Microsoft has introduced a limited public preview of Windows 365 Reserve, a cloud-based disaster recovery service designed to provide temporary desktop access during outages caused by cyberattacks, hardware failures, or software issues. This service, accessible via Microsoft Intune, offers pre-configured Cloud PCs with 10 days of annual access per user, enforcing Zero Trust security and integrating with broader resilience features like VBS and Credential Guard1. The announcement aligns with Microsoft’s broader push for enterprise-grade business continuity, as detailed in recent updates to Windows 365’s disaster recovery capabilities2.
Windows 365 Reserve: Key Features and Use Cases
Windows 365 Reserve targets scenarios where employees lose access to their primary devices. The service provisions temporary Cloud PCs within hours, accessible via browser or the Windows App, with admins receiving alerts before access expires1. This is particularly relevant for organizations recovering from ransomware incidents or regional outages. Microsoft’s documentation highlights a 99.9% uptime SLA and 11 nines (99.999999999%) data resiliency for OS disks, ensuring minimal disruption2.
Disaster Recovery Tiers: Comparing Reserve, BCDR, and Disaster Recovery Plus
Microsoft offers three tiers of disaster recovery solutions for Windows 365, each with distinct recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO):
| Feature | Windows 365 Reserve | Cross-Region DR | Disaster Recovery Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTO | Hours (varies) | <4 hours | <31 minutes |
| RPO | Snapshot-dependent | Snapshot-dependent | <61 minutes |
| Capacity Guarantee | No | No | Yes |
Disaster Recovery Plus, introduced in March 2025, provides preallocated capacity in alternate regions and maintains three disk copies for faster failover3. This tier is recommended for critical workloads requiring near-instantaneous recovery.
Implementation and Monitoring for Administrators
Configuring Windows 365 Reserve or Disaster Recovery Plus requires navigating Microsoft Intune’s Devices > Windows 365 > User Settings > Optional BCDR section. Admins can assign licenses, select network types (Microsoft Hosted or Azure Network Connect), and monitor via the BCDR Status Report under Reports > Cloud PC overview3. Bulk activation is supported for large-scale deployments.
“Disaster Recovery Plus reduces recovery uncertainty with preallocated resources, a game-changer for enterprises with strict compliance requirements.” — Microsoft Technical Takeoff, March 20255
Relevance to Security and IT Teams
For security professionals, Windows 365 Reserve mitigates risks during incident response by maintaining isolated, secure environments for affected users. The integration with OneDrive and Known Folder Move ensures data portability without compromising forensic integrity2. Red teams can simulate disaster scenarios to validate recovery workflows, while blue teams benefit from automated alerts and centralized monitoring.
Conclusion
Windows 365 Reserve and its complementary disaster recovery tiers represent a significant step in cloud-based resilience, particularly for organizations prioritizing rapid recovery from cyber incidents. As Microsoft expands these features, enterprises should evaluate their RTO/RPO requirements and test configurations in non-production environments. Future updates may further bridge gaps between temporary access and permanent failover solutions.
References
- “Microsoft tests cloud-based Windows 365 disaster recovery PCs,” BleepingComputer, Aug. 11, 2025.
- “Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BCDR) with Windows 365,” Microsoft Learn, Aug. 6, 2025.
- “Windows 365 Disaster Recovery Plus,” Microsoft Learn, Mar. 3, 2025 (Updated Apr. 2025).
- “Windows 365 Disaster Recovery Plus extends Cloud PC resilience,” Microsoft Tech Community Blog, Mar. 3, 2025.
- “March 2025 Technical Takeoff,” Microsoft, Mar. 2025.
