Tag: Windows 8

Thinking about moving to Windows 8? Here are 8 really good reasons to take the step and move to Windows 8.

1. Tablets. Windows 8 on tablets rocks and provide a way to add these kind of devices to your existing infrastructure, adding mobility and security very easily.

2. Security improvements. Further improvements from the great security in Windows 7 is added in Windows 8. Examples of that include BitLocker improvements in terms of performance and new protectors such as using BitLocker with only a password. You also find new features such as Secure boot, Virtual smart cards and more in Windows 8 in terms of security .

3. x64 platform. With Windows 8 there is no turning back, forget the x86 platform, the x64 platform is the one to be used with Windows 8 and that would be on the UEFI hardware platform to be able to fully use the potential of Windows 8.

4. Performance. The Windows 8 platform is the most optimized Windows client to date, requiring less memory and providing a really good user experience.

5. Mobility. With new features such as “Windows on a stick” ie. Windows To Go Windows 8 provides means for great mobility. Add to that new improvements in BranchCache as well as DirectAccess which when used with Windows Server 2012 adds even more and improved mobility features to the Windows client.

6. Virtualization. Client Hyper-V is included in Windows 8 Pro and Enterprise. That means no more need to add third party applications to get the virtualization features you’ve been dreaming about. As a presenter it is really good to be running Windows 8 and virtual machines on a native virtualization platform.

7. User profiles and data. Windows 8 do have some improvements to user profile handling, such as primary machines. Add to that the new UE-V (User Experience Virtualization), which unfortunately is only available to MDOP customers, and you will get user settings roaming in no time, and by doing that creating a really good user experience.

8. Compatibility. The compaitiblity rate for applications compared to Windows 7 is really good, although not 100% as you might hope. Most applications will just work but as with all migration projectes, testing needs to be done. Expect significantly less problems if moving from Windows Vista or 7 to Windows 8 compared to the moving from Windows XP.

The new framework and infrastructure around apps in Windows 8 brings some new challenges to deal with. To start with you cannot turn off User Account Control if you want to use the modern apps in Windows 8, but there are more going on behind the scenes that are essential to the working of Windows Store Apps.

When a problem do occur Microsoft provide a nifty little troubleshooter tool for Windows Store Apps, download and run the tool from:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=271185

A unique Windows 8 book for corporations and enterprises is here! It’s called Windows 8 in the Enterprise and provide you with full step by step guides and information on how to successfully implement Windows 8 in your existing environment. The writing started in mid-August and completed in October, after which there have been some editorial and technical reviews and now the book is finally published at Amazon.com. Go grab Windows 8 in the Enterprise now!

Windows 8 has RTM:ed and is now available for download via MSDN and TechNet, that is if you have a subscription to these services. If you do not and still want to evaluate Windows 8 there is a 90 day working Windows 8 Enterprise available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/jj554510.aspx

TechDays Sweden takes place this week and as this year will be a very exiting one considering all the major releases with all from Windows 8, Windows Server 2012 to the System Center 2012 family products I can promise you a really interesting conference.

My session will be about three of the very most interesting features in Windows 8; taking on the future with UEFI, making use of virtualization with client hyper-v and least but not last creating new possibilities for your entire business with Windows To Go. @ Wednesday 14:45 Room 6. Be a part of the future!

Here are some friends from the MEET network, what they do and links to their blogs:

• Alan Smith (Azure)
• Björn Axell (System Center)
• Cecilia Wiren (.NET) – Möt MEET på TechDays 2012
• Chris Klug (.NET)
• Daniel Bugday (Sharepoint) – See you on TechDays 2012 Örebro #MSDN #TD2012
• Hasain Alshakarti (Security) – MEET@TechDays  2012 in Örebro
• Henrik Nilsson (FIM, ADFS, Security) – Microsoft Extended Experts Team – MEET
• Johan Arwidmark (System Center) – Networking at TechDays 2012 in Sweden – The Microsoft Extended Experts Team (MEET)
• Johan Åhlén (SQL Server) – SQL Server sessions at TechDays Sweden 2012
• Magnus Björk (Exchange) – #td2012 here I come
• Magnus Mårtensson (Azure) – TechDays.se  2012 – About Windows Azure
• Patrik Löwendahl (.NET)
• Mathias Olausson (ALM)
• Jörgen Nilsson (System Center) – Microsoft Extended Experts Team – MEET
• Ola Skoog (IT Pro Evanglist) – MEET@TechDays
• Anders Olsson (Security) – Få mer ut av TechDays
• Joakim Nässlander (Windows Server, Cluster)
• Martin Lidholm (Unified Communication, Lync)

In March I will go on a Windows 8 roadshow with a few colleagues from Knowledge Factory but also from TrueSec. The topic is the smoking hot Windows 8 operating system that is going to be released later this year. For more information and registration please have a look at the all metro style roadshow page www.windows8roadshow.se.

Two events are coming up; Deployment Roadshow vNext featuring System Center Configuration Manager 2012 and Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2012 and a Windows 8 loadfest.

Deployment Roadshow vNext will take place in Sweden’s four largest cities and it will be presented by myself and colleague Johan Arwidmark from Knowledge Factory, Wally Mead the SCCM guru from Microsoft Corp and Mikael Nyström from Truesec. More info about the event at http://www.deploymentevents.se.

The Windows 8 loadfest will take place in early December in Stockholm and it hosted by me, Johan Arwidmark, Lars Gustavsson and Tim Nilamaa. More info about the event at http://www.deploywindows8.se.

If you haven’t noticed Windows 8 Development Preview is available for download at MSDN http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/br229516

Being asked by Michael Pietroforte, the runner of 4sysops.com, I am joining about 15 other blogs around the globe in this Windows 8 poll.

First of all, I want to thank all who sent me ideas for this Windows 8 poll. Creating a wish list for Windows 8 was more difficult than I anticipated. Obviously, this 25-year-old operating system still has plenty of room for improvement. While all the suggestions I received certainly made sense, I had to reduce the number of options for this poll to a reasonable number. This is why I included only possible key improvements that would have a major impact on the majority of Windows users.

It is quite obvious that Microsoft won’t add all enhancements listed here, and for some features it is not very likely that they will consider them any time soon. But who knows, if those options receive enough votes, someone at Microsoft might get interested. The 15 blogs listed below will run this poll within the next days or so. The votes are automatically integrated in the cloud, so please vote only once. If you also want to run this poll on your blog, please contact me and I will send you the code to embed the widget in a post or on your sidebar.
– Michael Pietroforte

Read more about the poll at 4sysops.com.

These are the 15 blogs participating in this collaborative poll on Windows 8:  Demonic Talking Skull – I’M A UC BLOG – markwilson.it – msigeek – Standalone Sysadmin – Techinch – Teching It Easy: with Windows – The Experience Blog – The things that are better left unspoken – The Windows Club – WindowsObserver – WindowsPro – Within Windows – 7tutorials – 4sysops