NeWS feATURe
Problem-solving Vista updates
by John Garratt
john.garratt@iteuropa.com
Vista’s newly-added SP1 update is at the front of Microsoft’s drive
to convert users to its new operating system. It says sales to
business are on target, with customers impressed by the security
aspects, its green credentials and the ability to do large-scale roll-
outs in multiple languages. Applications and hardware support has
been raised in the service pack, due to reach end-users in March,
but is it enough?
M
icrosoft’s high level view of Vista is permanent indexing of all the files, which makes me. My multi-function printer’s applications for
that it is a big success – in its quarterly systems search faster. scanning didn’t work – now, five to six months later
statements revenues are strong, it has Thirdly, from an enterprise point of view, it is it works. Same thing for applications for consumers
sold 100 million copies - “the fastest selling ever easier to deploy. Under XP with many languages – we have 10 times the number of top retail
OS” claims Daniel Moschin (pictured), western and different types of PCs – all combinations need applications running - 98 out of 100. The top 150
Europe Business Group Lead, Microsoft Windows their own image for deployment and maintenance. enterprise applications are running, and that was a
Division. Under Vista enterprise, with a multilingual interface block for deployment in the beginning.”
“In the business space, there were a number of – one image will do all. This is important to There are still a number of companies
reasons for the slow adopt rate, but the adoption partners as well, he says. that have rolled out Vista using the desktop
curve by large OEMs is in line with XP. Now we On green IT aspects, one big European retailer is optimisation pack which allows virtualisation of
can say that 80% of our customers are deploying, moving to Vista just for this reason, he claims: “Our legacy applications, so even if it does not run at
evaluating or testing Vista, and we think that, by independent research in the UK shows that up the beginning, it can be packaged. Overall in the
mid-year around 25% of all PCs in the US and to €60 per PC per year can be saved by using the enterprise, it is security and manageability that is
Europe will be running Vista,” he says. sleep mode. In many companies PCs are turned on the overriding factor. By country, Green IT is also a
“Talking to customers about the key reasons all day and night – a group policy over the server driver in the Nordics.
why they are moving – number one is security, can switch them off when not used.” All over “But I’ve been positively surprised by the
including network security, and a couple of Europe, this is impressing customers, he says. reaction to this in Italy, Portugal and Spain
functional issues – user accounts control that SP1 is available in five languages – English, particularly in the public sector,” he says.
prevents malware starting and Windows Defender. Spanish, German, French, Japanese from mid-March. “For a partner we have the Windows Partner
Vista make you 60% less exposed, we say. Other languages will follow by mid-May. Solution - a partner sales initiative to help them
“The second part of the security is about data However, SP1 is not like earlier service packs grow their business, servicing small and mid-sized
protection – over half of PCs are laptops, with – with XP all the modifications were in one go. companies.” And there is more to come on the
100,000 of them lost in a year – so any sensitive Vista is different – all the improvements have been security side, he promises. www.microsoft.com
data is at risk. Windows Vista enterprise, with full released over the last year.
OUR ANALYSIS
encryption of the hard disk provides something “We’ve listened to feedback from partners
that companies appreciate.” and customers to get a combined improvement. We’re still hearing of Vista issues from resellers
Another boost is personal productivity, Anyone who has kept updating over the least year and SIs of all sizes, but some of the criticism is
including mobility aspects – connecting through will not see a big jump.” diminishing now that more drivers are available.
the Vista mobility centre connects to any particular “The first Vista (RTM) had 40,000 devices In the next issue, we’ll have the feedback from
system, the search facility is better through supported, now we have 80,000. It even affected partners on what Daniel Moschin is saying.
14 29 feb 2008
It0804 - 14_vista.indd 14 27/02/2008 10:22:58
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