Article Windows 10 Value and Versatility: The Anniversary Update
By Isabel Ticlo / 1 Feb 2017 / Topics: As a service Cybersecurity Software
We’re constantly trying to find the most affordable, complete solutions that will help us stay relevant and competitive in the marketplace — especially as our businesses continue to expand and our needs change. With the cloud movement, we are now able to access emails, files, conferences and applications anywhere and on any device. The ability to get more done faster is empowering even greater discoveries, accomplishments and opportunities for collaboration in the workplace. But in order to reach these high levels of success, it’s imperative to have the right software in place. That’s where Windows 10 value and versatitlity come into play.
Windows as a service
Windows has come a long way since it was introduced in 1985.
Figure 1
According to Figure 1, the average organizational cost to businesses in the United States after a data breach increased from $3.54 million in 2006 to $7.01 million in 2016. Instead of risking hefty fees around recovery, businesses can benefit from investing in preventive cybersecurity steps for their employees and clients.
The latest version of Windows 10 has been reengineered to protect data from known and emerging security threats across the spectrum of attack vectors. Some of the features are focused on:
- Identity and access control for an improved user authentication process
- Information protection for data that is at rest, in use or in transit
- Malware resistance to isolate critical system and security components
Windows Hello, an access control feature, is a password-free, sign-in service that gives users hassle-free access to their devices. With the right hardware in place, users can leverage biometric screenings — such as facial or fingerprint recognition — to log in.
The operating system also includes Device Guard to safeguard intellectual property. This set of enterprise security features equips users to protect against malware, viruses and phishing attacks by ensuring only known, good code can run on the computer system.
New features and surprises
The Windows 10 Anniversary Update has been the biggest upgrade thus far, with brand-new features like Windows Ink and improvements around Windows Edge and Cortana. Designed to run on phones, laptops, desktops and the Surface Hub, Windows 10 is as flexible as you need it to be, streamlining your work environment like never before. Features like Cortana and Microsoft Ink allow a more hands-on and personalized experience. Instead of hauling around your laptop and documents, you get the best of both worlds with Ink — your own digital notebook. You can even ask Cortana to turn your notes into action items and share them across all of your Windows 10 devices. Plus, the increased power-saving improvements of Microsoft Edge provide faster and more efficient browsing capability so you can spend less time waiting on applications and more time helping your business excel in the market.
Additional features that will help your business drive greater productivity include:
- Windows as a service: Offers frequent, automatic updates
- Snap view: Lets you work on up to four screens at once
- Dark mode: Instantly adjusts your display for low-light conditions
- Action Center: Quickly locates critical applications on the taskbar
- OneDrive: Provides easy access to music, movies, photos, documents and more
Windows for every occasion
The new Windows 10 is designed to help you keep sensitive information secure and does so while providing a single code base for all devices. Whether you work for an institution or run your own business, Windows solutions are customizable and easy to use. The various editions that are available include:
- Windows 10 Home
- Windows 10 Pro
- Windows 10 Enterprise
- Windows 10 Education
With Windows 10 Enterprise, you’ll be able to easily monitor OS deployment and updates while having a broad oversight of device and application management.
Insight helps you get Windows 10 value
On March 26, 2017, Microsoft will end support for the original Windows 10 release. But clients can still receive the security and feature updates mentioned above when they migrate to the latest Windows 10 Anniversary Update build. With the deadline to upgrade quickly approaching, Insight is here to help you quickly make the move.
Insight is Microsoft’s largest global Licensing Solution Provider (LSP) and has been offering Microsoft solutions for more than 25 years. As one of the first Microsoft LSPs and enterprise software advisors, we put Microsoft at the center of our end-to-end strategy to help businesses run smarter. We collaborate to deliver Intelligent Technology Solutions™ that meet your strategic business needs and optimize your technology investments.
Looking to reduce deployment time and minimize risk during execution? We’re here to help you every step of the way and offer tailored solutions to meet the needs of your business. Our product and licensing specialists will assist you in leveraging the most appropriate licensing vehicles for your organization. You can also call our technical pre-sale specialists with detailed Windows 10 technology questions; we’ll help you identify a migration and adoption strategy together. Plus, there are delivery architects and consultants on staff to aid with the design, assessment, deployment and management of your unique device environments.
