From CRN Network, Windows
7 Launch Presents New Opportunities For Partners By Varun Aggarwal,
After
being disappointed with Windows Vista for a while, channel partners finally
have a reason to cheer. The launch of Microsoft’s new Operating System-Windows
7 marks a new phase of opportunities for all. Unlike Vista, Windows 7 gets rid
of many complexities for the end user as well as the enterprises. The biggest
reason to rejoice with the OS launch is that it doesn’t require additional
hardware upgrades.
Ravi
Venkatesan, Chairman, Microsoft India, while speaking at the product
launch, said, “Proactive engagement and feedback thereof with partners and
consumers was fundamental to the development of Windows 7. It has helped
deliver what is the highest quality OS in the history of Windows. It enhances
the user experience by its sheer simplicity and caters to their connected lives
across work and play. We are delighted by the initial reviews from partners and
the technology community. Over 90 percent of testers from around the world have
rated it as “good” or “extremely good” and consider Windows 7 to be responsive,
simple to use and stable.”
“The
compatibility mode and XP mode in the new OS smoothly solve the issue of
compatibility, a critical feature that allows Windows 7 to win hands down over
Windows Vista,” according to a Frost & Sullivan analyst note. “Backward
compatibility with the earlier versions of applications is one the boons of
migrating to new OS. Moreover, the new OS is also hassle free from issues such
as lack of drivers for configuring external peripherals,” the note added.
According
to W S Mukund, MD, Acer India, Windows 7 has a smaller OS footprint, improved
user interface, quicker response time and improved power management for
enhanced battery life. “Windows 7 promises to be on the frontier of a new wave
of technological advancements,” added Mukund.
With
additional support for touch interfaces, Windows 7 would enable the existing
touch PCs to have better interface and usability according to Ravi Swaminathan,
President, PSG, HP India. “The Windows 7 enabled HP PC has great potential to
enhance the computing ecosystem, encompassing new and exciting interfaces like the
multi-touch technology thereby enabling customers to interact with their
computers like never before,” said Swaminathan.
“We’re
ready for Windows 7 and our customers are ready for Windows 7. Business customers
can experience significant enhancements including faster performance for better
productivity, a higher level of security and advanced application
compatibility,” said Steve Lalla, Vice President and GM, Commercial Client
Product Group, Dell.
Apart
from a host of features that Win7 offers to improve the graphical user
interface and navigation for different tasks, some of the noteworthy features
for the enterprises are:
Windows
XP Mode:
Utilizing Windows Virtual PC, Windows XP Mode allows small and medium business
users of Windows 7 to run many Windows XP productivity applications, launched
right from the Windows 7 desktop. This feature however, is not present in the
Home versions of the OS.
Direct
Access:
This feature enables IT managers to provide the mobile user with reliable and
secure access to the corporate network resources when the user in on the
Internet, without having to initiate a VPN connection. It allows servicing and
updating of remote PCs, even when they are on the road.
Branch
Cache:
Delivered jointly by Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, this feature enables
IT pros to decrease the time branch office users spend waiting to download
files from remote servers by caching the previously accessed content locally in
a branch’s network.
Bit
Locker and Bit Locker To Go Drive encryption: Though first
introduced with Vista, Win7 extends this feature to encrypt the content on not
just the hard disk but also removable drives including the USB.
Dinesh
Gupta, MD ECO-REL, feels that the bit locker feature would drive a lot of
deployments of Windows 7, especially in the BPO and SMB sector. “We’ve started
receiving queries for Windows 7 already and customers are really interested to
see how they can cut the otherwise high encryption tool cost with bit locker
that comes bundled with Win 7. People who carry data in pen drives can now
securely encrypt it without much hassle.”
Vikas
Kumar Khairai, Managing Director, KDK Enterprises finds the Direct Access
feature particularly exciting. He feels this feature would enable a lot of SMBs
to adopt remote access as they no more have to invest into VPN. He’s also
seeing some customers considering wide adoption of Windows 7 only for the
Direct Access feature.
Windows 7
is available in six editions, targeted at specific user groups and addressing
all segments of the market. The two primary editions are: Windows 7 Home
Premium for home consumers and Windows 7 Professional for small and medium
sized businesses. Also available in the line-up are Windows 7 Starter,
Windows 7 Home Basic (in Emerging Markets only), Windows 7 Enterprise and
Windows 7 Ultimate. The FPP pricing for Windows 7 has reduced in the range of
25-35 percent over Windows Vista, for most SKUs.
According
to Ajit Joshi, CEO & MD, Infinity Retail Ltd, the Windows 7 Home basic
would cost about Rs 5,800. For customers under the Software Assurance Program,
Windows 7 would come as a free upgrade
D K Bajaj,
Director, D M Systems Private Ltd feels that although Win7 presents a great
opportunity, customers won’t immediately go for it. “Wide adoption would take
place at least 3-4 months from now,” he said.
Over 1500
customers have already deployed Windows 7 in India including Infosys, Maruti,
Bangalore International Airport, Manipal University and Mindtree among others.
All 17 OEMs would offer more than 100 different skews of Windows 7 PCs within
30 days from the launch.
Windows 7 has been built on top of Windows Vista, which
means if your application does not work or if it has some issues when running
on Windows Vista, most probably it will have similar issues running on Windows
7. The seminar will also cover issues related to Application Compatibility in
Windows 7 and how to address these.
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