Heads up! Only one year left for Microsoft Desktop Analytics
- Microsoft plans to phase out its Desktop Analytics solution soon.
- Some of the Desktop Analytics capabilities have already made their way to Endpoint Analytics.
- Organizations will be required to have a license to access Endpoint Analytics
Desktop Analytics users have now one year until it is phased out on Nov. 30, 2022. Microsoft plans to incorporate Desktop Analytics capabilities into the Microsoft Endpoint Manager Admin Center portal.
With Windows 11 having been released recently, some of the capabilities have already been moved to the Endpoint Analytics solution and users can access it through the Microsoft Endpoint Manager solution.
Endpoint Analytics is typically used to access Microsoft 365 services and is part of the Microsoft Productivity Score service. A while ago, it received an upgrade that made Windows upgrade easier but now it is time to say goodbye.
Licenses will be required
Whereas this is a move in the right direction, organizations will be required to acquire a license
for the Microsoft Endpoint Manager product to use Endpoint Analytics.
In addition, E3 or E5 Windows 10 Enterprise or Education licensing will also be required.
In an announcement made, Microsoft intune-managed devices already have access to the Windows 11 capabilities in Endpoint Analytics.
Devices incompatible with the requirements in the upgrade will be flagged in the coming months. Reports will let users know whether it is an application or driver compatibility issue that is preventing an upgrade.
“These reports will tell you if any of your Windows devices have application or driver compatibility risks or Safeguard holds that will prevent an upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 — or a feature update from one version of Windows to another.”
Why Desktop Analytics is being phased out
According to Microsoft, Desktop Analytics has had a ‘steep learning curve’ and involved a lot of work. The move is aimed at simplifying the use of Configuration Manager.
The gist however is that organizations wishing to switch to Endpoint Analytics while using Configuration Manager will need to be running on a Windows 10 supported version. It also should be integrated with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) tenant.
When Desktop Analytics was previewed more than two years ago, it was to replace Windows Analytics.
Are you sad to see Desktop Analytics go away? Let us know in the comments section below.
