Microsoft tests ‘Reserve’ cloud PCs for disaster recovery
August 28, 2025 – Published on IT Brew
You can’t spill coffee on a PC that’s in the cloud. For IT outages ranging from drink accidents to security incidents, Microsoft is previewing a 10-day loaner for when a user’s typical PC is on the fritz.
Microsoft released on August 11 a public preview of Windows 365 Reserve, a service providing access to cloud PCs. The offering, which Microsoft says is a “safety net” for companies facing threats like device failures and ransomware, had IT pros envisioning benefits and drawbacks of the new feature.
Justin Timothy, threat intelligence consultant at GuidePoint Security, expressed skepticism about the practical benefits of Microsoft’s Windows Reserve service for ransomware recovery. IT problems, he said, could arise when a personal device—now firing up a cloud PC— joins a network. The personal device could have malware or incompatible drivers.
“At that point, if you have an end user who’s trying to do their work but they can’t get their mouse to work, then they have to reach out to their corporate IT team,” Timothy said. “And that IT team is probably busy assisting with any forensics or recovery efforts.”
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