Microsoft on Tuesday released Windows 8.1 Enterprise Preview.
Windows 8 adoption has been sluggish, among both consumers and enterprises. The preview version of standard Windows 8.1 was released in June and includes several refinements with which Microsoft hopes to assuage Win 8 critics. These include a boot-to-desktop mode and a restored Start button, both of which are important in enterprise environments, where traditional PCs are still used more than tablets.
The Enterprise Preview includes a number of business-oriented features that aren’t present in the standard Windows 8.1 preview. In a blog post, Microsoft highlighted seven “premium” features that differentiate the enterprise-oriented preview of Windows 8.1.
The Windows To Go Creator enables IT to create a manageable corporate Windows 8.1 desktop on a bootable external USB drive. Microsoft is pitching the feature as a potential BYOD-enabler that allows employees to securely access corporate data on personal machines.
Start Screen Control allows administrators to define how corporate-issued devices display the Live Tile layout on the Start screen.