Hardware recommendations Windows 8

Windows 8 provides a terrific experience on the same hardware that runs Windows 7. 
Table 1-1 describes the hardware recommendations for Windows 8. In fact, you might even
notice that PCs seem to work even better after upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 8

What’s new for Windows 8?

Windows 8 focuses on users’ lives. It is beautiful. Fast. Fluid. It’s also perfect for a range of
devices. This includes PCs, of course, but also compact, touch-enabled tablet PCs; lightweight
laptops; and large, powerful all-in-one PCs with high-definition screens.
Windows 8 is smooth and intuitive. Users have instant access to the information they care
about most, like their contacts, apps, and other information. They can spend less time looking
for information and more time doing things with it.
But all that is the consumer story. What about IT pros? The following sections provide a
quick look at some of the really interesting new features for IT pros. Of course, the remainder
of this book provides more information about these features.

End-to-end security
The following list describes new and enhanced security features in Windows 8:

•    Trusted boot  Some malware programs target the boot process and insert

 themselves into the system before Windows or antimalware software is able to start.
Because of this, the ability of Windows or the antimalware software to protect the
 system might be compromised. With UEFI 2.3.1 equipped devices, the UEFI Secure
Boot feature helps to ensure that malware is not able to start before Windows 8.
The Windows 8 Trusted boot feature protects the integrity of the remainder of the
boot process, including the kernel, system files, boot critical drivers, and even the
 antimalware software itself. The system’s antimalware software is the first third-party
application or driver to start. Moving antimalware into the Trusted boot process
prevents it from being tampered with. In the event that malware is able to   successfully
tamper with the boot process, Windows can automatically detect and repair the
 system

• Claim-based access control   Claim-based access control enables you to set up and

manage usage policies for files, folders, and shared resources.
With Windows 8, you can dynamically allow users access to the data they need based
on the user’s role in the company. Unlike previous statically-controlled security groups,
Claim-based access control allows you to dynamically control access to corporate
 resources based on the user and device properties that are stored in Active Directory.
For example, a policy can be created that enables individuals in the finance group to
have access to specific budget and forecast data, and the human resources group to
have access to personnel files

Manageability and virtualization
The following list describes some of the new manageability and virtualization features in
Windows 8:

•   Client Hyper-V  Client Hyper-V on Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise is

a robust virtualization platform that enables IT Pros and developers to run diverse
client and server environments on their Windows 8 PCs. You can test and manage
multiple environments from a single PC, allowing you to evaluate changes in a test
environment in advance of deploying to a production environment. With support for
wireless networking and sleep and hibernate modes, Client Hyper-V can run on any
Second Level Address Translation (SLAT)–enabled 64-bit PC, including most Intel- and
AMD-based laptops. Virtual Machines (VMs) can be migrated easily between server
and Client Hyper-V without modification, making developers and IT pros more 
efficient. Client Hyper-V also supports both 32-bit and 64-bit guest operating
systems. Client Hyper-V leverages the security enhancements in Windows 8 and can
be managed easily by existing IT tools such as System Center.

•    Windows PowerShell  Management tasks are simplified with Windows  PowerShell

automation. Windows PowerShell provides easy-to-learn language   syntax. New
features in the Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting  Environment (ISE) make it
easier and faster for both new and experienced users to author clear,   maintainable,
production-ready automation scripts. IntelliSense tap   completion, snippets, and
GUI-based search features provide improved cmdlet discovery,   making it easier
to find and run any of the 1,200 new high-level, task-oriented   cmdlets. For more
 information about Windows PowerShell, see Chapter 8, “  Windows 8 management.”

•   Testing, deployment, and migration  Deploying Windows 8 in your

 organization is faster and easier than Windows 7. Enhanced tools help you
make the right  decisions with minimal downtime for users. A new version of the
 Application  Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) helps you understand potential  application

 compatibility issues by identifying which apps are or are not compatible with
 Windows 8. ACT helps you to deploy Windows 8 more quickly by helping to
 prioritize, test, and detect compatibility issues with your apps.
Migrating user data from a previous Windows installation can be automated with the
User State Migration Tool (USMT). This tool now supports migrating user data from
Windows XP installations. With the end of support for Windows XP approaching, now
is a great time to plan your migration to Windows 8.
For more information about deploying Windows 8, see Chapter 5, “Deploying
 Windows  8.”

•    Refresh and Reset your PC  Windows 8 helps streamline the recovery process  

for PCs. Refresh your PC and Reset your PC allow users to restore their Windows 8  
installation and more easily get their systems up and running again. Even when
Windows 8 cannot start, you can use these new features from within the Windows
Recovery Environment (Windows RE). Refresh your PC allows users to reinstall
Windows 8 while maintaining their personal files, accounts, and personalization
settings. These features make it faster and easier to get a PC up and running again.
For more information about Refresh your PC and Reset your PC, see Chapter 7,
“Windows 8 recovery.” This chapter also describes the Microsoft Diagnostics and
Recovery Toolset, which provides more advanced troubleshooting and recovery
tools that are built into Windows 8.

•   Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)   Powered by Window Server 8,  Microsoft

VDI provides the best value for virtual desktops today. The new Remote  Desktop
client in Windows 8 works with VDI. Windows Server 8 provides customers with
 deployment choices through a single platform and a consistently rich user  experience.
Setting up a VDI environment is easy with the simple setup wizard, and managing
your VDI  environment is simple with administration, intelligent patching, and unified
 management capabilities. Features such as user profile disks and Fair Share ensure
high performance and flexibility, whereas support for lower-cost storage and sessions
help reduce the cost of VDI. In addition, Microsoft RemoteFX provides users with a
rich, local-like desktop experience, with the ability to play multimedia, 3D graphics,
use USB peripherals, and touch-enabled devices across any type of network (LAN
or WAN). All of these benefits are available across different types of VDI desktops
(personal VM, pooled VM, or session-based desktops).

Why Windows 8?

Users have broad access to consumer devices (e.g., laptop PCs, tablet PCs, and mobile
phones using modern technology) at home, and this device proliferation leads to higher
user expectations of technology at work. You don’t need an analyst to tell you that users
have more personal computing devices and that those devices are often compelling.

The digital generation entering the work place raises these expectations to a whole new
level. This is a generation that has grown up completely fluent with digital technology 
(e.g., texting, instant messaging, and social media). They are digital natives and have
 significantly different beliefs about the tools they should be able to use at work.
Digital natives are also increasingly mobile and operate at a very fast pace. Their quick
pace, combined with ubiquitous connectivity, blurs the lines between people’s work and
personal lives. As those lines blur, their personalities and individual work styles impact how
they get their work done and what technology they prefer to use. As a result, they want a say
in the technologies they use to get their jobs done.
This trend is aptly called the “consumerization of IT.” An example of consumerization is a
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, where users can bring their own laptop PC, tablet
PC, or smartphone to work and use them to access a work desktop hosted in the datacenter.
Another example is the use of social networking at work—for work.
It’s certainly not a secret that people buy their own smartphones for work, use unapproved
websites, or download unapproved applications on a work PC. They do so because the
 technology that they use at home is often better than the technology available on the job.
Consumerization of IT is great, as it unleashes people’s productivity and passion,
 innovation, and competitive advantage. We believe in the power of saying “Yes” to users and
their technology requests in a responsible way. Our goal at Microsoft is to partner with IT to
enable you to embrace these trends but also ensure the environment remains secure and well
managed.
While Microsoft knows that embracing the consumerization of IT can be challenging, the
company’s strategy can help overcome those challenges. That strategy is to:

•   Provide the experiences and devices that users love and expect.
•   Deliver enterprise-grade solutions that you can use to manage and secure them.

The following sections describe how Windows 8 is a key part of this strategy.

Experiences and devices

Microsoft knows that business users often have to choose between convenience and
 productivity. Windows 8 tablets (i.e., x86 tablets) offer users a no-compromise tablet
 experience. Windows 8 delivers a touch-first experience along with full support for mouse
and keyboard. It’s a no-compromise experience that gives users the convenience and   mobility
of a tablet combined with the power and familiarity of a full PC. Users can move  effortlessly
between work and personal activities. Not only that, but users can have a connected
 experience with apps from the Windows Store while continuing to use the same desktop
LOB and productivity apps they currently use on Windows 7. Finally, Windows 8 offers new
 possibilities for mobile productivity

Enterprise-grade solutions
Windows 8 also offers enterprise-grade solutions:

•  Enhanced end-to-end security  From the client device to back-end infrastructure,

Windows 8 offers features that improve the security and reliability of the systems in
your company. From power-on to power-off, Windows 8 can provide a more secure
foundation to help keep businesses running and users productive.

• Management and virtualization advancements  Windows 8 includes

 enhancements to manageability and virtualization features that help you manage
 client PCs. For example, Windows To Go provides new ways to give users a super
 mobile desktop experience on almost any PC.