Microsoft has announced that it will begin selling subscriptions to Windows 10 Enterprise this coming fall.
The lower-end Windows 10 Enterprise E3 will be sold via Microsoft's Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners for $7 per user per month or $84 per user per year.
Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice Presidenet of Windows and Devices Groups, reveals the news via a blogpost on the company's website.
Mehdi previously mentioned brief information about Windows 10 Enterprise E3 in front of the company's partners during the Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) in Toronto last July 12, but provides more details about it in the new post.
"Today, we are announcing Windows 10 Enterprise E3 in CSP," reads the post. "Starting this fall, businesses can get enterprise-grade security and management capabilities at just $7 a seat per month for the first time through the Cloud Solution Provider channel."
Mehdi goes on to say that CSP partners — though he does not specifically identify which partners would participate — will offer a subscription to Windows 10 Enterprise Edition "as part of a managed service offering."
This edition is targeted at businesses that have a limited IT staff or that don't have IT resources. This is also ideal for companies that want their IT and licensing needs managed by skilled, reliable partners.
These partners offer Microsoft's "full IT stack" that comes with Office 365, Windows 10, Dynamics Azure plus CRM "as a per user, per month offering" via a channel.
Windows 10 Enterprise E3 Features To Expect
Amped Up Security
The offering provides the much-needed Windows 10 security features to make certain that businesses are safe from an array of cybersecurity threats. This also enables employees to gain access to their critical data via numerous devices.
Partner-Managed IT
Through this offering, Microsoft's partners with assist companies to configure and manage their devices. These partners are expert in cloud deployments and Windows 10. For easier management, companies can also check out their subscriptions for Windows 10 Enterprise along with their other purchased Microsoft cloud services.
Simplified Licensing And Deployment
This feature enables businesses to veer away from processes that are time-consuming, thus helping them lower some costs.
ZDNet reports that company officials said the new Windows 10 Enterprise subscription plans were a continuation of what the company established in December 2014. Back then, it unveiled Windows Software Assurance per user.
"Users who don't want to buy Windows 10 Enterprise as a subscription will still be able to get Windows 10 Enterprise E3 on a per device basis through Microsoft's regular licensing programs," adds the report.
The WPC is Microsoft's largest partner conference this year. The event brings together more than 15,000 attendees coming from different parts of the globe to listen to the many new opportunities that the company is offering, such as the subscription service offerings for Windows 10 and Surface.
