Much has been said and written about Windows 10 and what it will offer. Most of the times these articles are focused on the consumer features, leaving features that matter for enterprises underexposed. As a CEO or CMO, what opportunities can the next big Windows release bring your business? Why would you care if you’re a CTO and need to decide when to migrate all users of your organization to a new OS? I’ll give you 10 reasons
3. 1. One Windows
Windows 10 is the convergence of the Windows
server, desktop, phone and gaming operating
systems into one. This means one single core that
runs on all kinds of devices and adapts to provide
an optimized experience. It allows for more
flexibility and brings more options to what a digital
workplace looks like. A hybrid like the Surface Pro is
one on those examples and more variations will
follow. Your employees choose how they want to
work.
4. 2. The Last Version Of Windows
Windows 10 is promised to be the last version of
Windows. Microsoft is committed to continuously
innovate Windows while making sure your critical
business applications continue to work. Always. For
you and your organization this may be a huge shift:
you no longer need to worry about exhausting and
expensive upgrades but instead focus on adding
value to your business.
5. 3. Continuum
Continuum is what Microsoft calls the flexibility of
the Windows 10 platform to adapt to its context.
When you fold back the keyboard of the Surface,
the experience optimizes for tablet and touch
usage. The touch area’s become larger and apps
continue to run full screen. This intelligence is
inherently built into the OS, which means you can
even connect your phone to a monitor, keyboard
and mouse and continue to use it as your primary
workstation.
6. 4. Universal Apps
As the OS scales with the context in which it’s used,
the apps running on Windows 10 will be scaled as
well. Windows Universal Apps are applications that
can run on all devices, big and small. They support
various input options like touch, mouse, voice or
gestures and adapt their user interface to show
more or less information based on the size of the
display and distance of the user from the screen.
7. 5. The Best of Windows 7 and Windows 8
Windows 10 combines the best of Windows 7 and 8.
It brings back the enterprise productivity features
from Windows 7, like the much requested Start
Menu and windowed applications, while remaining
touch friendly and flexible. It is even improved in
each and every area.
8. 6. Private Enterprise App Store
Distributing enterprise apps to your users and
contracted partners is a hassle that belongs to the
past thanks to the private app store that comes with
Windows 10. A private app store is a designated
area in the Windows store for your organization
where you can publish your organization’s apps. You
control access to your employees and contracted
partners through Active Directory and Microsoft
accounts.
9. 7. Cloud Active Directory
Windows 10 devices can directly connect to Azure
Active Directory. This removes the requirement for
enterprises to have an Active Directory on premise.
Users will be able to log on to Windows with Azure
AD accounts, and they'll be able to mix both AD
and Azure AD together.
10. 8. Single Management Solution
With Windows 10 all corporate owned devices can
be managed by a single Mobile Device
Management (MDM) solution like Intune. With
Windows 8 this used to be only available for “Bring
Your Own Device” BYOD scenario’s. The new MDM
additions include support for managing devices that
are shared by multiple users, VPN and device-wipe
capabilities, and Enterprise Data Protection
configuration.
11. 9. Identity Protection and Access Control
Windows 10 comes with multi-factor authentication
built-in, thereby eliminating the need for additional
hardware security peripherals like tokens and
smartcards. This means that any device running
Windows 10 can be become one of the two factors
required for authentication. The other factor will be
a PIN or biometric, such as a fingerprint.
12. 10. Data Loss Prevention
The Data Loss Prevention solution separates
corporate and personal data on a device and
protects it using containment. This capability
integrates with the default user experience, enabling
protection without interfering with the user like
other solutions do. Your users continue with their
work, while the system makes sure no sensitive data
leaks. This is done by automatically encrypting
corporate apps, data, e-mail, website content and
other sensitive information.