Windows Intune Will Cost $11 per PC, per Month - Launch Set for Early 2011

Microsoft customers and partners now have a chance to test drive the second Beta of Windows Intune, a Cloud offering which bundles security, management, remote assistance and Windows 7 upgrade rights. I had a chat over the phone with Alex Heaton, Group Product Manager for Windows Intune at Microsoft last week, and the company has set the Windows Intune release date for early 2011. A specific general availability deadline wasn’t provided, but this is not uncommon for upcoming products from the Redmond company which is deciding milestones such as the GA in accordance with strict quality standards that recommend offerings for release.

Early adopters will have to do with Windows Intune Beta 2 a complex Cloud-based solution that fits into the software giant’s overall strategy to take customers and partners into the Cloud. With benefits such as no infrastructure, Forefront-powered antimalware and antispyware, hardware and software inventory capabilities, single-console management (even of multiple customers), and upgrade rights to Windows 7 Enterprise for standardization purposes, there’s little doubt that Windows Intune ups the ante in terms of PC management and security.

And it will cost just $11 per PC, per month. Heaton revealed that companies will have the option of purchasing 1 year subscriptions to Windows Intune starting in 2011. At the same time, the company is ready to enable users to leverage a hybrid management solution, a combination of Windows Intune and the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) for just $1 extra on top of the $11 per PC per month.

“Businesses get a great deal with Windows Intune for several reasons. Because Windows Intune is built on a cloud service, customers and partners can realize the benefits of having a modern PC management and security system without the upfront software licenses, server hardware, and IT labor costs that are required to setup a traditional on-premise solutions,” Heaton explained.

Windows Intune has received excellent reviews thus far from the participants in the Beta 1 testing program. Christopher Foote, President of JCF Managed Solutions, noted that the Cloud solution reduced the amount of time necessary for PC management by 40%. Anders Grönlund, marketing and alliance manager of Enfo Zipper applauded Microsoft’s decision to allow customers to upgrade the PCs covered by Windows Intune to Windows 7 Enterprise at no extra cost, just as Ryan McDonnell, IT manager at Levick Strategic Communications.

“Windows Intune will be generally available by early 2011 in all the countries included in this second public beta [US, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, UK, and Italy]. Windows Intune will be more broadly available in select European and Latin American countries at launch. In the months following the official launch, we plan on delivering the service in select Asian countries,” Heaton added.