Headline: The enterprise was ignored in Windows 8 but Microsoft is really focusing on the Enterprise for Windows 10.
For enterprise applications I would leapfrog Windows 8 and go from Windows 7 (or XP) to Windows 10. Note – the upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows Phone 8.1 will be free for the first year.
The early presentations from Microsoft regarding Windows 10 focused on benefits for the enterprise. This is in stark contrast to Windows 8 for which I never saw a presentation focused on the enterprise.
Benefits
Here are some of the benefits I see from my research for Windows 10 and the enterprise.
- The User Interface (UI) will be more familiar to Windows 7 users than are the Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 UIs.
- Use of Azure Active Directory (AD) integration with the corporate AD to more easily control access if an employee leaves. These can be used in the Store. The Store will also allow volume purchases rather than one user at a time.
- Improved security since passwords are so easily obtained.
- Separation of corporate data and personal data so that BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is possible. IT organizations can remove access to the corporate data, but cannot touch the personal data.
- Further, data copied to USB drives and the cloud will have the same security capability. (I’m curious how that’s done.)
- Ability for applications to more easily and securely use VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) to gain access to corporate information.
- MDM (Mobile Device Management) to be improved and eased.
- Get away from the old wipe and reload deployment model.
Summary
I think that Windows 10 will bring support for more devices and allow for the dream of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) possible. I get the sense Microsoft will put lots of energy into getting organizations to move to Windows 10.