Microsoft has kicked off a new offer to let those who have a Windows subscription with the Cloud Solution Provider scheme upgrade their Windows 7/8.1 machines to Windows 10 for free.
This will allow those on Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5 plans, as well as those subscribed to Secure Productive Enterprise E3 and E5, to make the leap to Microsoft’s newest desktop OS with no need to purchase separate upgrade licenses.
As Microsoft notes, this is another opportunity to take advantage of what Windows 10 offers – particularly on the security front for businesses – for those who missed out on the initial free upgrade offer (which ran for the first year of the operating system’s existence and officially expired at the end of last July – although there are still unofficial loopholes to use it even now).
Customers won’t lose access to the OS if they happen to leave the CSP scheme, either. Microsoft explains in a blog post: “The Windows 10 upgrade licenses issued as part of this process are perpetual and associated with the device. This means the license will not expire or be revoked if the customer chooses to end their Windows cloud subscription in the CSP program.”
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Rolling out now
This upgrade offer is rolling out as we write, and admins of organisations signed up to the CSP program should see the Windows 10 upgrade option in the Office 365 admin centre very shortly, if not already.
They should see options to upgrade their current device, or to share a download link with other staff members across the business, as well as facilities to create installation media and to troubleshoot the setup process.
As mentioned, Windows 10 offers a host of security benefits including Windows Hello biometric logins, UEFI Secure Boot, TPM, built-in virtualisation, Device Guard, Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection, and more.
The company recently insisted that Windows 7 is no longer good enough in terms of keeping your computer secure in comparison to the new OS.
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