Now that Crestron Flex devices support Windows Autopilot, configuring and deploying that hardware has never been easier

July 15, 2024 - In a world where everything’s connected, an IT department can be stretched pretty thin. One way to save time (and money, if an organization’s IT services happen to be outsourced) is automated device configuration. That’s possible with Crestron Flex devices with the Microsoft® Windows® OS for Microsoft Teams® Rooms  —  they now support Windows Autopilot, a Microsoft cloud-based deployment solution.1

With Windows Autopilot, setting up new devices is a snap. Plug in the device, turn it on, and in a few hours, the new addition is provisioned, signed on, and ready to use. With Windows Autopilot, the hardware is configured ahead of time, streamlining the process.

This is an extension of what Crestron is known for: Our control systems allow a user to walk into any room and begin meeting, presenting, and collaborating with colleagues — automatically. We create solutions that can handle everything from content sharing to videoconferencing to training sessions with little to no effort, running everything in the room from AV to lighting and shading to climate.

Why not extend that convenience and automation to the very deployment of the devices in your Crestron Flex solution?

How It Works

The entire process is simple: Create a profile, scan a barcode, and the rest happens automatically.

• Prior to deployment, an organization’s admins can create profiles for devices with configuration settings such as language, region, network configuration, and any other steps required in the Windows out-of-box experience. Those profiles can be assigned to any number of devices.
• Crestron Flex UC Engine devices — as well as boxes for both the devices and bracket assemblies — will ship with a printed label that includes the product key ID and a barcode. An admin simply scans the barcode to begin the next step.
• Here’s the easiest part: Once the device is online, Windows Autopilot recognizes the device based on its hardware ID and retrieves the assigned deployment profile. It then configures the device from the cloud and downloads its settings and applications automatically.

Other Benefits

Windows Autopilot handles other functions, too:

• It creates and auto-assigns devices to configuration groups based on a device's profile,
• It enables customization of the out-of-box experience to an organization’s preferences,
• It automatically joins devices to Microsoft Entra ID or Active Directory® credential management and enrolls in device management services, such as Microsoft Intune® software, and
• It uses auto-login for Microsoft Teams® Rooms, enabling more secure deployment.

When you give users the option to simply plug in a device and turn it on, letting Windows Autopilot handle configuration automatically, that frees up an IT team to handle other pressing issues. And when that team has more time to address concerns that might hamper productivity, that’s a net positive for any organization’s bottom line.

1 NOTE: This functionality applies to current Crestron Flex UC engines running the Microsoft Windows® OS, and not Zoom Rooms® video conferencing and legacy UC engines.