Enhancing User Experience: Reporting Cloud PC Connection Quality in Windows 365 Enterprise

Happy New Year 2025 to all my readers.

The W365 remote connection report was retired on December 31st, 2024. Now we need to refer to the Cloud PC connection quality report. I will discuss in this blog about the Cloud PC connection quality report.

What is Windows 365 Enterprise?

Windows 365 Enterprise enables organizations to provide secure and scalable Cloud PCs to their workforce, offering the flexibility of a hybrid workplace. However, maintaining a seamless user experience requires consistent monitoring of connection quality. Microsoft provides powerful reporting tools to track Cloud PC connection quality, empowering IT administrators to optimize performance and troubleshoot issues proactively.

We will discuss the following:

• The importance of connection quality monitoring.
• Key metrics are available in Cloud PC connection quality reports.
• A step-by-step guide to accessing and interpreting these reports.
• Proactive measures to enhance performance based on insights.

Why Connection Quality Matters for Cloud PCs

Connection quality is the backbone of a smooth Cloud PC experience. Poor connection metrics such as high latency or packet loss can lead to:

• Delays in remote work.
• Decreased productivity due to lag.
• User dissatisfaction and increased IT support tickets.

Example Scenarios:

• High RTT: A user experiences lag while working on an Excel spreadsheet hosted on their Cloud PC.
• Packet Loss: Audio during a Teams call becomes choppy or unintelligible.
• Jitter: Video streaming stutters, affecting presentations.

Monitoring these metrics ensures IT teams can identify, analyze, and resolve these issues before they significantly impact the user experience.

Key Metrics in Cloud PC Connection Quality Reports

Microsoft provides several key performance indicators (KPIs) for each Cloud PC session:

1. Round-Trip Time (RTT)
   • Measures the time taken for a signal to travel to the Cloud PC and back.
   • Recommended Value: Below 80ms for optimal performance.
2. Jitter
   • Reflects the variability in latency over time.
   • High jitter can disrupt streaming and interactive applications.
3. Packet Loss
   • Indicates the percentage of data packets lost during transmission.
   • Acceptable Threshold: Less than 1%.
4. Bandwidth Usage
   • Monitors the data transfer rates during a session.
   • Ensures adequate bandwidth allocation for stable performance.
5. Network Location
   • Tracks the user’s geographical location and compares it with the Cloud PC host region.
   • Significant distance may lead to higher latency.

How to Access Connection Quality Reports

To leverage these reports, follow these steps:

1. Log in to Microsoft Intune Admin Center

• Navigate to the Microsoft Intune Admin Center.
• Select Devices > Windows 365.

2. Access Monitoring Blade

• Click on Monitoring under Windows 365.
• Select Cloud PC connection quality from the options.

The device list shows the individual Cloud PCs with the following columns:

• Device name
• Round Trip Time for the most recent (or current) connection (RTT): The number of milliseconds it takes, at the transport layer only, for communication between the client and the Cloud PC. Lower values indicate better round-trip connectivity.
• Round Trip Time for the specified date range (P50)
• Available bandwidth for the most recent (or current) connection
• Available bandwidth for the specified date range (P50): network bandwidth observed during sessions with the specified CPC sample set.
• Connection gateway
• Remoting sign-in time (P50): The number of seconds it took the user to complete the sign-in process.
• Client IP address
• Protocol for most recent (or current) connection
• UDP Utilization average over date range
• Device type: The type of Cloud PC based on the offering (Enterprise, Frontline dedicated, Frontline shared).

3. Analyze Connection Metrics

• Use filters to sort data by users, RTT, packet loss, or jitter.
• Review historical trends to identify recurring issues.

4. Export Reports for Further Analysis

• Click on the export button to download data in CSV format.
• Share insights with network teams or stakeholders for collaborative troubleshooting.

Proactive Measures to Enhance Connection Quality

Analyzing connection quality metrics is only the first step. Here’s how you can act on this data:

1. Resolve Network Issues

• If RTT or jitter is consistently high, work with your ISP to optimize network routing.
• Upgrade network bandwidth if usage exceeds limits.

2. Optimize Cloud PC Configurations

• Adjust visual settings or enable optimizations for multimedia workloads.
• Consider relocating Cloud PCs to a data center closer to the user’s location.

3. Educate End Users

• Provide tips like connecting via Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi or using VPNs only when necessary.

4. Automate Alerts

• Configure alerts in Intune to notify IT admins when key metrics exceed acceptable thresholds.

5. Use Diagnostics Tools

• Leverage tools like Azure Network Watcher to test connectivity and pinpoint issues.

Best Practices for Ongoing Monitoring

• Set Baselines: Establish acceptable thresholds for metrics like RTT and packet loss.
• Monitor Trends: Use historical data to predict and prevent issues during peak usage.
• Schedule Regular Reviews: Periodically analyze reports to ensure continuous performance improvement.

What Next?

Connection quality reports in Windows 365 Enterprise are a vital tool for IT administrators, ensuring users have a smooth and productive Cloud PC experience. By proactively monitoring and addressing network performance, organizations can minimize disruptions, improve user satisfaction, and maximize ROI on their Windows 365 investment.

For detailed steps and advanced configurations, visit Microsoft’s official documentation on Cloud PC connection quality.

Stay tuned for more insights into optimizing Windows 365 Enterprise performance!

If you have any questions or additional tips to share, feel free to leave a comment below.