[fuzzfactor]

>what IT department would use a function like this

Probably the kind that follows every Microsoft guideline without thinking about whether it is really in their best interest or not.

For Microsoft, wouldn't those be some of the most desirable customers to positively identify above others if possible?

[p_ing]

It's been decades since I did desktop support, but even back then I used RIS or (ugh) Altiris when a machine when t-u. There was no troubleshooting if it was seemingly an OS or hardware level issue, the people I supported had better things to do.

And today, Microsoft's push is the InTune-driven Autopilot which favors a very similar disposable (cattle-like) model.