Windows 7 Survival: Enterprise Features

With the introduction of Windows 7 (and in many cases Windows Server 2008 R2) Microsoft foresees a future without VPN, external transport encoding and more scalable desktop search.

February 18, 2009, CIO - User Experience Focus, has been distributed to Win7beta. It has a new toolbar and its jump menu, mouseover, easy navigation and control The intelligent learning function of the user account. However, under the beautiful appearance, the Win7 function lacks the attraction to the enterprise but is not well known.

Recently, Microsoft has accepted some criticisms of Win7's neglect of corporate needs. Paul Thurrott, a popular blogger and editor at the Microsoft Super Site, recently revealed in an interview that Microsoft is now treating the company with a future consideration, arbitrarily locking the needs of enterprise users on Win Server 2008 R2, and asking the company to spend A lot of money.

For this reason, GavrIElla Schuster, head of Microsoft's former Windows product management department, acknowledged that Win 7 will not be deployed overnight for the above functions of WinServe R2008 R2. Some of the features will be a long-term team strategy,” Schuster said.

Despite this, Microsoft is still spreading the news that Win7 can help businesses. In a recent interview, Schuster specifically spoke. Microsoft believes it is a key feature.

Direct connection

Direct connection requires Win7 and Win Serve R2008 R2. It allows mobile workstations to connect to the corporate network without using a VPN. Make business users more flexible and less burden on it.

Schuster said that through direct connection, users only need an Internet access point to access anything on the corporate network. They no longer need to make a pause for what they are doing, accessing a dedicated VPN. This will reduce the use of enterprise bandwidth, because remote users will mostly use their own bandwidth, she said.

For the it manager, Direct Connect technology will have more benefits, she said, "For IT, the biggest challenge is to control remote computers, know how long they have been offline, when they come back, and when they are packaged. Direct connection technology, as long as one machine is connected to the network It can be managed.

For future security, there is no longer a formal VPN. Schuster said that the direct connection technology used by Win Server 2008 R2 will use the most secure protocol, ipv6. To encrypt data and spread it on the Internet. Regardless of whether you have a VPN or a firewall, we integrate this into Direct Connect technology, she said. There is no separate layer to come to that secure channel.

BranchCache

The branch cache, also requires the use of Win7 and Win Serve R2008 R2, is a design designed to speed up the remote office in the remote office, the network function. In fact, the branch cache will be in contact with the storage Remote bulk files in the corporate network are accelerating, Schuster. For example, a file service has been downloaded from the corporate network and cached in the WinServe R2008 R2 system in the local branch office. Users of another branch office need this When the file is available, it can be downloaded from the local cache immediately, instead of connecting to the corporate headquarters through a limited bandwidth.

Users do not need to go back to the company network and take up bandwidth to download again, Schuster said .

And the it department can also use the branch cache to set the number of branch computers that can be used for caching in the branch office. Set the current use folder, whether you need to get them again after forcing users to return to the company network, and check What level of license should users have?

Win7 enhances enterprise search functionality from the desktop

Although Win Vista enhances desktop search, and Microsoft has invested in sharing point search interfaces and web searches, Schuster said that the problem is that there are three searches with different functions, and you have to go to three different places to use.

On Win7, we have integrated the search, Schuster said, then you are directly from the desktop, you You can use the extended desktop search function to search for sharing sub-sites, Internet sites, and find a folder that can be anywhere: on your computer, on your network, on the Internet.

With the integrated search function in Win7, the user can choose which intranet, and share the sub-site can search, or the IT department can use a function called enterprise domain search to give the user a start menu. Frequently used intranet links. Search results are presented on Win exploree in the same way that Winxp and Vista users are used to.

Bitlocker usage

is introduced in Win Vista to protect against loss or The data on the notebook is blocked by the Bitlocker hard disk encryption function. In Win 7 this function has been extended to protect storage devices, such as external hard drives, and usb flash drives.

Used in Win7 is called "bitlocker to Go". This function allows the external storage device to use the password to restrict the user before the user is allowed to copy the data.

This will give the enterprise the same confidence to encrypt the usb external hard disk used on the multi-volume drive. Schuster said that with this technology, the number of usb devices has increased, making it a must.

Because external devices are easily lost, they are not even seen, but bitlocker to go to business The operator's extra confidence guarantees that no one can get the data above.

Applocker

Like bitlocker, applocker also belongs to Win7 security, control camp, and is committed to protecting users from running. Authorized software may result in Malware infection.

For security, Microsoft recommends that enterprises run under standard user status, which means that there is no user admin rights at all. But even if the IT department gives the user admin rights, Applocker can Defense against running suspicious software. It specifies which application can run on the employee's computer, blocks potentially threatening software, and allows users to run applications and programs.

Schuster says: Applocker allows it department Affirm that users can only install these types of applications. And they can specify a specific software publisher, or version. For example, users can only install Adobe Acrobat 8.1 or higher.