Windows for your Business

Construction SMB Always On, Always Connected with Windows 8 Pro

Jay Paulus — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:15:20 GMT

I often sit down with IT staff and decision makers from small and medium-size businesses [SMBs] to discuss their unique technology needs and challenges. One of the biggest themes I hear in these meetings is the importance of mobile technology that allows them to be connected to their business from anywhere. Compared to larger enterprises, these small, rapidly growing businesses have fewer resources and employees at their disposal and need the technology that they adopt to wear as many hats as they do. Above all, SMBs want their technology to give them a fast, flexible computing experience so they can stay competitive and always be one step ahead of their customers and competitors.

Meet Glenigan, a construction intelligence supplier.

One such fast-moving midsize company that has taken advantage of Windows 8 Pro is Glenigan, based in the United Kingdom. Glenigan is a construction intelligence supplier; the company provides construction project sales leads, market analysis, forecasting, and intelligence by searching thousands of construction planning apps across the UK and aggregating the information on behalf of their clients. Glenigan helps companies increase their profits by providing timely intelligence about construction jobs. Whether customers are looking to bid for new construction work or refurbishment projects, Glenigan helps them stay ahead of competitors. The company offers access to its continually updated leads database as well as email alerts on construction projects that help customers bid for work contracts at the right time.

At the end of the day, Glenigan’s business depends on technology that helps them outpace competitors. Since January, Glenigan has been using the Lenovo ThinkPad Twist and the ThinkPad Tablet 2 to do just that. Tablets and convertibles with Windows 8 Pro help Glenigan’s employees stay connected to their clients, colleagues, and their ever-changing database of customer leads from anywhere.

SMBs take Windows 8 Pro tablets on a train.

According to Neil Taylor, PC and Network Support Analyst at the company, the biggest benefits Glenigan has experienced while testing Windows 8 Pro has been the speed and mobility of the platform. After interacting with the Windows 8 Pro devices, he notes, “It is always on, always connected, so I can manage my day from anywhere, anytime, anyplace—and it just works. With Microsoft Office 2013, I can connect to Outlook and Word and documents on SharePoint sites, and I can go home and carry on working. That’s the beauty of it.”

The ThinkPad’s twist capabilities in particular help employees stay productive while traveling. Theresa Ferguson, Head of Delivery at Glenigan, describes it like this: “I was sitting in a coffee shop, waiting for the train, filling out a questionnaire, and I was using the laptop to start answering questions. The train arrived, I closed the keyboard, switched to tablet mode, and just carried on. I didn’t even realize I had done it.”

As a company, Glenigan has been increasing its focus on making employees as mobile as possible in recent years and Windows 8 fits into this vision. All of their teams meet with customers onsite, whether representing the research, content, or technical teams. The Windows 8 testers have enjoyed the benefits of the new touch-based operating system over more traditional desktop models while they are on the road. For instance, they can easily take their devices with them when visiting their parent company in London, two hours from the company headquarters in Bournemouth. Mobility also increases employee communication within the office, so colleagues can more easily move around and exchange ideas with each other. This is something Glenigan’s management hopes will increase over time as their core office incorporates more mobile devices.

When comparing the company’s experience with the iPad and Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2, Taylor notes that with Apple, people can’t join to the Windows domain network or install Office, but the Windows 8 tablet is always connected so “you can access the network and you can access your files and it’s just there.”

Outside of the flexibility Windows 8 Pro offers, Glenigan highlights inherent security features like picture password that help the business transmit information securely from anywhere. Taylor calls Windows security over Apple security a “no brainer.”

Deploying Windows 8 alongside other systems.

Glenigan is a perfect example of many of the SMBs I talk with that are actively working within a mixed operating system environment. Glenigan has approximately 110 employees and most of them are currently using Windows 7 32-bit as the standard desktop platform; they also use laptops with Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit. The Windows 8 devices have been integrated into their business operations alongside this existing infrastructure to increase the company’s mobile operations with simple-to-use, lightweight touch devices.

Whether SMBs need a notebook, a tablet, or an all-in-one, whether touch-based or a keyboard-and-mouse system, Windows 8 offers a variety of choices to fit their needs. There is also great compatibility between Windows 7 and Windows 8, and this makes it easier to adopt Windows 8 with existing systems.

Glenigan’s case shows how technology can be a key business enabler. Whether it’s visiting a construction site, traveling to another city by train, or meeting with clients on the road, the devices just have to work. With Windows 8, Glenigan has discovered that they can have it all. They don’t have to sacrifice performance while away from the office or trade flexibility for reliable business functionality. To learn more about Glenigan’s recent interactions with Windows 8 and Office 2013, check out this new case study. And for more information about Windows 8 Pro for small and midsized businesses, click here.

Making Windows 8 Even More Manageable with MDOP 2013

Chris Hallum — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Today I’m excited to announce that the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 2013 for Software Assurance is now available for download! When people think about MDOP, they often think about its virtualization tools that help personalize user experience, simplify app deployment, and improve app compatibility for Windows. MDOP is much more than that though, it also helps manage and deploy important Windows features like BitLocker and Group Policy, as well as saves time by helping to make desktop repair planning proactive instead of reactive.

We’ve been working for some time to optimize our MDOP products for Windows 8 with the goal of making them easier to adopt and take advantage of all the new Windows 8 platform capabilities. Last November, we took our first step by releasing MDOP 2012, in which Microsoft User Experience Virtualization (UE-V), Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) 5.0, and the Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) 8.0 supported Windows 8.

In addition, to help manage BitLocker and Group Policy in Windows 8, we released beta versions of Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM) 2.0 and Advanced Policy Group Management (APGM) 4.0 SP1. With the release of MDOP 2013 today, we are continuing our commitment to making Windows 8 even easier to adopt and manage.

The biggest update you’ll notice in MDOP 2013 is the official release of MBAM 2.0. As a quick refresher, we first released MBAM 1.0 in response to customers asking for an easier way to manage BitLocker. The feedback on MBAM has been very positive and it’s clear that it’s a valuable tool that simplifies the provisioning and deployment of BitLocker encryption, while at the same time offering reduced costs, improved compliance, and reporting.

MBAM 1.0 has enabled BitLocker to quickly become one of the most popular Windows features that organizations are either using or evaluating. Since MBAM 1.0 was released, we’ve continued to garner feedback from organizations to ensure we’re continuing to deliver the innovative features that you need for your business. One of the primary goals for MBAM 2.0 was to help customers further reduce the costs associated with managing and supporting encrypted devices. We’ve done this through new features including the Self Service Portal, SCCM integration, reporting enhancements, and simplified provisioning for Windows 8.

With MBAM 2.0, organizations will have improved compliance and security mechanisms, along with streamlined integration across management solutions, resulting in long-term cost savings. Here’s a closer look at the key MBAM 2.0 features found in MDOP 2013:

Self Service Portal: The Self Service Portal helps end users perform the most common support tasks on their own without needing assistance from the help desk.
MBAM integration into System Center Configuration Manager 2007 and 2012: System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) integration of MBAM enables organizations to integrate MBAM’s compliance management and reporting capabilities within the SCCM management infrastructure that has already been deployed.

· Compliance reporting calculation improvements: Reporting has been updated so that devices are only listed as non-compliant when they’re in a state that is less secure than the minimum requirements defined in policy. This differs from MBAM 1.0 where compliance was based on strict adherence to policy and resulted in devices appearing non-complaint even when they were in a more secure configuration than was required by policy.

Simplified Provisioning: MBAM 2.0 includes the option to automate the provisioning of BitLocker encryption within your Windows 8 deployment and imaging process.

Al Gillen, program vice president of System Software at IDC, shared his thoughts with us on the new updates: “MDOP 2013 provides a definitive value to Windows enterprise SA customers through the enablement of flexible work environments, improved operating system capability and enhanced IT cost savings. Now, with the upgraded features available via MBAM 2.0, organizations can be more effective in how PCs are managed to ensure constant compliancy and security in any business scenario.”

In addition to general quality improvements, we’ve also updated many of the other technologies in MDOP 2013, with enhanced features and benefits ideal for businesses using Windows 8. Key updates include:

AGPM 4.0 SP1: Brings powerful change management for Group Policy to Windows 8, making it easier for organizations to keep enterprise-wide desktop configurations up to date, enabling greater control, less downtime, and lowering total cost of ownership (TCO).
DaRT 8.0 SP1: Accelerates desktop repair by adding support for 10 additional languages. It also includes a new Defender engine to better assist organizations in discovering malware.
App-V 5.0 SP1: Helps organizations use virtually any application anywhere by adding support for Office 2010. This will give end users a consistent experience with virtualized Office that they saw with previous versions of App-V. SP1 also adds support for the sequencer and client in 24 languages while App-V 5.0 server will be supported in 11 languages.
UE-V 1.0 SP1: Makes it easier for users to change devices, but keep their experience with support for Office 2007, a heavily requested addition. The product now supports 24 languages, allowing more organizations to use UE-V in their native language.

We’re so excited to have shipped MDOP 2013, I encourage you to download it for your own organization and let us know what you think. For those of you who are using MBAM Beta 2, you can easily migrate your existing deployment to the official release, enabling you to retain all existing reporting and recovery data.

A Year From Now Support for Windows XP Ends, Now What?

Erwin Visser — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:02:00 GMT

If your business is still running Windows XP, now is the time to upgrade to a modern OS.

In 2001, Windows XP was launched, and went on to become Microsoft’s most popular operating system of its time, aiding consumers and business users to be more productive and secure as high-speed Internet became ubiquitous at work and eventually in our homes. It’s no question that Windows XP was an outstanding operating system to meet the needs of customers more than a decade ago.

Nearly 12 years later, technology has evolved leaps and bounds, along with the needs and expectations of those who use it. Modern businesses now have an increasing need to protect their data and ensure security, compliance and manageability. Meanwhile, modern users demand technologies that fit their personal work style and allow them to stay productive anytime, anywhere on a variety of devices.

This natural evolution of technology is what is at the heart of our product lifecycle policy. A year from now will mark the final milestone for Windows XP – that of its end of support date. Starting April 8, 2014, Microsoft will no longer provide support for Windows XP users. This means that customers and partners will no longer receive security updates to the operating system or be able to leverage tech support from Microsoft after this time.

Moving away from Windows XP to a more modern platform in Windows 7 and Windows 8 will ready your IT infrastructure for future technology solutions and growth of your company.

Windows 8 is the modern OS for modern businesses, building on Windows 7 fundamentals like speed, reliability and security, while creating a modern platform designed for a new generation of hardware options. With an ever-increasing lineup of devices, from notebooks, tablets, desktops, touch or type, there is now more choice than ever before with a device to fit the specific needs and unique scenarios of businesses of any size.

Customers worldwide see the opportunity to take advantage of a modern operating system to support security and compliance requirements, while utilizing the latest technology from Microsoft to address the need for increased mobility. Companies from BT PLC, Emirates Airlines, Seton Hall University and Toyota Racing Developmentmoved beyond XP to Windows 7 and are deploying Windows 8 to support their unique mobility business needs, and value Windows 8 for its support for touch-based computing in particular.

NOW is the time to move to a more modern Windows operating system and modernize your IT infrastructure.

Businesses still running Windows XP are missing out on the tangible benefits of modernizing their IT investments from dramatically enhanced security, broad device choice to meet the needs of a mobile workforce, higher employee productivity and lower cost of ownership by future-proofing their IT investments.

Recognizing that not all situations are alike, businesses may need to take different approachesto their operating system migrations due to the specific needs of their environment. For some, moving their full company to Windows 8 will be the best choice, and for others it may be migrating first to Windows 7. Still, for many, it will be deploying Windows 8 side-by-side with Windows 7 for key scenarios, such as Windows 8 tablets for mobile users.

And as businesses plan to purchase new devices as part of their Windows XP migration process, they should consider user scenarios where their company will benefit from having employees use touch devices – whether it is tablets, laptops with touch capabilities, all-in-ones, or other innovative devices. This way, companies conducting hardware refresh cycles can benefit from higher productivity of its users in the immediate term, while ensuring that they are modernizing an increasingly higher proportion of their installed PCs with touch capabilities – readying their business for the future Windows platform migrations.

Don’t put your business at risk.

While end of support for Windows XP is still one year away, the migration process can take some time and may be costlier the longer you stayon Windows XP, ultimately putting your business at risk. The security landscape is ever-changing and new threats are coming to fruition every day, so it is critical that businesses ensure they protect their data and IP against the latest threats by deploying a modern Windows platform.

Many companies of all sizes have either already made the switch off of Windows XP, or are in the process of migrating over to Windows 7 and Windows 8, enabling them to realize greater possibilities for their business using technology that simply wasn’t possible in 2001. Those that haven’t yet started their migration process need to begin as soon as possible to ensure that they meet the April 8, 2014 deadline.

There are many tools, resources and best practices available, making migration easier than you may think.

Windows Deployment Guidance
Accelerate programs – Jumpstart PoCs & Pilots and other deployment resources
Springboard Series on TechNet

And if you are a small or medium sized business currently running Windows XP Professional PCs, you can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro and Office Standard 2013 at a 15% discount now through June 30 as part of Microsoft’s Get2Modern offer. This offer is only available on up to 249 licenses each of Windows 8 Pro and Office 2013 Standard editions.

So what are you waiting for?

Windows 8 Offers Real Impact for Healthcare Industry

Stella Chernyak — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 17:03:09 GMT

Microsoft is at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society’s (HIMSS) annual conference in New Orleans this week demonstrating how Windows 8 is helping health organizations, communities, and partners around the world to overcome healthcare’s toughest challenges. We believe technology has the potential to make a real impact and help rebuild the health industry, with new efficiencies, more support for mobility and better security.

The healthcare provider community is mobile and collaborative, and with more than 850 health apps currently available in the Windows Store, Windows 8 offers a platform for apps that allow healthcare teams to be productive anywhere, on a variety of devices and in the most secure manner possible. At HIMSS, several healthcare customers and partners are sharing their plans to deploy Windows 8 healthcare apps to help advance mobility, productivity and collaboration within hospital and practice settings.

Find out more from these quick overviews of a few of the top Windows 8 healthcare apps being showcased at HIMSS this week:

Pariscribe’s EMR Surface

The Pariscribe Electronic Medical Record app transforms the clinical documentation process for clinicians. Fully integrated with the Pariscribe Practice Management system, this Window 8 app leverages all the advantages of Pariscribe clinical documentation that touch-enabled devices can offer.

UpToDate

The UpToDate app provides clinicians the ability to find clinical answers at the point of care or anywhere they’re needed. Now it’s possible to access current, synthesized clinical information, including evidence-based recommendations, quickly and easily right from a Windows 8 device.

Mayo Clinic on Pregnancy

Mayo Clinic on Pregnancy is a free app for expectant mothers and is a trustworthy guide to pregnancy, childbirth and the baby’s first three months. From conception through the first three months of the child's life, Mayo Clinic pregnancy experts provide all the information needed for a safe, healthy pregnancy and transition to motherhood.

Electronic Preventive Services Selector (ePSS)

The Electronic Preventive Services Selector (ePSS) app is designed and developed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Nation's lead Federal agency for research on health care quality, costs, outcomes and patient safety. The ePSS app was developed to assist primary care clinicians in identifying the best screening, counseling, and preventive medication services that are right for their patients. The ePSS information is based on the current recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and can be searched by specific patient characteristics, such as age, sex, and selected behavioral risk factors.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The CDC app features important health articles, popular journals, timely updates and access to social media to coincide with important health concerns and events throughout the year. It gives an increasingly mobile public 24/7 access to important and timely health information that people can use to protect their lives and loved ones.

For more information on Microsoft at HIMSS and other healthcare solutions, visit the Microsoft News Center. To learn more about how Windows 8 could be useful to your business, please visit the Windows 8 for enterprise site. Visit our Customer Stories page to see more examples of businesses that are using Windows 8 to reach customers in new ways and improve employee experiences.

Windows 8 – Built with Security in Mind

Chris Hallum — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 21:52:00 GMT

Hi, I’m Chris Hallum, Senior Product Manager on the Windows Team. This week we’re down at the RSA Conference in San Francisco talking about some of the security benefits of Windows 8. As you’ve likely heard us talk about, our overall goal with Windows 8 is to deliver the experiences people love along with the enterprise-grade solutions businesses need. Windows 8 is enterprise-ready, by design, and it builds on what is great about Windows 7 while creating a modern platform designed for a new generation of hardware experiences.

From a security standpoint we all know that attacks on organizations, users and their data are becoming more and more common. In fact you may have seen a number of recent stories on Kaspersky Lab’s analysis of Red October, which according to Kaspersky is being used in one of the most sophisticated cyber-attack campaigns that’s ever been seen. This campaign is targeted specifically at government, research institutions (e.g.: nuclear), oil and gas companies, aerospace and military organizations around the world, and it’s harvesting a broad range of documents and sensitive information. It’s a total disaster for those impacted and it’s unlikely that these organizations will ever be able to determine what information has been compromised.

Its threats like Red October, and those like it, that helped shape our security related priorities for Windows 8. Our goals were to provide ground breaking malware resistance, make data encryption easy enough that everyone can deploy it, and finally we wanted to modernize access control.

We understand that these goals can’t be achieved in software alone and that we needed to anchor our security in immutable hardware. Therefore, early on in the Windows 8 product cycle we worked closely with our partners in the hardware industry to make sure that the hardware necessary to achieve our goals would be available as options or even as fundamental requirements for Windows 8 Hardware certification.

Now there are a few new hardware components that are central to our Windows 8 security story and I want to take a bit of time to talk you through them.

Universal Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)

UEFI is a standard based and architecture independent solution from the Unified EFI Forum working group, which can be used as replacement for BIOS. It provides a number of benefits to devices but from a security perspective its most interesting capability is its Secure Bootfeature. Secure Boot addresses the scenario where malware injects itself between the hardware and operating system that enables it to persist and remain hidden from Windows and the Antimalware solution. UEFI is able to detect untrusted code in the boot path and will prevent it from initializing. Many of the most sophisticated and impactful malware that we’ve seen use this type of tactic which is no longer possible on UEFI equipped systems.

UEFI does give us a secure system startup; however, there are other parts of the boot process that attackers will target. To address this type of treat, Windows 8 includes Trusted Boot which hardens the entire boot process from end to end and pretty much all the way up to Windows Sign-In experience. In addition parts of the antimalware solution which in the past may have started after the boot process and potentially after malware has started, have been moved into the Trusted Boot process where they can start first and be protected. The combination of Secure and Trusted Boot represent major game changers when it comes to malware resistance on Windows. In fact with these features architecturally eliminate the opportunity for low level malware such as boot and root kits to infect Windows devices.

Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0

UEFI offers Windows a secure root of trust and a startup but what about securing data with encryption? In Window Vista and 7 you may remember that BitLocker took advantage of the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip. We used it secure the keys used for encrypting BitLocker protected drives. TPM is a great solution for this but it’s also been a challenge for the industry due to the cost of goods and regional use restrictions.

To address these issues Microsoft in coordination with the Trusted Computing Group (TCG)has made a number of improvements for TPM 2.0 specification. Capability has been added to the 2.0 specification that has the potential to enable TPM to be used worldwide scenarios, and to address costs a firmware based TPM solution is now possible. This firmware based solution works on ARM devices and Intel processors that include Platform Trust Technology (PTT). Since the firmware based solution effectively drives down the cost of TPM to zero we’re seeing TPM added to a much broader range of devices, including consumer class devices which may be used for BYOD scenarios. Because of this, new features that take advantage of TPM such as Virtual Smartcards, Measured Boot, Hardware secured Certificates, and ASLR were prioritized for Windows 8. TPM isn’t just for BitLocker anymore!

Encrypted Hard Drives

Now I want to take a moment to talk about how new hardware is going to help drive your encryption compliance numbers to the highest possible levels. Windows 8 supports a new type of hard drive called an Encrypted Hard Drive. These standards based Opal drives contain onboard encryption hardware that offloads processing from the device’s CPU to the hard drive itself. Data encryption on Encrypted Hard Drive is always enabled so you’ll never have unencrypted data on you drives. Securing the drive using the TPM and BitLocker takes about a second which is a much improved experience over traditional disks where it can take hours to complete. In the end Encrypted Hard Drives protected with BitLocker provide the best experience for IT and users, and they’re the easiest way to achieve the highest possible encryption compliance numbers within your organization.

To learn more about Windows 8 security please continue to check back here for updates from me and visit the Windows 8 security product page.

Toyota Racing Teams Open NASCAR Season with Windows 8

Erwin Visser — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 14:31:00 GMT

You may recall a recent business story that I shared back in December around how TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) is leveraging Windows 8 to gain a competitive edge in the racing industry. Our Microsoft team is with TRD this weekend at the season opening NASCAR races in Daytona, Florida, to see how things are shaping up on the race track with their Windows 8 Trackside app running on the new Surface Pro.

#99 Alex Bowman Toyota Camry in practice session at 2013 Daytona International Speedway.

TRD created the Trackside app for Windows 8 as a way to more efficiently monitor and deliver race performance data to the crew chief, and also allow the driver to input data based on his first-hand experience on the track. At the race track, it is imperative to spend more time driving and less time in the pit reviewing performance data. The Trackside app on Surface Pro delivers the best of high performance computing with a touch based mobile tablet, putting race data at the team’s fingertips and ultimately translates into shaving time on the track. Click hereto read more from the Surface team on why TRD chose Surface Pro.

Darren Jones, Group Lead for Software Development at TRD best explains the importance of efficient and clear communications: “The driver is wearing a helmet, the crew chief is wearing a headset, and everyone is shouting in a wind storm while cars scream by at speeds of more than 175 MPH. If we need to go to the trailer to review data and discuss strategies, we lose 15 minutes. In this business, races are won by hundredths of a second so every second counts, on and off the track.”

From left to right: Darren Jones, group lead for software development at TRD, and Steve Wickham, vice president of chassis operations at TRD, discuss TRD's Trackside app running on Windows 8.

The TRD Trackside app on Windows 8 is a vital part of TRD’s racing strategy. It allows the driver to pull into the garage, review timing, scoring data and determine where the car is having performance issues on the track with the tap of a finger and hand it to the crew chief, who can share it with the crew in real time to immediately make adjustments to improve the performance of the car. This level of mobility and agility previously not possible enables the car to get back on the track faster and allows the team more time to enhance the performance, which can improve their chances of winning.

Hear from TRD about their Trackside app running on Windows 8:

Why Windows 8?

TRD most recently had a Windows 7 version of the app called TRD Race Strategy. It was a timing and scoring-based app that TRD used during practice runs to compare lap times. The app worked great on laptops, and stationary monitors, but it wasn’t touch-enabled and had to be used with a mouse and keyboard, making it difficult for drivers to access information while sitting in the car. TRD needed something more mobile for the track environment that could improve communication between the driver and crew.

Windows 8 fills that mobility void with a small and convenient touch tablet that the driver can easily use while sitting in the car and then hand to the crew chief, without any data getting lost in translation. To design the Trackside app for Windows 8, TRD was able to repurpose its original code from the Windows 7 Race Strategy app, and re-skinned it with a Windows 8 user interface to deliver its mobile touch based experience. The ability to reuse code saved TRD significant time in development and testing, and allowed them to build the Windows 8 app with a proven foundation.

The Rollout

TRD began testing the TRD Trackside app last year during the final four races of the 2012 season, and Jones says the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. TRD will make the Trackside app on Windows 8 available to Nationwide Series teams at the start of the 2013 race season. TRD is excited to have RAB Racing with Brack Maggard be the first Toyota Nationwide team to put this technology into production running on Surface Pro. Throughout the 2013-2014 race seasons, TRD will expand its support capabilities to rollout the app on Windows 8 to remaining teams across all three national touring NASCAR series to improve communications and save time on the track.

From left to right: Alex Bowman, RAB Racing with Brack Maggard #99 Nationwide driver; Darren Jones, group lead for software development at TRD, and veteran driver Kenny Wallace, discuss TRD's Trackside app running on Windows 8.

Congratulations to the team at TRD on a great app and racing strategy – we’ll see you at the finish line!

For more information about how Windows 8 can be useful to your business, please visit the Windows 8 for enterprise site. Learn how to design line of business (LOB) apps for Windows 8 here. Visit our Customer Stories page to see more examples of businesses that are using Windows 8 to improve employee and customer experiences.

Answering Your Top Questions: Windows To Go

Craig Ashley — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 18:00:03 GMT

Over the past few months, we have discussed Windows To Go features, its ability to help mobile workers be more productive, and the importance of certified drives to overall functionality. As I talk with companies, both large and small, who are evaluating Windows To Go in their own ecosystems, I’ve heard common questions regarding compatibility, support and usage scenarios of the product. As more customers consider Windows To Go, I thought it would be a great time to address some of these common questions, and provide a few Tips ‘n Tricks to help in evaluating Windows To Go for your organizations.

Q: What machine types, or PCs, are supported for use with Windows To Go?

In general, Windows To Go is supported on hardware that has been certified for use with either Windows 7 or Windows 8 operating systems, regardless of the OS currently running on the hardware. If you have purchased a computer certified for Windows 7 or Windows 8 and then installed an older operating system, Windows To Go will boot and run as expected, as long as you have configured the firmware to boot from USB. However, older computers might not meet the hardware requirements for Windows To Go to run. Computers certified for Windows Vista and earlier operating systems may have less memory, less processing power, reduced video rendering, and slower USB ports.

Q: Does Windows To Go rely on virtualization technologies?

Windows To Go is a native instance of Windows 8 that runs from a certified USB drive. No virtualization technologies are required to boot. Think about Windows To Go as a laptop hard drive with Windows 8 that has been put onto a USB enclosure for use on the go.

Q: Windows To Go certified drives are USB 3.0, does that mean that Windows To Go is only supported on USB 3.0 ports on my PC?

No; not at all. Windows To Go is fully supported on either USB 2.0 ports or USB 3.0 ports on PCs certified for Windows 7 or Windows 8.

Q: Do you have any best practice recommendations for people new to Windows To Go?

Absolutely; from my own personal experience, make sure you integrate these simple steps for optimal Windows To Go performance and experience:

Before removing the Windows To Go drive from your device, always make sure the Windows 8 operating system running from your Windows To Go drive, is completely shut down.
Never insert the Windows To Go drive into a running computer; Windows To Go requires booting from a powered down machine.
Don’t boot the Windows To Go drive directly from a USB hub. Always insert the Windows To Go drive directly into a port on the computer, as a hub may slow or interrupt the boot process.
Suspend BitLocker on Windows 7 host computers before changing the BIOS settings to boot from USB and then resume BitLocker protection to avoid having to enter your BitLocker recovery key.

Q: What happens if I, or someone else, remove my Windows To Go drive while it is running?

The best way to answer this question is through my story that tells the tale of a great Windows To Go feature called a “resiliency to unintended removal.” As a test user of new drives, I frequently use them when I work from home and during the evenings. One night, my three boys noticed a drive sticking out of my PC and ingeniously, through a series of well thought out distractions and sneaky maneuvers, my 12 year old snagged the Windows To Go drive directly from my PC as I was in mid-project. Lucky for me, the resiliency and unintended removal feature of Windows To Go automatically froze my computer screen upon removal of the drive, giving me 60 seconds to re-insert. If the Windows To Go drive is reinserted into the same port it was removed from, Windows will resume at the point where the drive was removed – without the loss of in process work or data. If the USB drive is not reinserted, or is reinserted into a different port, the host computer will turn off after 60 seconds.

Q: I’m booted into Windows To Go and I cannot browse the internal hard drive of the host computer. Why is this?

This restriction is due to the policies set by the Windows To Go Creator and the recommended deployment steps for Windows To Go setting SAN Policy 4 on Windows To Go drives. This policy prevents Windows from automatically mounting internal disk drives. That’s why you can’t see the internal hard drives of the host computer when you are booted into Windows To Go. This is done to prevent accidental data leakage between Windows To Go and the host system. This policy also prevents potential corruption on the host drives or data loss if the host operating system is in a hibernation state.

Q: Does Windows To Go work with Windows RT?

No, Windows To Go is currently only supported on PCs with x86 or x64-based processors, therefore, it is not compatible with ARM-based Windows RT.

Q: Can I access all Windows 8 features when utilizing Windows To Go?

Yes, with some minor exceptions. The only currently unsupported features are the use of Windows Recovery Environment, and PC Reset & Refresh. Further, access to the Windows Store is disabled by default, to help prevent inadvertent licensing issues when using applications purchased through the Windows Store. (For more information, see Support for the Windows Store.) However, organizations wishing to access Windows Store via Windows To Go, may enable as appropriate.

Q: Can I use all of my Windows applications via Windows To Go?

Yes you may. Since Windows To Go is a full Windows 8 environment, all of your applications that work with Windows 8, both current Windows 7 desktop and LOB applications as well as new Windows 8 apps, should work with Windows To Go. However, any applications that use hardware binding (usually for licensing and/or digital rights management reasons) will not run when you roam your Windows To Go. In this scenario, you will have to use those on the same host computer every time.

Q: If I lose my Windows To Go drive, will my data be safe?

If you enable BitLocker on your Windows To Go drive, all of your data will be encrypted and protected, and a malicious user will not be able to access your data without your password. If you don’t enable BitLocker, your data may be vulnerable if you lose your Windows To Go drive.

Q: How do I license Windows To Go, and can I use it on my personal PC?

Windows To Go licensing is relatively straight-forward. Employees can use Windows To Go on any PC (personal or corporate owned) licensed with Software Assurance or Windows VDA. Additionally, employees who are the primary user of the SA or VDA licensed device may also run Windows To Go from their personal PC while outside the office with no additional license. These employees can also use Windows To Go on their personal PC at work when covered by a Windows Companion Subscription License (CSL) for Software Assurance.

Q: What are the most common scenarios you see Enterprises deploying Windows To Go?

The most popular cases for Windows To Go deployment tend to be:

Bring Your Own Device: Here, IT may simply provision a Windows To Go stick to permit access to the enterprise network on a personal device, so employees are able to stay productive whatever their choice of PC. It eliminates the concern of extended manageability and security of third party devices.
Supporting Contract or Temporary Workers: This scenario removes the need for IT to provision a new PC for the contractor, yet still allows the temporary employee to access corporate data via their own device.
Helping Employees test, trial or evaluate Windows 8: It’s as simple as it sounds. By provisioning a Windows To Go stick, users may familiarize themselves with the Windows 8 UI even before it is formally installed on their device.

Of course, Windows To Go is an ideal fit for many enterprise scenarios, feel free to check out more opportunities here.

While the above is just a sampling of the types of things I hear day in and day out from customers, we have an abundance of additional information on the Windows 8 Enterprise and Windows To Go website. For further deployment guidance, tips for booting Windows To Go, hardware considerations, best practices, or technical information on Windows To Go, check out the TechNet library resources.

If you are interested in evaluating Windows To Go, you simply need to buy a certified drive and download the Windows 8 Enterprise evaluation edition which provides up to a 90-day evaluation of Windows 8 Enterprise. Utilizing the Windows To Go Creator tool, available in the evaluation edition, you can create and test Windows To Go. (Note that Microsoft Partner Network, MSDN Subscription, TechNet Professional Subscription and Microsoft Volume Licensing/Software Assurance members may already have access to Windows 8, and do not need to download the 90-day evaluation.)

And…keep your questions coming!

Announcing Windows To Go Certified Drive Partners

Erwin Visser — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:18:16 GMT

We’ve talked about how Windows 8 Enterprise offers businesses the experiences people love, and the enterprise-grade solutions organizations need. Of all the new features and functionality in Windows 8 Enterprise, perhaps the most talked about is Windows To Go, which gives users new possibilities in mobile productivity.

A quick refresher: Windows To Go is a fully manageable corporate Windows 8 OS image provisioned on a certified bootable USB drive that allows employees to work from anywhere. To use Windows To Go, you simply insert the provisioned USB drive into a compatible PC and boot into your personalized Windows 8 image, all while maintaining access to key security and management features of the operating system, as well as other key programs included within the corporate image, such as: Group Policy, BitLocker, BranchCache, App-V, UE-V and DirectAccess. Further, unlike many other mobility solutions, Windows To Go users are able to have their personalized Windows environment on their certified USB with or without network connectivity, which means they may be fully productive from any location they choose to work.

So, what exactly is a certified bootable Windows To Go USB drive?

In order to provide a seamless mobile Windows 8 experience, Microsoft only supports certified Windows To Go drives. To become certified, a USB drive must pass a battery of certification tests, as well as undergo self-hosting across a variety of PCs to test-drive for high performance compatibility with Windows 8 and Windows To Go. Additionally, certified drives must:

Be built for high random read/write speeds and support the thousands of random access I/O operations per second required for running normal Windows workloads smoothly.
Have been tuned to ensure they boot and run on hardware certified for use with either Windows 7 or Windows 8.
Be built to last. Certified drives are backed with manufacturer warranties and should continue operating under normal usage.

I am excited to announce that five vendors currently offer USB drives that meet or exceed the Windows To Go certification tests and requirements. Each of the manufacturers listed below have rigorously tested their products, and have worked with Microsoft to create high quality Windows To Go optimized drives. Combined, these vendors provide drives meeting a wide range of requirements, from small to large storage sizes (32GB to 500GB), a variety of form factors, and added security functionality.

Imation is a global scalable storage and data security company whose portfolio includes tiered storage and security offerings for businesses and consumers. Imation offers the IronKey™ Workspace certified for Windows To Go, available in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB sizes.
Kingston is a global provider of memory, solid-state drives, USB drives, and flash memory products. The Kingston Windows To Go certified drive, known as the DataTraveler Workspace, is available in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB versions.
SPYRUS, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets hardware-based encryption, authentication, and digital content security products. SPYRUS offers two Windows To Go certified drives: the SPYRUS unencrypted Portable Workplace and the hardware encrypted Secure Portable Workplace, which is designed to be compliant with FIPS 140-2. Each drive is offered in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB sizes.
Super Talent designs and manufactures Flash-based storage solutions for Enterprise Servers, Workstations, Personal Computers and Consumer Electronics. Currently, Super Talent offers the RC8, in a variety of sizes, 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB.
WD, a subsidiary of Western Digital Technologies, Inc., is a global storage industry leader, providing internal and external storage solutions for consumers and businesses. The WD My Passport Enterprise is a 500 GB external hard drive designed and certified specifically for use with Windows To Go.

As companies continue with their Windows 8 and Windows To Go evaluation processes, I urge them to learn more about each certified partner, the value they offer, and the unique feature sets each of them will bring to Windows 8 deployment.

If you are interested in evaluating Windows To Go, you simply need to buy a drive and download the Windows 8 Enterprise evaluation edition which provides up to a 90-day evaluation of Windows 8 Enterprise. Utilizing the Windows To Go Creator tool, available in the evaluation edition, you can create and test Windows To Go. (Note that Microsoft Partner Network, MSDN Subscription, TechNet Professional Subscription and Microsoft Volume Licensing/Software Assurance members may already have access to Windows 8, and do not need to download the 90-day evaluation.)

We couldn’t be more excited to bring new capabilities and features like Windows To Go to market with Windows 8. For more information, check out the Windows 8 Enterprise and Windows To Go website. For deployment guidance, up-to-date certified drive vendor details, hardware considerations, best practices, or technical information on Windows To Go, check out the TechNet library resources.

Retailers Reach More Customers with Windows 8

Stella Chernyak — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:09:41 GMT

This week, Microsoft is at the National Retail Federation’s annual conference in New York City demonstrating how Windows 8 apps and devices are helping transform the way retailers do business. As we shared last week, Windows 8 has sold over 60 million licenses since launching in October and apps are available in more than 200 markets globally. This expanding landscape makes the Windows 8 platform a great vehicle for retailers to reach more customers and build new relationships worldwide.

In 2012, consumers spent $25 billion (11 percent of total ecommerce sales) while shopping on mobile devices, particularly tablets, according to recent data from market research firm eMarketer. That number is expected to increase 55.7 percent in 2013, with mobile device sales accounting for 15 percent of all ecommerce – presenting even more opportunity for retailers to tap into the mobile device ecommerce market through Windows 8 apps.

With the flexibility of Windows 8 to seamlessly work on a variety of form factors, retailers are able to enhance the shopping experience for their customers with Windows Store apps, whether featured on all-in-ones that find their way into offices and homes, or on tablets that are perfect for kicking back on the couch and browsing catalogs.

Top retailers including Amazon, Dell, eBay, Newegg, Office Depot and the Home Shopping Network already have Windows 8 apps in the Windows Store, and more retail apps will debut in the months ahead, offering consumers a broad collection of apps to find just what they’re looking for right from the comfort of their chosen device.

Check out the quick overviews of these great retail apps:

Amazon

The Amazon app allows you to quickly make purchases, search, compare prices, read reviews, and share products with friends from your Windows 8 device, using a simple yet elegant interface. Shop just as you do on the web.

Dell

Tap into the app to find everything at Dell. With Dell Shop, you can find the perfect new Dell PC or get more from your current PC with custom-recommended electronics and accessories from top manufacturers. Using your System ID, Dell Shop can identify your Dell PC and make compatible suggestions. Even if your PC isn’t a Dell, you can still use Dell Shop to buy those must-have items. You’ll find easy access to the most popular accessories, from monitors, printers, projectors, mice and bags, to wireless routers and external storage. If you’re looking to outfit a home theater, home office, dorm room or a creative studio, you’ll find complete solutions right here.

eBay

The eBay app lets you tap into the world’s largest marketplace anywhere you are. It’s free and built with eBay users in mind that will help you get more out of your buying and selling activity with Windows 8. Never miss a deal with the eBay app with instant alerts when outbid or auctions are ending. You can customize even more alerts so you stay on top of your shopping.

Newegg

The Newegg app allows you to search, shop, read reviews and make purchases on Newegg.com.

Office Depot

With the Office Depot app, you can find a store near you and check out the weekly deals offered at that store, or scroll through a list of stores in your area and view weekly deal offers for each.

Home Shopping Network

The "HSN - Shop, Watch, Play" app allows customers to Watch HSN Live and discover more about the products on air – with product details, customer reviews, and ease of purchasing. You can also LiveChat with friends and the hosts to ask your own questions about products and the show from your Windows 8 device.

For more information on Microsoft at NRF, visit the Microsoft News Center to learn more about Windows 8 and other solutions for retailers.

CES: Cool new PCs make a lot of sense for business

Jay Paulus — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 21:36:24 GMT

2013 just started and as usual, the Consumer Electronics Show has us off to a busy start. CES is in full swing in Las Vegas and our OEM partners are showing off a whole bunch of great new devices. You may have already seen the post from Nick Parker, CVP of our OEM Division, highlighting some of the PCs coming to market, and now I want to showcase some that are available with Windows 8 Pro and great for small and midsize businesses.

As a quick refresher, Windows 8 Pro includes everything that businesses loved about Windows 7 Professional but builds on it and delivers new levels of productivity, security and mobility, without sacrificing performance or choice. And with this performance and choice, businesses have the opportunity to choose between touch and/or mouse and keyboard on an array of devices. Now, without further ado here are some of the great new PCs coming out of CES.

Small and midsize businesses will have a great option from Lenovo with the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix, which is a premium convertible geared specifically at businesses. An 11.6” tablet, this device features innovative “rip and flip” screen that allows people to flip the tablet and snap it into Stand mode, which is great for presentations. This machine also features 10-hours of battery life, is extremely light at 1.13 lbs. and offers the brightest screen in the ThinkPad family.

The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-G1 will be welcomed by many small and midsize businesses as it is a fully-rugged tablet equipped with Windows 8 Pro and a high-performance processor. With a highly visible screen that’s great for outdoor viewing, a slim design, as well as customizable ports – this device will be ideal for industries like retail, logistics and manufacturing where businesses are looking for extra durability.

Another great option from Lenovo is the flip and fold, 360° hinge convertible – the new Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S. This machine comes equipped with a new, low power lineup from Intel with up to 3rd generation Intel Core i5 processors and Windows 8 Pro to give businesses the full power of multitasking. The IdeaPad Yoga 11S features an 11.6” HD IPS display and opens in three modes: tent, stand or table. Additionally, it has Motion Control that lets users simply swipe their hand in front of the webcam to advance photos, videos and other documents.

Although not announced at CES but definitely shown off, the new HP EliteBook Revolve would be a great PC for any small or midsize business. This touch-enabled convertible notebook is ultra-thin device has an 11.6” diagonal HD display and is light at only 3.04 lbs. Additionally, this machine allows users to quickly and easily switch from notebook to tablet with one pivot, while also knowing that their screen orientation and brightness will follow seamlessly.

So that’s about it for this post. Whether it’s a notebook, a tablet or an all-in-one, whether it’s a touch-based system or a keyboard-and-mouse-based system, there is a broad choice of exciting PCs and tablets with Windows 8 Pro available to fit every small and midsize businesses wants and needs.

The Unsung Hero: Windows 8 Security

Stella Chernyak — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:09:02 GMT

We’ve shared a lot on this blog about the business features and value of Windows 8, including stories from some of the early adopters who are taking advantage of Windows 8 in a lot of ways, from tablets to apps, to Windows To Go. Security has been mentioned in almost every one of these instances, but we haven’t gone into great detail; so today I’d like to provide you with a deeper dive on the investments we’ve made in Windows 8 security. In the weeks and months to come, I’ll continue to share more information on the features within these investment areas as well, so stay tuned!

For several generations of Windows, we’ve made security a top priority, and while Windows 7 represented our most secure version of Windows at the time, there were still more improvements that could be made. We had to improve on what we’d delivered in the past and we needed to innovate to address new and emerging threats. With Windows 8, security remains a high priority investment area and with it we’ve delivered a broad range of new capabilities that address the top security needs and threats that you’re facing today, including:

Malware’s ability to compromise core operating system and antimalware components.
Complexities related to efficiently protecting corporate data with encryption.
High cost of deploying, using, and managing strong multifactor authentication.
Challenges of managing access control in dynamic and constantly changing environments.

Malware Resistance

Delivering products that are resistant to malware requires the use of a process such as the Security Development Lifecycle (SDL), which helps ensure that the best security design, development, and testing practices are used. All software that ships from Microsoft uses this process, and we’re proud of the impact that it’s made, which can be seen in Kaspersky Lab’s recent Q3 2012 IT threat report detailing how Microsoft products are not listed amongst the top 10 products with vulnerabilities. We think this is a remarkable achievement given the broad customer base of a product like Windows.

We’ve made significant investments in Windows 8 to make sure that even if a vulnerability is discovered, the likelihood of a successful attack will have been minimized, if not eliminated. Security researchers who evaluated the Windows 8 Release Preview and spoke at Black Hhat in July had some pretty impressive things to say about progress that we’ve made in Windows 8. For instance, one senior researcher stated that the improvements made between Windows 7 and Windows 8 are as significant as those made between Windows XP and Windows 7.

In addition to making the system less vulnerable to exploitation, we’ve also redesigned some aspects of Windows 8 to be completely immune to malware. Bootkits and rootkits, notorious types of malware that have the ability to take over a PC while remaining hidden from the system and the antimalware solution, have literally been designed out of the architecture with Windows 8 features like Secure and Trusted Boot.

While Secure and Trusted Boot eliminate some of the most dangerous types of malware, they aren’t meant to provide comprehensive protection and thus need to be paired with a high quality antimalware software solution. We believe in this so strongly that we’ve included a significantly improved version of Windows Defender in every edition of Windows 8. Windows Defender will help protect you from all types of malware, including viruses, worms, bots and rootkits by using the complete set of malware signatures from the Microsoft Malware Protection Center.

Protecting Corporate Data

Protecting corporate data is a top concern for customers and many of you know that provisioning and managing encryption on devices, regardless of vendor, is a huge challenge. One of the biggest challenges is the sheer amount of time it takes to provision encryption to the device. It can take hours, and in the case of some third party solutions, it can even block end user productivity while the encryption process is taking place.

In Windows 8, we wanted to make sure that our encryption solutions, including BitLocker and BitLocker to Go, are the fastest options to provision and that they never get in the way of the end user. To enable this, Windows 8 includes Data Only Encryption, which allows BitLocker to encrypt just the portions of the disk that contain data. This can reduce encryption times from hours to minutes in many cases. Data Only Encryption is a great enhancement, but wouldn’t it be great if provisioning encryption didn’t take any time? Encrypted Hard Drives, a new type of Self-Encrypting Drive (SED), will do just that. In this case, the drive provides onboard hardware assisted encryption and protecting the drive with BitLocker takes just a few seconds, if that.

Modernizing Authentication and Access Control

Deploying strong multi-factor authentication in organizations is either perpetually on the wish list, or if it’s deployed it’s used in limited scenarios. Customers face many challenges when deploying strong multi-factor authentication today, including the provisioning process, its cost, and support. To address these challenges, we’ve delivered a new authentication form factor that we call the Virtual Smart Card. Virtual Smart Cards literally turn your TPM enabled PC into a smartcard and because it’s all implemented in software it’s easy to deploy and manage. This technology is going make strong multi-factor authentication cheap and mainstream rather than an expensive luxury!

The model for access control has been the same for as long as anyone can remember. You have an object that you want to secure and a list of users that should have access to it. The challenge with this model is that it’s based on static lists that need to be managed, and with dynamic organizations that are constantly changing; keeping up to date with the changes is a near impossible task. With Windows 8 and Server 2012, we wanted to create the condition where access control can automatically stay up to date with organizational changes. To do this, we’ve delivered a new feature called Dynamic Access Control (DAC), which enables access to resources controlled through the use of rules that operate on user and device properties (e.g. department, location, title, access level, etc.). Imagine easily creating a rule that indicates that all users from the United State Finance department who are Directors have access to quarterly progress reports. You can do that with DAC!

I hope that these details on the three key investment areas for Windows 8 security are in alignment with the some of the top security needs that you have within your organization. Stay tuned for more info on the security features within these areas. In the meantime, I recommend you download and begin your evaluation of Windows 8 if you haven’t done so already. I think you’ll enjoy experiencing Windows reimagined and appreciate the great security improvements that we’ve delivered.

Windows 8 Pro Helps Small Businesses Enjoy the Holidays

Jay Paulus — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 19:30:32 GMT

As you’ve probably noticed – with the decorations, music and crowds almost everywhere you go – the holidays are in full swing! While many people are thinking about heading out of the office to spend some time with friends and family, many small businesses are not doing so, as it is often the busiest time of year for them. This holiday we wanted to make sure that small businesses are aware of some of the features in Windows 8 Pro that can help them stay up to speed with work, while also giving them time to enjoy some well-deserved R&R.

Small businesses will see improved productivity with Windows 8 Pro

The operating system on business computers plays a huge role in improving efficiency and work flow. Features in Windows 8 Pro such as the new Start screen is built of tiles that allow small businesses to put all the things they rely on and care about most, such as their most-used business apps or possibly their holiday shopping list, right in front of them. Additionally, one of the key benefits of Windows 8 Pro is the option to use touch and mouse & keyboard, so people have the choice to use whatever makes them the most productive.

Small businesses get enhanced security with Windows 8 Pro

Although a security breach is problematic for any business, it can be downright catastrophic for a small business if it results in substantial losses, tarnishes their reputation with customers or shuts down the business for a period of time. Many feel like it will never happen to them, but according to Verizon’s 2012 Data Breach Investigations Report, business with fewer than 100 employees made up 75 percent of breach cases. Luckily, Windows 8 Pro was built with security in mind and includes features like BitLocker and Trusted Boot so small businesses know that they are protected from power-on to power-off.

Mobility solutions are front and center with Windows 8 Pro

Many small businesses strive for the ability to work remotely so they can do things like check-in on business matters from home after the kids have gone to bed or keep tabs on what’s happening while they’re out of town during the holidays. Knowing that mobility is a priority for small businesses, Windows 8 Pro is built with support for key mobile technologies like built-in mobile broadband and Remote Desktop, so small businesses can stay productive regardless if they are at the store or office, traveling or spending quality time at home.

Small Businesses see better performance with Windows 8 Pro

Given how busy schedules get around the holidays, it’s important that people get things done on time. Often a slow-moving computer or outdated software can be a time suck and prevents people from logging off. Now is a great time for small businesses to upgrade to new hardware and software like Windows 8 Pro, so that they can get out of the office – whether it is for dinner with a friend, finalizing some holiday shopping or just relaxing at home with the family. Also, if a small business purchases new technology before the end of the year, come tax time it can be a nice write-off.

Overall, small businesses can see that by making needed upgrades to their technology they will not only stay productive this holiday season but will continue to do so into the New Year. To find out more about Windows 8 Pro for small businesses please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/business/default.aspx.

Holiday Giveaway!

Additionally, as you may have seen, we often partner with bloggers throughout the year to host giveaways or contests, where entrants can enter to win new PCs loaded with the latest Windows technology.

This holiday we are partnering with Beth Kanter, the author of Beth’s Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media – one of the longest running and most popular blogs for non-profits – to giveaway two Dell XPS 12 PCs loaded with Windows 8 Pro to two lucky non-profits. To find out more about the giveaway please check out her blog post here.

Toyota Racing Development Speeds Ahead with Windows 8

Erwin Visser — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:00:29 GMT

It’s been a busy few months for us as we’ve been traveling around the world to showcase the possibilities Windows 8 brings to businesses. We went to Europe, visited cities throughout the U.S. and Canada, and even traveled to Dubai and Japan, to share stories about how companies of all shapes and sizes are using Windows 8 to help improve customer and employee experiences.

Today, I’m excited to share another business story – this time around how the racing industry is using Windows 8 to gain a competitive edge. Toyota Racing Development (TRD), a company that among other things is responsible for supporting Toyota’s North American racing interests, differentiates itself through technology innovation.

Since 2005, TRD has been developing racing software for teams to analyze information to improve performance and win races. To stay ahead of competitors, TRD continually evolves its software based on feedback from teams, and recognized the need for a more mobile computing platform.

“One of the biggest differentiators between TRD and our competition is that we have invested very heavily in Windows software,” said Steve Wickham, VP of Chassis Operations at Toyota Racing Development. “Our teams have such a vested interest in staying one step ahead of the competition, they’ve been asking for ways that we can enhance communications even further and wanted a more mobile computing platform that could be used trackside.”

TRD turned to Windows 8 to solve for their mobility needs, and worked with Microsoft to design a touch-enabled Windows 8 app that serves as the centerpiece of their strategy to improve car performance to ultimately win races.

TRD’s Trackside App
TRD’s Trackside app, running on Windows 8-powered tablets, helps deliver efficient trackside information exchanges at the track and improves the speed and accuracy of communications between the race car driver and racing team crew chief. Instead of fumbling around with a heavy laptop like most teams, drivers with teams such as RAB Racing with Brack Maggard are using TRD’s Trackside app to compare times and performance against the track layout with the tap of a finger, allowing them to immediately see where they have to improve to beat the competition.

In addition to their improved competitive edge, TRD shared a few other unique benefits they’re seeing with the Trackside app:

Maximized Value of Practice Runs
The crew chief uses the Trackside app to input performance data on a Windows 8-powered tablet inside the garage or on the team’s race car carrier/machine shop, also known as a hauler, during practice runs, and passes the tablet to the driver to allow for fast and easy communication on performance. Using the Trackside app to clarify communications among the race team helps everyone quickly make performance adjustments to the car to maximize practice sessions, which ultimately improves the chance of winning.

Expedited Trackside Tuning
During the race, the team uses the app to monitor performance and to spotlight other drivers to compare their times against competitors. The crew chief is then able to quickly relay that information to the driver, which allows teams to speed up trackside tuning and develop winning race strategies on the fly.

Looking Ahead
While TRD has been actively testing the Trackside app during practice runs at races across the country, the app continues to evolve and there will be much more to share in the coming months around how TRD is leveraging Windows 8 to help racing teams gain a competitive edge. In addition to debuting Trackside at Daytona in February 2013, we will also have more to share about TRD’s Windows 8-powered tablet device and Trackside app rollout plan. So please stay tuned for updates on TRD’s story!

As always, I hope you find the customer examples we share here helpful in further understanding the broad range of possibilities Windows 8 offers to businesses. For more information about Windows 8 planning and deployment, please visit the Windows 8 for enterprise site.

As we continue to hear from organizations adopting Windows 8, I look forward to sharing more stories that uniquely demonstrate how Windows 8 can be useful to your business.

Which tablet should you choose for your business?

Erwin Visser — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 18:21:08 GMT

Now that Windows 8 and Windows RT are generally available, a wide range of new tablets, convertibles and other innovative devices from a variety of manufacturers are becoming available. While some people may still be best served by traditional laptop or desktop PCs, many customers will benefit from new Windows 8 tablets or touch-enabled devices like convertibles (all referred to as tablets in this blog for simplicity). In some cases, these tablets will be used as companion devices alongside existing PCs, while in other cases Windows tablets will become the primary computing device. With the broad range of form factors now available, there’s no “one size fits all” device, nor should there be.

For businesses as well, there is now unprecedented level of choice in Windows-powered devices. Many early adopter companies have begun making this important choice for their employees and customers and offer insights that may be helpful to other businesses contemplating their Windows-device selections. So, we wanted to share how some customers choose the right device for their needs and how you might go about making that choice for your organization. We have seen a lot of interest in Windows 8 tablets, as evidenced by some of these customer stories, and will use their examples to illuminate some important criteria when making a Windows 8 tablet selection.

So, which Windows 8 tablet is right for my business?

While we’ve talked about these Windows 8 customers before, their stories demonstrate the importance of making smart tablet decisions, and they serve as helpful examples of businesses that have gone through a similar decision-making process.

Not surprisingly, they have not all decided on the same device type. So what were the primary factors for some of these customers?

Rooms To Go, a furniture retailer, decided to create a custom line-of-business app for their store salespeople, who will use this app on Windows tablets to interact with their customers to help them make purchasing decisions. For these users, mobility was the primary factor as the salespeople will carry the devices all day through their stores. As a result, they chose Windows RT tablets with ARM processors.

Emirates, a large airline, built an app to be used by their flight crews to provide the best in-flight experience to their passengers. By choosing Windows 8 tablets with Intel Atom processors, they are assured that the devices will meet their primary mobility requirements, while also being fully manageable using Active Directory and related technologies.

Seton Hall University decided to provide new students with Windows 8 tablets with Intel Core processors and notebooks using Windows 8 Enterprise. These students need devices that have great mobility, while still running a variety of desktop apps and workloads that vary greatly across the student body. To ensure the safety and security of their network, they also need full manageability.

PCL Construction has a wide range of tablet users spread across a variety of office locations and construction sites. As a result, they need devices that offer great mobility and can run a variety of apps, all while having convenient connectivity to the corporate network through the DirectAccess capabilities in Windows 8 Enterprise. They have chosen to leverage Windows 8 tablets with Intel Core processors.

Quick guide to Windows-powered tablets

At a high level, new Windows tablets fall into three categories based on its processor, which have different capabilities.

Windows 8 tablets with Intel Core processors. These are typically higher-powered tablets offering notebook-like performance and larger amounts of memory, supporting both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise operating systems using familiar x86/x64 processors from Intel and AMD. These can run existing desktop apps, as well as new Windows Store apps and new Windows line-of-business apps. These tablets can be a full PC replacement for business customers as they are able to run any workload that people require.

Windows 8 tablets with Intel Atom processors. These use system-on-chip (SoC) designs to achieve greater mobility through their lightweight design and long battery life. They support 32-bit Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise operating systems. These can run existing desktop apps as well as new Windows Store and new Windows line-of-business apps. These tablets also support the new “Connected Standby” capability that enables devices with long battery life, turn on instantly and are always up-to-date, meaning new Windows apps that rely on cloud or server data update information even when the device is turned off.

Windows RT tablets with ARM processors. These also achieve greater mobility since they’re lightweight and have a long battery life, leveraging 32-bit ARM processor-based system-on-chip (SoC) designs. These tablets come preconfigured with Windows RT to give people a more predictable experience, both from the moment they are first turned on and over time. These tablets are able to run Windows Store apps, but it’s important to note that existing desktop apps cannot be installed. Office Home & Student 2013 RT is included though, so Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote are available, although businesses will need to license this properly for commercial use. These tablets also support the new “Connected Standby” capability, and come with come in-box with driver support for the majority of PC peripherals that can be connected though the USB port.

How to decide

Your business likely has an existing process for determining the types of Windows devices to acquire (in the case of company-owned devices) or support (in the case of bring-your-own-device scenarios). For example, you may want to choose devices from PC manufacturers with whom you already have a working relationship, leveraging the enterprise support and pricing they provide. Or you may choose specific devices for people who use line-of-business apps developed specifically for their jobs.

It is also important to note that the capabilities needed are different when considering a new primary device for a user versus a new companion device that will be used alongside existing Windows devices. For example, companion devices typically do not need the same workload or app capabilities, while mobility and connectivity are often even more important.

Based on the decision process many of our early adopters went through, we developed a framework to help other businesses think through some of the factors to consider in selecting the type of Windows tablets that will work best for each person and each job. This does not encompass every single factor, but looks at some of the key areas to consider with Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets.

Choosing Windows 8 and Windows RT Devices for Your Business

Choosing the best Windows tablet for each person first requires understanding the different capabilities that people in your organization may require, as these become key factors in the decision-making process, as shown in the list below.

Once you determine what capabilities each person or group of employees need, it becomes much easier to decide what type of Windows tablet is required. On the right side of this list are the more appropriate choices.

Mobility. People who are routinely carrying their devices, whether for travel to different cities or for routine meetings in their office building, appreciate tablets that are lightweight and have long battery life, enabling them to operate from wherever they are at that moment.	For the best mobility, choose Windows 8 tablets with Intel Atom processors or Windows RT tablets that are lightweight and have long battery life.
Workload. Some people are casual users, primarily reading e-mail, browsing the web, and running a variety of other apps that do not require much computing power. Others may be manipulating large spreadsheets, analyzing datasets, developing line-of-business software, or performing other more intensive operations.	For heavier workloads, choose Windows 8 tablets with Intel Core processors that are more powerful and support larger amounts of memory.
Apps. For some employees, new immersive Windows 8 line-of-business apps and Windows Store apps will allow them to perform the majority of their work, while others may require access to existing line-of-business desktop apps. These desktop apps can be either run natively on Windows 8 tablets or accessed remotely using the RemoteApp technology as long as appropriate connectivity is available.	When desktop apps need to be used, choose Windows 8 tablets with Intel Core or Intel Atom processors. (For heavier workloads, see above.) If connectivity to the corporate network is available, these apps can also be run remotely using the RemoteApp technology, supported for all types of tablets. For the employees in certain roles that rely on a dedicated line-of-business app to perform their duties, Windows RT tablets with new line-of-business apps is a good option.
Corporate Access. Some people may need access to the corporate network for their jobs, typically for using line-of-business apps. This can be done using DirectAccess or a VPN connection when away from the office but on the Internet. Others need occasional online access, but frequently work offline and synchronize their files with the cloud or other remote computers.	For the best corporate connectivity to corporate networks, choose Windows 8 tablets with Intel Core or Intel Atom processors running Windows 8 Enterprise to leverage DirectAccess. For occasional connectivity, choose Windows 8 tablets with Intel Core or Intel Atom processors that can automatically synchronize files using SkyDrive or SkyDrive Pro. Windows RT tablets can connect to third-party VPN solutions using the built-in Microsoft VPN client using PPTP, L2TP, and IPSec/IKEv2 protocols. If only e-mail access is required, all Windows tablet devices can use Exchange ActiveSync.
Always On. Other users may need the constant connectivity provided by the “Connected Standby” feature so that apps can continue receiving information from networks even while the device is turned off. These apps can even notify people by playing notification sounds in cases of important events.	For “always on” connectivity, choose Windows 8 tablets with Intel Atom processors or Windows RT tablets that support Connected Standby.
Manageability. Organizations may need to actively manage the devices used by employees. The degree of manageability required may vary: o Full manageability. All tablets running Windows 8 Pro or Windows 8 Enterprise can be joined to Active Directory to control all settings using Group Policy. Apps and software updates can be deployed to the devices using System Center Configuration Manager (push model). o Simple manageability. Some key settings can be controlled, and apps and software updates can be made available to the devices, with the users controlling the installation (pull model). o Governance. Basic security settings can be mandated for devices accessing enterprise data or e-mail.	When you have specific manageability requirements, choose a tablet that offers the needed capabilities: o For full manageability, choose Windows 8 tablets with Intel Core or Intel Atom processors that can be managed using Active Directory, Group Policy, and System Center Configuration Manager, allowing granular control and configuration of the device (including the ability to push out new versions of apps). o For simple manageability, all types of Windows tablets can be managed via Windows Intune, with security and VPN settings pushed to the devices and line-of-business apps available for users to install as needed via a self-service portal or app. o For governance, security policies (including those for passwords and encryption) can be configured on all types of Windows tablets via Exchange ActiveSync policies.

I hope you find these real-world examples helpful, and that we have made your decision easier by providing information on the different capabilities you may want to factor into your decision-making process. For further information about Windows 8 for business, check out the Windows 8 Enterprise resource site.

Using Windows 8 to help mobile workers be more productive

Erwin Visser — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:49:47 GMT

As we’ve shared with you before, Windows 8 Enterprise has a variety of features unique to this edition of the operating system designed to address the needs of business customers. Today, I want to talk to you about these features that we hope will give you new possibilities in mobile productivity – whether you’re a road warrior, “work-from-home-er,” or remote office worker.

Windows To Go: Windows 8 Enterprise in Your Back Pocket

One of the most talked about new features of Windows 8 Enterprise is Windows To Go. As a reminder, Windows To Go is a fully manageable, secure corporate Windows 8 OS image installed on a bootable, certified USB stick. The feature allows employees to work from any location on practically any PC that meets hardware certification requirements for Windows 7 (or higher). For a list of the detailed hardware requirements, please visit this TechNet article, which provides an excellent feature overview of Windows To Go.

While Windows To Go is not intended to be a replacement option for your device, it can offer your business a new way to stay fully productive and connected to your apps and data while you’re on the go – whether working from home on your own PC, or using any available PC while you are traveling. We expect businesses might use Windows To Go to reduce the need for employees to transport their computers to different locations, especially in supporting workers in more mobile environments, such as military, police officers or people working on remote construction sites. Windows To Go USB sticks can be encrypted with BitLocker technology, so all data and apps are protected, even if the USB stick is lost or stolen. There are a few other important enterprise scenarios where Windows To Go can be a game changer:

Employees work from home. IT can provision Windows To Go to include the apps that an employee would have on their work PC or device, so that a person can use the USB stick on their home PC. Employees that have enterprise network access can even use a virtual private network (VPN) connection or DirectAccess to access corporate resources. Further, every time the enterprise network is available, the Windows To Go workspace can be updated to reflect the latest settings and versions from their normal PC or device. One important benefit of using Windows To Go in this scenario, is that the IT organization can manage the security of the Windows image that is used remotely.
Employees bring their own device to work. The “bring-your-own” device trend is another opportunity for people who want to use their computers for both work and personal scenarios. Windows To Go is helpful here, as it allows IT to provision the Windows To Go stick to permit access to the enterprise network on a personal device, so employees are able to stay productive whatever their choice of PC.
Employees that are temporary or contract workers. IT can provide a temporary or contract worker with Windows To Go to use on the PC they bring with them. In this scenario, the organization doesn’t need to provision a new PC for the contractor, but can leverage the device the contractor brings. By having this device boot from the Windows To Go drive, the contractor runs the corporate supported image and has access to the files or apps he or she requires for their work.
Employees need to quickly get up and running on Windows 8. Windows To Go can also help people take advantage of Windows 8 on their existing hardware before it’s deployed on their PC, which makes it significantly easier to drive broad corporate adoption of other technologies – including internal apps or any custom internal configuration as a part of the standard corporate image on the Windows To Go stick.
Employees may remain productive during disaster recovery scenarios: In the face of an unexpected power outage, fire, or even a natural disaster that may comprise a user’s primary PC or work location, a booted Windows To Go drive on a secondary device will provide an employee everything they need to maintain business productivity as recovery efforts commence.

IT can provision an employee’s Windows To Go drive using System Center Configuration Manager, which helps keep the image on the Windows To Go stick up-to-date and compliant with the corporate IT environment. Then, the employee may use the device on the go, at home or on their personal PC at work, with or without enterprise network connectivity.

Want to learn more about Windows To Go? I recommend that you check out this FAQ and a step-by-step breakdown for IT professionals on how to provision a Windows To Go USB drive.

Other Important Mobility Features of Windows 8

While Windows To Go is one of the most talked about new features of Windows 8, there are several others that customers are taking advantage of as they look at deployment options:

Native Support 3G/4G Mobile Broadband with Metering: Like in Windows 7, Windows 8 allows people to turn on and off both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but Windows 8 also allows you to track your data usage, and automatically switch from Broadband to Wi-Fi to help you manage your broadband spend. Windows 8 can also detect what type of SIM card has been inserted (3G or 4G) and what carrier is being used to automatically apply the right driver.
DirectAccess: With Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 Enterprise allows remote users to more securely and seamlessly access resources inside of a corporate network without needing to establish a VPN connection – making access to corporate data easy and secure, and one less step for the busy road warrior. In addition, with Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012, DirectAccess is much easier to deploy, as customers no longer need to migrate the network to IPv6 to take advantage of this feature.
BranchCache: In Windows 8, multiple cache servers can now be used in a single office, making it easier to deploy the operating system, no matter how large or small the business. BranchCache also takes advantage of Windows file server’s technology to divide files into small pieces and eliminate duplicates, giving customers more bandwidth savings and better network performance – helping improving the experience for people who are mobile and on the go.

Over the next few months, I’ll continue to share with you more background with customer examples on these and other important features in the new operating system. As always, we look forward to your thoughts and feedback here.