We
built Windows 8 to bring a modern computing experience to businesses
and to help professionals stay connected to their colleagues and clients
from anywhere, anytime. Windows 8.1 advances this vision and introduces
new manageability, mobility, security, user experience and networking
capabilities that will be available later this year – with the goal of
offering customers the best business tablets and versatile modern
business PCs driven by the most powerful operating system designed for
today’s modern businesses.
Below is a list of some of the new and
updated features that we invite to you test out when the Windows 8.1
experience becomes available later this month.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Enhancements
Workplace Join
A
Windows 8 PC was either domain joined or not. If it was a member of
the domain, the user could access corporate resources (if permissioned)
and IT could control the PC through group policy and other mechanisms.
This feature allows a middle ground between all or nothing access,
allowing a user to work on the device of their choice and still have
access to corporate resources With Workplace Join, IT administrators now
have the ability to offer finer-grained control to corporate
resources. If a user registers their device, IT can grant some access
while still enforcing some governance parameters on the device.
Work Folders
Work
Folders allows a user to sync data to their device from their user
folder located in the corporation’s data center. Files created locally
will sync back to the file server in the corporate environment. This
syncing is natively integrated into the file system. Note, this all
happens outside the firewall client sync support. Previously, Windows 8
devices needed to be domain joined (or required domain credentials) for
access to file shares. Syncing could be done with third-party folder
replication apps. With Work Folders, Users can keep local copies of
their work files on their devices, with automatic synchronization to
your data center, and for access from other devices. IT can enforce
Dynamic Access Control policies on the Work Folder Sync Share (including
automated Rights Management) and require Workplace Join to be in place.
Open MDM
While
many organizations have investments with System Center and will
continue to leverage these investments we also know that many
organizations want to manage certain classes of devices, like tablets
and BYOD devices, as mobile devices. With Windows 8.1, you can use an
OMA-DM API agent to allow management of Windows 8.1 devices with mobile
device management products, like Mobile Iron or Air Watch.
Mobile Device Management
When
a user enrolls their device, they are joining the device to the Windows
Intune management service. They get access to the Company Portal which
provides a consistent experience for access to their applications, data
and to manage their own devices. This allows a deeper management
experience with existing tools like Windows Intune. IT administrators
now have deeper policy management for Windows RT devices, and can manage
Windows 8.1 PCs as mobile devices without having deploy a full
management client.
Web Application Proxy
The
Web Application Proxy is a new role service in the Windows Server
Remote Access role. It provides the ability to publish access to
corporate resources, and enforce multi-factor authentication as well as
apply conditional access policies to verify both the user’s identity and
the device they are using resources, and enforce multi-factor
authentication as well as verify the device being used before access is
granted.
RDS Enhancements
Enhanced
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) in Windows Server 2012 R2 with
improvements in management, value, and user experience. Session
Shadowing allows administrators to view and remotely control active user
sessions in an RDSH server. Disk dedupe and storage tiering allow for
lower cost storage options. User experience for RemoteApps, network
connectivity and multiple displays has been improved. Administrators can
now easily support users with session desktops to provide helpdesk
style support. Administrators now have even more flexible storage
options to support a VDI environment without expensive SAN investments.
End users will find RemoteApp behavior is more like local apps, and the
experience in low-bandwidth is better, with faster reconnects and
improved compression, and support for multiple monitors.
NFC Tap-to-pair Printing
Tap
your Windows 8.1 device against an enterprise NFC-enabled printer and
you’re all set to print. No more hunting on your network for the correct
printer and no need to buy a special printer to take advantage of this
functionality. Simply attach an NFC tag to your existing printers to
enable this functionality.
Wi-Fi Direct Printing
Connect
to Wi-Fi Direct printers without adding additional drivers or software
on your Windows 8.1 device, forming a peer-to-peer network between your
device and the printer.
Native Miracast Wireless Display
Present
your work wirelessly with no connection cords needed; just pair with a
Miracast-enabled projector via NFC and Miracast will use Wi-Fi to let
you project wire-free.
Mobility Enhancements
VPN
We
have added support for a wider range of VPN clients in both Windows and
Windows RT devices. We have also added the ability to have an app
automatically trigger VPN connections.
Mobile Broadband
At
Windows 8 launch, the devices had embedded radios that were separate
components within the devices. Windows 8.1 supports embedded wireless
radio, which gives you increased power savings, longer battery life,
also enables thinner form factors and lower cost devices.
Windows To Go
With
Windows To Go in Windows 8.1, the Windows Store is enabled by default.
Windows To Go users may roam to any number of machines and access the
Windows Store and use Windows Store apps.
Broadband Tethering
Turn
your Windows 8.1 mobile broadband-enabled PC or tablet into a personal
Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing other devices to connect and access the
internet.
Auto-triggered VPN
When
you select an app or resource that needs access through the inbox VPN –
like a company’s intranet site – Windows 8.1 will automatically prompt
you to sign in with one click. This feature will be available with
Microsoft and third-party inbox VPN clients.
Security Enhancements
Remote Business Data Removal
Corporations
now have more control over corporate content which can be marked as
corporate, encrypted, and then be wiped when the relationship between
the corporation and user has ended. Corporate data can now be identified
as corporate vs. user, encrypted, and wiped on command using EAS or EAS
+ OMA-DM protocol. This capability is requires implementation in the
client application and in the server application (Mail + Exchange
Server). The client application determines if the wipe simply makes the
data inaccessible or actually deletes it.
Improved Biometrics
All
SKUs will include end to end biometric capabilities that enable
authenticating with your biometric identity anywhere in Windows (Windows
sign-in, remote access, User Account Control, etc.). Windows 8.1 will
also be optimized for fingerprint based biometrics and will include a
common fingerprint enrollment experience that will work with a variety
of readers (touch, swipe). Modern readers are touch based rather than
swipe and include liveliness detection that prevents spoofing (e.g.:
silicon emulated fingerprints). Access to Windows Store Apps, functions
within them, and certificate release can be gated based on verification
of a user’s biometric identity.
Pervasive Device Encryption
Device
encryption previously found on Windows RT and Windows Phone 8 is now
available in all editions of Windows. It is enabled out of the box and
can be configured with additional BitLocker protection and management
capability on the Pro and Enterprise SKUs. Consumer devices are
automatically encrypted and protected when using a Microsoft account.
Data on any Windows connected standby device is automatically protected
(encrypted) with device encryption. Organizations that need to manage
encryption can easily take add additional BitLocker protection options
and manageability to these devices.
Improved Internet Explorer
Internet
Explorer 11 improvements include faster page load times, side-by-side
browsing of your sites, enhanced pinned site notifications, and app
settings like favorites, tabs and settings sync across all your Windows
8.1 PCs. Internet Explorer 11 now includes capability that enables an
antimalware solution to scan the input for a binary extension before
it’s passed onto the extension for execution
Malware Resistance
Windows
Defender, Microsoft’s free antivirus solution in Windows 8, will
include network behavior monitoring to help detect and stop the
execution of known and unknown malware. Internet Explorer will scan
binary extensions (e.g. ActiveX) using the antimalware solution before
potentially harmful code is executed.
Device Lockdown
With
Assigned Access, a new feature offered in Windows 8.1 RT, Windows 8.1
Pro, and Windows 8.1 Enterprise, you can enable a single Windows Store
application experience on the device. This can be things like a learning
application for kids in an educational setting or a customer service
application at a boutique, Assigned Access can ensure the device is
delivering the intended experience. In our Windows Embedded 8.1 industry
product, we deliver additional lockdown capabilities to meet the needs
of industry devices like point of sale systems, ATMs, and digital signs.
Modern UI experience
Variable, Continuous Size of Snap Views
You
have more ways to see multiple apps on the screen at once. You can
resize apps to nearly infinite sized windows, share the screen between
two apps, or have up to three apps on each monitor.
Boot to Desktop
We have made configuration options available which will allow you to boot directly to the desktop in Windows 8.1.
Desktop and Start Screen
Improvements have been made to better support users who prefer a mouse and keyboard experience to access applications.
These
are just some of the key features available in Windows 8.1 We encourage
you to test out and try these features when you evaluate Windows 8.1
for use both in your work environment as well as at home in your
personal life. Please note that Windows Server 2012 R2 may be required
in order for some of these features to be available.
Source : http://technet.microsoft.com
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