Why Enterprises Will Love Microsoft’s Widows 8

Windows 8 is now slated to launch on October 26. On that day, vendors will start bundling the operating system in their products, and Microsoft will be offering it at retail for those who want to upgrade their current installation. This time Microsoft is making a concerted effort to offer versions of Windows 8 that on one hand satisfies mobile customers while appealing to consumers and enterprise users.

As of late, those enterprise users haven’t been getting much attention in discussions on Windows 8. With Microsoft’s Surface announced and a version available for folks to try out, it has been consumers that have received the most attention in discussions on Microsoft’s latest operating system. 

It s time to change that. It s about time to dig into why Windows 8 might be a natural choice for enterprise users. From its improved security to its focus on tablets, Windows 8 is, by nearly all measure, a winner for corporate customers.

Here s why.

1. Enhanced security

Microsoft has made unequivocal statements that Windows 8 will be more secure than any version of its operating system it s released so far. A key factor behind those confident statements is Windows Defender, which according to many security experts, could go so far toward securing the operating system, that third-party apps might not be nearly as necessary as they are now. We’ve heard this before, of course, but if Microsoft can make it happen, Windows 8 will be far more appealing to enterprises.

2. Remember tablets

One of the big complaints from enterprise users has been that Microsoft doesn’t support tablets with Windows. Once Windows 8 launches, that won’t be the case. Microsoft will offer a tablet-friendly version, called Windows RT, which will run on a host of slates, including the Surface.

3. A new Office is always nice

Microsoft recently announced a new version of Office currently known as Office 2013. The company hasn t said when it ll launch the software, but it appears possible that it ll come out sometime this fall after Windows 8 hits store shelves. The nice thing about Office 2013 is that it s designed to leverage Windows 8 s many nice features. In other words it ll be operating system and application combination you ll want to use.

4. The design should improve productivity

Although Microsoft has been hit hard by some in the enterprise community for so drastically changing the design of its operating system, it might actually improve productivity. In testing so far, users have found that, while the Windows 8 interface is novel, the design makes it easier to find things and reduces the effort to perform certain tasks. In other words, your employees might be more productive with the software.<

5. App development can be kept behind the firewall

Along with an application store built into the operating system, Microsoft will allow companies to develop their own applications with a software development kit. The nice thing about that is that if companies want to keep a program in-house and behind its firewall, it can do so. Expect many more proprietary Windows 8 apps to crop up in the coming years.

6. Windows To Go, anyone?

With Windows To Go, Microsoft is allowing enterprise users to take an entire copy of Windows 8, load it onto a USB key, and then use it elsewhere. The bootable Windows 8 Enterprise version is fully manageable. Sounds good, right?

To read the original eWeek article, click here: Windows 8 Will Win Broad Enterprise Support: 10 Reasons Why