white paper migrating to windows 10: a practical guide · 2016-05-24 · pushed to upgrade by...

Migrating to Windows 10: a practical guide

WHITE PAPER

Five compelling reasons why enterprises should switch to Windows 10

2 econocom • white paper • Five compelling reasons why enterprises should switch to Windows 10

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Microsoft’s latest iteration of its Windows operating system has been with us for some time now and, just nine months after the launch, over 270 million devices already ran Windows 10. Consumers have been pushed to upgrade by Microsoft, yet many enterprises are still hesitating whether they should take the step, yes or no. Well, let us assure you, there are a number of compelling reasons – aside the fact that this operating system can clearly boast good looks – to start the road to migration. Allow us to share just the top 5 of these reasons with you.

econocom • white paper • Five compelling reasons why enterprises should switch to Windows 10

More secure than ever

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(accidental) enterprise data leakage, while

having a minimal impact on employees’ regular

work practices.

Biometric security in ‘Windows Hello’ and ‘Pass-

port for Work’ are providing a great leap forward

in solving credential and password problems

for business environments. Corporate users will

launch their Windows 10 devices with a scan of

their fingerprint or their facial recognition. You

can easily replace passwords with strong two-fac-

tor authentication (2FA) by creating a device-spe-

cific credential, protected by a user gesture

(biometric or pin-based). The biometric scan also

allows them to automatically log on to websites

and even to non-Microsoft services that support

Fast ID Online authentication. Alternatively, users

can rely on a PIN code rather than passwords.

Rather than leaving security decisions in the

hands of the end-user, Windows 10 allows the

IT department to prevent the execution of ma-

licious attacks designed through executables.

Employees will be restricted from opening or

executing files. ‘Device Guard’ and ‘AppLocker’

, you see, can block any application that is not

whitelisted by the IT department.

What’s more, the IT department can easily and

remotely wipe information from lost or stolen

devices, even distinguishing between corporate

information and personal employee informa-

tion. This separation between personal and

corporate data, without requiring employees to

switch environments or apps, is also useful if

you are adopting a ‘Bring Your Own Device’

policy (BYOD). Enterprise Data Protection also

provides additional protection against


Introducing Windows 10 in the enterprise is a

good step towards familiarizing everyone with

cloud computing. After all, that’s the direction

we are heading toward. Ever more applications,

these days, are being used as a ‘software-as-

a-service’ (SaaS) offering. We all started using

SaaS by deploying webmail or online calendars,

but many corporate applications are also mov-

ing towards the ‘as-a-service’ paradigm.

Thanks to Azure Active Directory, users can

easily log into cloud-based services such as the

Windows Store or Office 365. All they have to do

is use their Active Directory credentials.

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This makes the process of authenticating in more

seamless.

Windows 10 devices can be backed up seamlessly

to the cloud using the Azure Backup service, which

allows important data to be backed up to Azure in

a secure manner, restoring data to any machine

whenever necessary. We can now also use roaming

settings, just like any consumer with a Microsoft

account would.

Preparing for the cloud


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Once a Windows device has migrated to

Windows 10, it will automatically be kept

current, turning Windows into a ‘Windows-as-

a-Service’ offering. On a regular basis, Microsoft

will offer new features and functionality and

deliver security updates and critical fixes, as an

alternative to doing major new releases over the

next few years. According to Microsoft, this new

way of working means that Windows 10 will keep

getting better, more productive and more secure

over time. This way of updating the operating

system relieves IT departments of the tedious

task of managing end-user devices. Important to

note: mission-critical systems that require strict

change management policies mission-critical

systems that require strict change management pol-

icies are also supported on the Long Term Servicing

Branch. This allows IT pro’s to determine and control

which patches are installed and how often. Your

external partner is ideally suited to help you make

architectural and deployment decisions between

Current Branch for Business and Long Term Servicing

Branch and managing those environments. Windows

Server Update Services (WSUS) allows IT Pros to

determine and control which patches are installed

and how often. The set-up of WSUS is a perfect task

for an external partner, which has ample experience

in differentiating system management for different

types of environments.

Windows- as-a-Service


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Many IT departments get extremely tired of

building new ‘images’ for different sets of users.

Provisioning packages in Windows 10 allow de-

vices to be set up far simpler than with previous

versions of the operating system. The IT de-

partment can now configure provisioning-pack-

age rules that define the look of the operating

system, what applications should be added, what

privileges a user has, … These provisioning-pack-

age rules can also be used to configure multiple

machines and will eliminate a lot of hassle for the

IT admins.

Easy provisioning takes away admin pain


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Whatever device an end-user is working on,

Windows 10 will always look the same. Whether

you are using a PC, a tablet or a smartphone (or

even an Xbox for that matter, but these devices

may be rare in corporate environments), Win-

dows 10 will always have the same `look and

feel’. This is not only beneficial to employees’

productivity, it also makes life much easier for

software developers, who can now write apps

for ‘One Windows’. Having a shared application

infrastructure across all these devices allows

apps to work across multiple platforms.

Some other noteworthy new features in Windows

10:

- Cortana offers a quick and easy personal assistant

experience, allowing business users to set remind-

ers, send emails, find files and launch applications.

- Many consumers are already acquainted with

Windows 10, having upgraded early or whenever

they buy a new PC or tablet. Offering them a famil-

iar interface is beneficial to their productivity.

Device indepen-dence enhances productivity


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All things considered, Window 10 is a great improvement for both the corporate user and the IT

department. Last year, Microsoft labelled Windows 10 as the ‘last version’ of its iconic operating system,

and this is definitely a version that marries workplace efficiency with strong enterprise security. Nothing

should stop businesses from migrating to this new operating system.

In conclusion


10 econocom • white paper • How to find the right partner for a Windows 10 migration?

Don’t miss this opportunity to get all the infor-

mation you need on what your future work place

could look like.

https://lp.econocom.com/be/windows10

Migrating to Windows 10 is inevitable, so it’s

best to get ready now and stay up to speed on

the latest capabilities.

So go ahead and request our Adoption

Package on Windows 10 which gives you

the choice be tween a 1-day assessment or a

more compre hensive 3 to 5-day assessment.

Are you ready for more?

ABOUT

Econocom designs, finances and oversees companies’

digital transformation.

With over 9,000 employees in 19 countries and revenue in excess

of €2.3 billion, Econocom has all the requisite abilities to ensure the

successful implementation of large-scale digital projects: consulting,

sourcing and technology management & financing of digital assets,

infrastructure, application and business solution services, and project

financing.

The Econocom Group share (BE0974266950 - ECONB) has been listed

on the Euronext NYSE in Brussels since 1986 and is part of the BelMid

index.

More info: www.econocom.be

white paper migrating to windows 10: a practical guide · 2016-05-24 · pushed to upgrade by...

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