Here are the top 10 things to know about Windows 7:
1 - Application
compatibility
The Windows Vista operating system introduced architectural
changes down to the kernel level that made the OS inherently more secure than
Windows XP. However, this came at a cost; many applications needed modification
to function properly in a Windows Vista environment. While at this point in the
lifecycle of Windows Vista (post Service Pack 1) most applications are now
compatible, deploying Windows Vista into the desktop environment early on
required some “heavy lifting” and creative shimming—not to mention a few late
nights.
Windows 7 is built on the same basic architecture as Windows
Vista, so most applications will retain their compatibility between these
operating systems. This alone will make adopting Windows 7 much less
challenging than migrating from Windows XP to Windows Vista. If your
organization is like many that are still standardized on Windows XP, you will
need to transition to updated versions of your key applications, but the
availability of Windows Vista–compatible versions and well-proven shims will
make this task more manageable.
2 - Hardware
compatibility and requirements
Much like the application compatibility issues, adopting
Windows Vista early-on was a challenge because of the higher system
requirements—such as RAM and graphics.
On the flip side, Windows Vista provides manageability and security that
just isn’t available on Windows XP, and with more capable hardware, Windows
Vista is able to perform a number of useful functions that improve productivity
(such as Windows Search 4 and the Windows Aero desktop experience) and increase
PC responsiveness (the ReadyBoost technology launches applications more quickly
by maintaining a portion of frequently used applications in memory).
Windows 7 was designed to perform well on the same hardware
that runs Windows Vista well, while delivering additional performance and
reliability improvements. The design team for Windows 7 had a specific focus on
the fundamentals—as well as maintaining compatibility with existing
applications and hardware. In operation, you will find that Windows 7 boots
faster and has a smaller memory footprint than Windows Vista.
3 - Better Together
with Windows Server 2008
One of the key benefits of the modern operating system is
that Windows 7 and the Windows Server 2008 operating system share a common code
base, and are maintained with a single servicing model. This servicing model
means updates and security updates are shared across both client PCs and
servers, simplifying the process of maintaining an up-to-date infrastructure.
In addition, environments with both Windows Server 2008 and
Windows 7 unlock capabilities that extend functionality and help ensure a more
secure environment. One example is DirectAccess, which allows management and
updating of remote mobile PCs that are connected to the Internet, even when
they are not connected to the corporate network. This capability helps ensure that
remote users receive security patches on a timely basis, and allows IT to
update configuration setting via Group Policy. For the end user, DirectAccess
allows access to locations on the corporate network without using a virtual
private network (VPN) connection. (In addition to Windows Server 2008 R2,
DirectAccess requires IPSec and IPv6 implementation.)
4 - Extend data
encryption to removable media
News reports are rife with stories about companies losing
control over sensitive information. In some industries, this is an issue with
grave legal implications, while in other situations the issue is inconvenience.
Regardless, smart compliance policy dictates that sensitive information be
safeguarded in the event of a lost or stolen laptop. Further, preventing
sensitive information from being removed from corporate resources is a pillar
of effective compliance management.
Windows 7 includes BitLocker technology, first implemented
in Windows Vista, which now provides full encryption of all boot volumes on a PC;
along with introducing BitLocker To Go that offers data protection on portable
storage, such as USB flash drives. In addition, BitLocker Drive Encryption and
BitLocker To Go can be managed via Group Policy, placing more control over
sensitive information in the hands of the professionals.
5 - Control the
application portfolio available to end users
Windows 7 features AppLocker, a new capability that allows
IT administrators to specify which applications are permitted to run on a
laptop or desktop PC. This capability helps you manage license compliance and
control access to sensitive programs, but also importantly, it helps reduce the
opportunity for malware to run on client PCs. AppLocker provides a powerful
rule-based structure for specifying which applications can run, and includes
“publisher rules” that keeps the rules intact though version updates.
To see how AppLocker is set up and managed, click
here
for a screencast demonstration.
6 - Automate routine
tasks with powerful scripting
To help IT administrators better maintain a consistent
environment and improve personal productivity, Windows 7 includes an updated
graphical scripting editor, Windows PowerShell 2.0—a powerful, complete
scripting language that supports branching, looping, functions, debugging,
exception handling, and internationalization.
- PowerShell 2.0 has an intuitive, graphical user
interface that helps make script generation easier, especially for administrators
who are not comfortable in command-line environments.
- PowerShell 2.0 supports two types of
remoting—fan-out, which delivers management scripts on a one-to-many basis, and
one-to-one interactive remoting to support troubleshooting of a specific machine.
You can also use the PowerShell Restricted Shell to limit commands and command
parameters to system administrators, and to restrict scripts to those who have
been granted rights.
- PowerShell 2.0, with the Group Policy Management
Console (available as a separate download), allows IT professionals to use
scripting to manage Group Policy Objects and to create or edit registry-based
group policy settings in Windows 7. Similarly, you can use PowerShell to
configure PCs more efficiently, using richer logon, logoff, startup, and
shutdown scripts that are executed through Group Policy.
Click
here
to take a quick tour of PowerShell 2.0.
7 - Troubleshoot
faster and more effectively
Windows 7 provides rich tools to identify and resolve
technical issues, often by the end users themselves. If a help desk call is
unavoidable, Windows 7 includes several features and troubleshooting tools to
help speed resolution.
- The Problem Steps Recorder allows end users to
reproduce and record their experience with an application failure, with each
step recorded as a screen shot along with accompanying logs and software
configuration data. A compressed file is then created that can be forwarded to support
staff to help troubleshoot the problem.
- Windows 7 includes a suite of troubleshooting
packs, collections of PowerShell scripts, and related information that can be
executed remotely by IT professionals from the command line, and controlled on
the enterprise basis through Group Policy Settings.
- Windows 7 also includes Unified Tracing to help
identify and resolve network connectivity issues in a single tool. Unified
Tracing collects event logs and captures packets across all layers of the
networking stack, providing an integrated view into what’s happening in the
Windows 7 networking stack and aiding analysis and problem resolution.
8 - Create, deploy,
and manage images more efficiently
Windows 7 includes several tools to streamline the creation
and servicing of the deployment image, and to get users up and running as
quickly as possible.
The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool in
Windows 7 provides a central place to build and service Windows images offline.
With DISM, you can perform many functions with one tool: mount and unmount
system images; add, remove, and enumerate packages and drivers; enable or
disable Windows features; configure international settings, and maintain an
inventory of offline images that contain drivers, packages features, and
software updates. Windows 7 also enables the same processes and tools to be
used when managing virtual machine (VHD) and native file-based (WIM) image
files.
Windows 7 also includes Dynamic Driver Provisioning, where
device drivers are stored independent of the deployed image and can be injected
dynamically based on the Plug and Play ID of the hardware, or as predetermined
sets based on information contained in the basic input/output system (BIOS).
Reducing the number of drivers on individual machines reduces the number of
potential conflicts, ultimately minimizing setup time and improving the
reliability of the PC.
When you are ready to deploy Windows 7, Multicast Multiple
Stream Transfer enables servers to “broadcast” image data to multiple clients
simultaneously, and to group clients with similar bandwidth capabilities into
network streams to permit the fastest possible overall transfer rate while
optimizing bandwidth utilization.
Watch a screen cast demonstration of the deployment tools
for Windows 7
here.
9 - Easier migration
of user data and profiles
Windows 7 includes enhancements to the User State Migration
Tool (USMT), a command-line tool that you use to migrate operating system
settings, files, and other user profile data from one PC to another. In Windows
7, USMT adds a hardlink migration feature for computer refresh scenarios, a
capability that stores user data and settings in a common place on a drive,
eliminating the need to “physically” move the files during a clean install.
10 - Improve user productivity
in branch offices
Windows 7 introduces BranchCache, a technology that caches
frequently accessed content from remote file and Web servers in the branch
location, so users can access this information more quickly. The cache can be
hosted centrally on a server in the branch location, or can be distributed
across user PCs. One caveat: to take advantage of BranchCache, you will need to
deploy Windows Server 2008 R2 on the related servers.
And, as a bonus:
Better support for
client virtualization
Windows 7 delivers a richer experience when users are
connected to a virtual desktop—much closer to the experience provides by a
native Windows desktop. For example, Windows 7 provides multi-monitor support,
bi-directional audio to enable Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and speech
recognition applications, and access to local devices, such as printers.
So there you have it—the top 10 things you need to know
about Windows 7 (okay, we couldn’t stop until we hit “11”)—and if you have
ideas for how to best annoy your office mates, it’s probably best to keep those
to yourself!
