accounting and other software to any type of device while maintaining the look and feel of a Windows desktop.  Firms can leverage the built in security, compliance and Windows desktop functionality configured directly by Microsoft.

This is a dramatic change for Microsoft which previously did not license Windows desktops on any public cloud, including Amazon Web Services and its own Azure Cloud.

For Windows 7, Microsoft is extending support for 3 additional years after the current January, 2020 end of support date.

Public preview is a precursor to general availability which is expected to be in the latter half of 2019.