Microsoft is making Windows 10 available on a monthly subscription for enterprise users with the launch of Windows as a Service via its Cloud Solution Provider network.

What it means is that businesses will be able to subscribe to the Windows 10 Enterprise E3 version at a cost of $7 per user, per month.

“Windows 10 Enterprise E3 was designed for businesses that handle sensitive customer data (such as credit card or social security numbers), operate in regulated industries, or create and monetize intellectual property,” Microsoft said in its announcement. “These businesses need enterprise-grade security and management capabilities found in the Windows 10 Enterprise edition, such as Device Guard, Credential Guard and Managed User Experience.”

ALSO Deutschland GmbH, Tech Data Corp. and Synnex Corp. were named as Microsoft’s launch partners, and all three are already offering Windows 10 Enterprise E3 subscriptions to their resellers. It means that Microsoft’s entire portfolio of enterprise solutions, including Azure, Dynamics, Office 365 and now Windows can be had as a cloud-based, fully managed service from a single customer user profile.

Microsoft first announced its enterprise subscription plans for Windows 10 back in June, and yesterday reiterated that existing business customers are not required to switch from their standard installs to Windows as a Service – instead, it’s just being offered as a more flexible alternative.

The company is also set to launch a second subscription model, Windows 10 Enterprise E5, next month. This version comes with the same benefits and will be made available by the same partners, with the difference being that it’s packaged alongside Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection and advanced IT management capabilities.

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