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We have many shared PCs (Shared PC Mode enabled and everything deployed per Device), labs (like the shared, but allows guest access to folks who for different reasons do not have AAD accounts) and various kiosks (nearly all run Edge as a single app, one has the navigation bar enabled for browsing like at a library).
Our need for thin clients could be thought of more like an always-on-VPN alternative. We need to be able to hand out cheap, yet secure, devices that are only useful for connecting to secured VDI environments. Both multi-user and some managed by a 3rd party in GCC.
- Not sure if this is possible for you but as I posted above, we are considering using EOL laptop/desktops as thin clients, enroll them in Autopilot with basic OS configuration and management and have them connect to a VDI/Cloud pc or a high power workstations in the office. If the device lost, stole or broken not a big loss and the desktops will basically be a thin client. Just a thought, we are in the early stages as we are trying to get autopilot off the ground.
I would be interested to hear how that goes.
😏We used to turn pallet loads of old PCs into "thin clients". Last, with a Task Sequence that installed Citrix Desktop Lock. And before that, it was a custom script that replaced the default "explorer.exe" shell. We didn't know it until we had better visibility using Microsoft Defender, but these "locked down" PCs were some of our worst offenders. AND there was the matter of their VM to deal with.
With Intune, we have begun to manage the full lifecycle of a PC. To the point, Intune is the only local admin on most of them. While moving to this model, folks have been receiving new PCs, and whenever possible their VM is tossed in the bit bucket.
We are at the stage where those remaining must access a VM and only a VM. The terminal cannot be useful for anything else. Most of these are in cube farms and the VMs are pooled/multi-user. Most of these for call center workers and require good audio (and sometimes video pass-thru.
We have a very diverse business, that requires handling nearly every computing use case imaginable. It's a fun challenge.
