26 Aug
2015
The Windows 10 release means big changes for the OS.
Here’s what you need to know.
The official release date of Windows 10 has been listed as July 29, 2015. But, there’s so fine print. According to Gartner vice president Steve Kleynhans, it’s essential you do your research to determine if it is a good deal for your company within the timeline.
“Certainly it is nice getting the upgrade to Windows 10 for free, but it requires that you move in the next 12 months,” Kleynhans said.
2. Windows is now a service
Software upgrades used to be a major source of revenue for Microsoft in the past, but with Windows 10 comes a new model. Users will receive updates to the OS as time goes on.
“Windows 10 will be a ‘final’ upgrade that receives three to four upgrade packs a year that include new features,” said JP Gownder, a vice president and principal analyst with Forrester. “Windows as a service means you won’t be stuck with some 10 year old OS, as many were with XP, but it does require a little rethinking of resources, even these upgrade packs require some testing along the year.”
“It will constantly be moving forward,” Kleynhans said. “You need to monitor it and test to see how it performs in your environment and decide when it is ready to fit into your environment.”
4. You can only upgrade from certain versions
To qualify for the Windows 10 upgrade, you must be upgrading from a Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 device. The availability of the upgrade for Windows Phone 8.1 varies by manufacturer, carrier, and operator. You’ll also need to have Windows Update enabled. Many of the enterprise versions are excluded from the upgrade offer, so make sure you check if yours is compatible.
5. There are different versions of Windows 10
Depending on your starting OS, you will get a comparable version of Windows 10 when you upgrade. Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, and Windows 8.1 (4) will yield Windows 10 Home. Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate, and Windows 8.1 Pro and 8.1 Pro for Students will yield Windows 10 Pro.
6. Follow best practices for deployment
“OS upgrades, no matter how good, are disruptive,” Kleynhans said. “Don’t roll out Windows 10 right before your busiest selling season, or in the middle of implementing a new accounting system.”
7. Upgrade for security
“Security threats are only growing, and Windows 10 has some inherent application containerization that makes it more secure than its predecessors,” Gownder said.
8. It doesn’t (technically) require new hardware
While you will need a certain set of specs to run Windows 10 and a set amount of hard drive space, you probably won’t need to update your hardware. However, Kleynhans said, you might need new hardware to make use of new features such as Windows Hello or the advanced security. Unfortunately, he said, in may cases, that hardware won’t ship until later this year.
9. It’s a new user experience
“If you have a detachable keyboard — say, on a Surface Pro 3 — the OS will default to desktop mode if the keyboard is attached, and to tile mode if it isn’t,” Gownder said. “So, it’s smart about desktop vs. mobile usage.”
10. The ecosystem might not be perfect
As we creep closer to the release date, it’s important to remember that although the OS might be ready, that doesn’t mean the ecosystem is. As an SMB, you might need additional support and, with the novelty of Windows 10, you might have trouble finding someone to provide the support right away, Kleynhans said.
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