What does the launch of Windows 7 mean for
your business?

Microsoft release the new Windows 7 operating system on 22 October 2009. TSG Insight looks at how this will affect your business. Just click on the appropriate links below to
learn more.

KEY QUESTIONS

When will it be launched?

The 22 October 2009 marks a new generation for Microsoft and sees the launch of the all new Windows 7.

Should I upgrade?

Improve performance

• Windows 7 enhances your battery life significantly

• Significantly faster than previous versions of Windows

• Windows 7, more conservative on your hard disk capacity

Increase security

• Secure business critical data with the Advanced Backup

• Encrypt business critical data on your hard drives and company memory sticks with BitLocker and BitLocker to Go

• Recover deleted files without having to revert to backups using the 'Previous Versions' feature in Windows 7

Greater compatibility

• Run your legacy applications within a Virtual XP environment overcoming potential compatibility issues

• Launch your legacy applications direct from desktop with XP application virtualisation

More reasons to upgrade...

Reduce costs with enhanced automation

Windows 7 enables IT professionals to easily automate repetitive and complex tasks using Windows PowerShell 2.0, a powerful and complete scripting language built into the operating system. For greater efficiency, the remoting features available with PowerShell 2.0 enable IT pros to execute a script across the network on multiple computers at once.

Keep users productive and decrease support calls

Windows 7 provides the Windows Troubleshooting Platform, a comprehensive, extensible tool that helps users to quickly resolve technical issues without involving the help desk—and helps support staff fix any escalated issues quickly. Windows 7 provides the ability to develop custom Troubleshooting Packs for business- or infrastructure-specific issues. For example, an IT pro can develop a Troubleshooting Pack to support a custom line-of-business application.

Enable more flexible configuration across the organisation

Windows 7 improves the ability to centrally manage the most critical aspects of computers by providing additional Group Policy settings focused on data protection and improved auditing. Through AppLocker, Windows 7 provides the ability to limit which applications users can run. To increase the reach and flexibility of Group Policy, Windows 7 delivers built-in support for Group Policy Preferences, which extend the range of what Group Policy can manage and how Group Policy applies settings to specific users or machines.

Better management of remote computers

DirectAccess simplifies IT management by providing an "always managed" infrastructure, in which computers both on and off the network can always be healthy, managed, and updated to help prevent small issues from becoming major problems. DirectAccess is an innovative networking technology in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 that enables remote users to seamlessly access the corporate network anytime they have an Internet connection. For IT professionals, DirectAccess provides a more secure and flexible corporate network infrastructure that enables them to remotely manage and update user PCs whenever those systems are connected to the Internet, even when users are not logged in.

How can Windows 7 help my business?

Microsoft listened to customers to find out what they were looking for in their PCs - performance, ease of use, and security.
Designed to meet the needs of small and medium sized businesses, Windows 7 is fast, reliable, and compatible. Here’s a quick overview of the key benefits. 

“Speed, reliability, and compatibility—these are my absolute must-haves.”

• Engineered to start up and be ready in seconds, Windows 7 Professional is fast and responsive.

• Designed with compatibility in mind, it works with the broadest set of devices and applications available. It also extends the life of your customers’ older Windows XP productivity applications by running them in a virtual Windows XP environment.

• Performance improvements lead to fewer interruptions and prompts, as well as faster recovery from problems when they happen.

“I just need things to be easy, so I can get more done each day.”

• Finding things is efficient and easy: Type a few letters in the search box, and files, applications or even menus appear in seconds

• Mobile computing on the go is easier with access to all mobile settings in one place, longer battery life for laptops, and greater connection and networking options

• Your customers can now access all their computer programs, files, and network resources like never before. Whether at work, at home, or on the road, they can easily connect to other networks or even other computers within their home

“Safeguarding my business is critical. I need to make sure all my information is backed up, protected, and highly secure.”

• Individual files or folders that get accidentally deleted can be quickly restored

• Confidential information is better protected with powerful encryption technologies that let customers encrypt their files and folders

• A strong security foundation together with comprehensive security features offer greater protection from Internet threats, spyware, and other forms of malicious software

What's new in Windows 7?

Improved taskbar and full-screen previews

The taskbar at the bottom of your screen is what you use to launch programs and switch between them when they're open. In Windows 7 you can pin any program to the taskbar so it’s always just a click away, and you can rearrange the icons on the taskbar just by clicking and dragging. We’ve made the icons considerably bigger, too, so they’re easier to use. Hover over the icons and you’ll see thumbnails of every file or window that open in that program, and if you hover over the thumbnail, you’ll see a full-screen preview of that window. Move the cursor off the thumbnail and the full-screen preview disappears.

Jump Lists

With Windows 7, we focused on keeping the things you use most right in front of you. One example: The new Jump List feature. It's a handy way to quickly reach the files you've been working with. To see the files you've used recently, just right click on the icon on your taskbar. So right-clicking on the Word icon will show your most recent Word documents. Plus, if there are other files you want to keep handy, you can just pin them to the Jump List so they’ll always appear. That way, the documents you’re likely to want are just a couple clicks away.

Some programs, such as Windows Media Player, can pre-populate their Jump Lists with common tasks. For example, on the Jump List for Windows Media Player, you’ll see options to Play All Music or resume your last playlist. On the Jump List for Internet Explorer, you’ll see frequently and recently viewed websites. With some programs, you’ll even have quick access to tasks that, in the past, were only available from within the program, such as composing a new e-mail message.

Desktop enhancements

Windows 7 simplifies how you work with the windows on your desktop. You'll have more intuitive ways to open, close, resize, and arrange them.

With Windows 7, it’s easier to do things you do all of the time. For example, before, when you wanted to compare two open windows, you had to manually resize your open windows to show them side by side. With Snaps, you can simply grab a window and pull it to either side edge of the screen to fill half the screen. Snap windows to both sides, and it’s easier than ever to compare those windows.

Another thing you may want to do is quickly see your gadgets or grab a file from your desktop. To see your desktop just move your mouse to the lower right corner of your desktop. That'll make all the open Windows transparent—so your desktop is immediately visible. Want to get all but one window out of your way? Grab the top of that window, shake it and all the other open windows will minimize to the taskbar. Shake the window again, and they’ll all come back.
 

Windows Search

Looking for something on your PC? What’s your first instinct? If you use the web a lot, you probably start by looking around for a search box. Now, you can find things on your computer the same way. Introduced with Windows Vista, Windows Search helps you find virtually anything on your PC quickly and easily. Windows 7 also makes search results more relevant and easier to understand.

Looking for a file, e-mail, or application? While you can easily look through folders and menus, there’s an even faster way. Just click on the Start button and you’ll see a search box at the bottom of the Start menu. Just enter a word or few letters in the name or file you want, and you’ll get an organised list of results.

Windows 7 uses libraries to show all content of a particular type in one spot. Say you’ve got photos in several locations on your PC. A lot will be in your Photos folder. But you might have some in documents folders too. Your photos library makes it easy for you to browse and use all your photos, no matter where they are on your PC.

By collecting things into a single view, libraries make it simpler to find what you’re looking for. They’re even more powerful with Windows Search. You can search your Libraries using filters to customise your search. For example, when you’re looking for music you can search by album. Or search for photos by the date they were taken. You can go to your Documents Library, click on authors, and see all the documents on your computer sorted by author name.
 

How compatible is my business software to Windows 7?

Adopting a new operating system in an enterprise environment is never a simple undertaking, but the Windows 7 operating system was designed to ease application compatibility as much as possible. Assessing the compatibility of your applications depends largely on what operating system your enterprise is currently running.

Windows Vista customers: For customers on Windows Vista moving to Windows 7, the effort required to test and validate applications will be substantially reduced compared to moving from Windows XP to Windows 7. The majority of applications that already work on Windows Vista will continue to work on Windows 7 with little or no issues due to the underlying similarity of the two operating systems and efforts by Microsoft and TSG to provide compatibility. For example, application updates created for Windows Vista can be applied to Windows 7 as well.

Windows XP and Windows 2000 customers: Microsoft recommends that these customers work closely with Microsoft and TSG to help them get ready for Windows 7, as there are additional steps that need to be taken to mitigate application compatibility if your organization decides to skip Windows Vista.

Microsoft recommends that these customers work closely with Microsoft and TSG to help them get ready for Windows 7, as there are additional steps that need to be taken to mitigate application compatibility.

What does Windows 7 mean for my existing accounting software?

Sage statement

We are testing all of our products with Windows 7 and will support the operating following its release.

Pegasus statement

By the end of November Pegasus Opera II Version 6.72 will be compatible with Windows 7. An announcement on Capital Gold and Operations II will follow in due course.

Microsoft NAV

We are proud to announce that Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 SP1 is compatible with Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2.

Note:
Tests are currently taking place on the compatibility of Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0 SP1 with Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
Please note that compatibility for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 does not cover Business Notification for Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Commerce Gateway.
For more information about requirements please go to http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd301054.aspx

FURTHER OPTIONS