Merits of Windows Vista

Here are my main points for migrating to Microsoft Windows Vista.

More Intuitive User Experience

• Faster application launching via new Start Menu
• Search in every Explorer window
• Live icons: Actual thumbnails of a file’s contents make it easier for the user to find documents
• Details Pane: All the metadata from a document is easily available (Author, creation date, etc)
• ClearType by default on all monitors (Helps reduce strain on eyes)
• Breadcrumb bar: (User education will allow them to navigate through hierarchal folders more efficiently)
• No more flickering or tearing thanks to Aero
• Navigation Pane: We can set up maps to specific OHA network folders so they’re always accessible to the user
• Command Bar: Possible that it will help some of our older users, as it provides task oriented features listed and easily available. However, this is not a selling point, as there’s a good chance that the users will continue to just double-click.

Search

• We can build pre-build custom saved searches in the navigation pane to help users find their content across the network more easily.
• Redirected Folders: We can redirect the Desktop and Documents folder to the file server, reducing users saving content on their local machine. Search will still work over these folders.
• Offline Folders: We can set it up so that our mobile users can have certain folders that always get synced to the local computer. E.g., project folders, etc.
• Distributed network search: Our users will be able to perform a distributed search, meaning they can find content across the network, provided they have appropriate permissions.
• Office SharePoint offline documents: With Office 2007, you can take SharePoint libraries and documents offline via Office Outlook, and you can search over that content as well.
• In XP folder redirection, the server copy is always open for read and writes, using up bandwidth. In Vista, the copy is cached, and all writes are written to the server, but all reads are read from the local hard drive.
• Delta Sync syncs only the changes to a document rather than the full document when a document is being resolved in a sync.

Internet Explorer

• Better security (IE7 runs sand-boxed in Vista)

Windows Defender

• Integrated anti-spyware (This will really help cut down on the spyware that gets installed on our systems)

Network Awareness

• Contextually relevant network experience for mobile users (I.e., away from OHA, or in the office. We can configure different security/sharing settings for each)

Windows Mobility Center/Presentation settings

• Puts Display Brightness, Volume, Power, Wireless, External Display, Projector, and Synchronizing settings all in one panel
• Presentation settings: You can set the presentation settings so that when in a presentation (either projector or Meeting Space) default background image, volume, and screensaver settings are applied
• Built in Network Projector Support (Combining wireless with a network projector would provide for a much smoother user experience in the meeting room, both for our users or for guests)

Sync Center

• Vista provides a central place for users to sync their mobile device and Offline Folders, Exchange, Outlook, and other documents

Remote Assistance

• Vista makes Remote Assistance much easier for the average user, requiring far less input, and is much more intuitive. It allows users to initiate screen sharing to an admin. We could set this up at OHA so that a user has an icon on their desktop or in the help menu or start menu where they could click, and call us up that way. Or we could just use it if the co-op student or one of us IT people has issues and needs further help from a team member. With IPv6 set up on the server, we may possibly be able to set up Remote Assistance away from the office.

Windows Meeting Space

• Now THIS is where I feel we could really benefit at OHA. I would pay for this application alone. With proper configuration, we can provide users with a much better experience in the meeting room. Windows Meeting Space allows users to easily set up an Ad Hoc wireless network between them. Users can share files, their screen contents, videos, documents, etc easily. It brings a whole new strength to the interaction in the meeting room.
• Windows Meeting Space also uses IPv6, meaning users can leverage it across the internet provided IPv6 ISATAP is set up on Server 2003.
• Windows Meeting Space abides by the rules set up by the Attachment Manager. This allows the admin to limit the file types allowed to be shared. It also can track usage, activity, etc in a session.
• Using ‘Sessions Near Me’ makes it extremely easy for users to join Meeting Space sessions occurring near them on the network or ad hoc networks. It’s all password protected as well.
• Multiple users can work on a single document together during a session, and then all of them can save a copy of the ‘final’ version at the end to their local computer. This allows everyone to have the same version.

Rights Management Services

• With Office 2007 and Vista’s integrated support for Windows Rights management, we can train users ( or not) to apply appropriate permissions to the documents. For example, if someone has written a highly confidential document, they can apply Rights Management to it to only allow particular users from AD to view it. If the document is leaked outside the organization to another person, that person will not be able to view it if they haven’t been approved/given a password.

Remote Access

• Remote Desktop Connection allows for easy remote access. An IT admin can place an icon for the application on the desktop. Running it will set up an automatic Terminal Services Remote connection in the background without need for a VPN.
• Combined with Server 2008′s Terminal Services Gateway, the user will be able to access corporate networks from home, quickly and easily.
• By eliminating the need for a VPN connection, Vista enables the IT admin the possibility to grant granular and secure remote access to specific remote corporate resources. (Terminal Server based applications and desktops designated, rather than full access)

Deployment

• Vista is built on around a file based image, rather than sector based. This allows IT admins to customize the image to a greater degree, servicing individual components. Oddly enough, this is one of my favorite features of Vista.
• Multiple installation images can be stored in a single file on the server, helping save space and keep organized.
• Windows PE. The Preinstallation Environment allows the admin to do a network boot from a client computer, and then run a series of diagnostics or other operations on the computer without actually needing to carry around a service disc.
• Script-based installations allow extensive support to enable remote and/or automated scenarios.
• Desktop Optimization Pack allows virtualized, network-available services. OHA can use this for some apps which are rarely used, such as MS Visio.
• Asset Inventory Service allows an easy way to pull all asset inventory information into an easy to manage location. This would be extremely useful, as we currently have issues with keeping track of our assets and the current user assigned.

Increasing Automation

• Task scheduler can be used to notify the support center of problems on a specific event.
• Administrators can use Task Scheduler to launch a script or application every time the user locks their computer.
• Tasks are run in sequence.

Networking

• NAP client integrated allows an organization to establish baseline security requirements on the client computers. If the health level is not met, we can force the client to update before they are allowed access to company resources.
• BITS allows distributed Windows Updates.
• Numerous networking improvements to use less bandwidth and increase network efficiency.
• Better Quality of Service management via Group Policy.

Control over usage of removable storage devices

• With Group Policy for Removable Storage, we can control what data gets transferred to and from removable storage on a per-user basis.
• We can prevent what devices are allowed to install, by Device ID, Device Class, or Device Manufacturer.

Windows Sidebar

• We can put in gadgets to enable users to see their Outlook 2007 information at a glance.
• We can possibly create or install other gadgets so that users have access to other important information as well.