MS Windows 7 - Successor to Windows XP and Windows Vista
|
Microsoft Windows 7 was launched in the
fourth quarter 2009. There are five different versions of MS Windows 7:
Starter, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate. Each has a
different set of features. MS Windows Starter 7 is not available in a 32-bit
version. It is based on the MS Windows Vista foundation; organizations which
have already deployed Vista will be able to build upon that investment. MS
Windows 7 is highly compatible with MS Windows Vista software and devices
and devices.
|
 |
Backward
compatibility is provided for Windows XP with a built-in virtualization
facility and XP Mode. The ability to run older programs will be
convenient and necessary in the short run. Security and control on
Windows 7 has been enhanced by reducing the risk associated with data lost
computers and hard disks. There are third party tools available for
gathering data in order to analyze an installation's ability for migrating
to MS Window's 7 in a given time frame: asset management, application
compatibility, and readiness reports. Microsoft provides a software
discovery utility for gathering an inventory of software from each desktop.
Desktop management has been streamlined.
Windows 7 can be managed with many of the same tools used to manage Windows
Vista. The comprehensive Windows 7 featureset is available in conjunction
with Windows Server 2008 R2. RSAT: Remote Server Administration Tools
provides enables IT administrators to remotely manage roles and features in
Windows Server R2 from a computer that is running Windows 7. RSAT includes
support for the remote management of computers that are running either a
Server Core installation or the full installation option of the Windows
Server 2008 R2. The functionality RSAT provides is similar to the Windows
Server 2003 Administration Tools Packs.
The assumption by Microsoft is that most
organizations and individuals will be upgrading to MS Windows 7 and that it
will be a long term investment. The reality is that for the next few
years, Microsoft will be supporting three Windows operating systems: Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
According to Microsoft executives, Windows 7 has
been outselling any previous version of Microsoft Windows operating system.
Feedback indicates that customers are reasonably satisfied with the
responsiveness and functionality of MS Windows 7 on the desktop and web and
all sizes and types of PCs. Microsoft is committed to expanding their
proprietary software to include cloud computing technology. The Microsoft
strategy is built upon the assumption that cloud-based programs will coexist
with traditional PC software.
CETi staff and technology partners are evaluating Microsoft support
and websites.
MS Windows 7: Enhancement and New Features
| Facility |
Explanation |
| AppLocker |
Provides administrators with the ability to control
how users can access and use files; it requires Windows Server 2008,
R2. AppLocker rules cannot be used to manage computers running a
Windows operating system earlier than Windows 7. |
| Biometrics |
Provides the capability to use fingerprint biometric
devices to log on to computers, grant elevation privileges through
User Account Control and perform management of the fingerprint
devices. |
| Certificates |
HTTP enrollment protocols enable policy-based
certificate enrollment across Active Directory forest boundaries and
over the Internet. HTTP enrollment requires deployment of the
certificate Web services included in Windows Server 2008, R2. |
| Deployment Tools |
Changes have been made to two deployment tools:
Windows AIK - Windows Automated Installation Kit and Windows
Deployment Services. MDT10 can be used to deploy MS Windows 7. |
|
Group Policy |
Provide the capability for managing
drive mappings, registry settings, local uses and groups, services,
files, and folders without the need to learn a scripting language. |
Group Policy:
Administrative Template Settings |
These are Registry-based policy
settings that appear under the Administrative Template node of both
the Computer and User Configuration nodes. The hierarchy is created
when the Group Policy Management Console reads XML-based
Administrative template files. Administrative templates user
interface reduces the administrative time that is required to
configure and learn more about policy settings. |
Group Policy:
Group Policy Management |
Group Policy provides an
infrastructure for centralized configuration management of the
operating system and applications that run on the operating system.
Group Policy is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of
Windows Server 2008 R2. |
Group Policy:
Windows PowerShell Cmdlets |
Windows PowerShell Cmdlets for Group Policy
provides the ability to manage Group Policy from the Windows
PowerShell command line and to run PowerShell scripts during logon
and startup. Windows PowerShell for Windows is a command line shell
and scripting language that can be used for automating tasks that
are performed in the user interface using the GPMC: Group Policy
Management Console.
Group Policy in Windows Server R2
provides Group Policy cmdlets, which is a single function
command-line tool, for performing administrative tasks In order to
use Windows PowerShell Group Policy cmdlets, it is required that
Windows Server be installed on a domain controller or on a member
that has the GPMC installed or Windows 7 with Remote Server
Administration Tools installed.RSAT includes the GMPC and its
cmdlets. |
|
Group Policy:
Starter Group Policy
Objects
|
Read-only Starter Group Policy Objects provide a
baseline of settings for a specific scenario. |
| Handwriting Recognition |
Tablet PCs have improvements for handwriting
recognition. |
| Networking |
The Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 operating
systems include networking enhancements that make it easier for
users to get connected and stay connected regardless if their
location or type of network.
The major new networking features include:
- DirectAccess, which enables users to access an enterprise network without
initiating a VPN: virtual private network connection.
- VPN Reconnect, which automatically re-establishes a VPN connection as
soon as Internet connectivity is restored.
- BranchCache, which enables updated content from file and web servers on a
WAN - wide area network to be cached on computers at a local location.
- Other new networking features include URL-based QoS, mobile broadband
device support, and, and multiple active firewall policies.
|
| Service Accounts |
There are two new service accounts available in
Windows Server 2008R2 and Windows 7, the managed service account and
the virtual account. Managed service accounts can reduce the amount
of account management needed for important services and
applications.
The managed service account provides important
applications with the isolation of their own domain accounts, while
eliminating the need for an administrator to manually administer the
service principle name and credentials for these accounts. Virtual
accounts in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 are managed local
accounts that can use a computer's credentials to access network
resources. Managed service accounts enhance security while
simplifying or eliminating password and SPN management. Virtual
accounts simplify service administration by eliminating password
management and allowing services to access the network with the
computer's account credentials in a domain environment. |
| Smart Cards |
Enhanced support is provided for smart card-related
Plug and Play and the PIV: Personal Identify Verification standard. |
| User Account Control |
The UAC: User Account Control, access control model
was changed to mitigate the impact of a malicious program.
UAC helps standard users and administrators protect their
computers by preventing programs that may be malicious from running.
UAC helps enterprise administrators protect their network by
preventing users from running malicious software.
The improved UAC allows users to perform their daily tasks with fewer
prompts and gives administrators more control over how UAC prompts
users. |
| Virtual Hard Disks |
The Windows 7 disk
management tools, the DiskPart command-line tool and the Disk Management
snap-in, can be used to create a .vhd file. A Windows 7 image, a .wim file,
can be deployed to a virtual disk, and the .vhd file copied to be multiple
systems. There is the ability to configure the Windows 7 boot manager for a
native or physical boot of the Windows image that is contained in
the virtual hard disk.
The .vhd file can be connected to a
virtual machine for with the Hyper-V role in Windows Server 2008
R2. Native-boot .vhd files are not designed or intended to replace
full image deployment on all client or server systems. Previous
versions of Windows do not support a native boot from a virtual hard
disk and require a hypervisor and virtual machine in order to boot
from a .vhd file. |
| Windows PowerShell |
The Windows PowerShell command-line shell and
scripting language is used for performing system administration
tasks on MS Windows operating systems and the applications that run
on the MS Windows operating system. Built on the Microsoft .NET
Framework, command tools, known as cmdlets, provide the ability to
manage the computers in an enterprise from the command line. Windows
PowerShell providers access data stores, such as the registry and
the certificate store. Windows PowerShell also has full support for
all WMI: Windows Management Instrumentation classes. |
| Windows Search, Browse, and
Organization |
New features and enhancements are available for
deploying and maintaining desktop search, browse, and organization
functionality.
The Windows Search Service provides the
capability to perform fast file searches on a server from computers
running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 or from computers that
have Windows Desktop Search installed and running Windows Vista,
Windows Server 2008, Windows XP, Windows Server R2, or Windows
Server 2003. |
| Windows Security Auditing |
There several enhancements in Windows Server 2008 R2
and Windows 7 which increase the level of detail in security logs
and simplify the deployment and management of auditing policies:
Global Objects Access Auditing, Reason for Access Reporting,
Advanced Policy Settings - a total of 53.
All versions of Windows Server R2 and Windows 7 that can process Group Policy
can be configured to use these security auditing enhancements. Versions of
Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 that cannot join a domain do
not have access to these features. There is no difference in
security auditing support between 32-bit and 64-bit versions of
Windows 7. |
|
