Windows as a Service: Microsoft’s Plan for Home and Enterprise Computers

Windows 10, the latest version of the Windows OS, reinvents how the system is built, deployed, and serviced by making it available in Windows as a Service format. Microsoft reimagined every part of the building, deployment, and servicing process, in the hope of simplifying the lives of IT professionals and at the same time maintain consistent experience for all Windows 10 customers. The improvements maximize customer involvement in the development process, while simplifying both deployment and servicing of enterprise and Windows client computers. This ultimately levels out resources required to deploy and maintain the system over time.

Before Windows 10, Microsoft would release a new version of Windows every couple or so years. This deployment schedule tradition usually meant a great training and learning curve burden on users, especially when revisions to the old system have been significant. The same tradition also meant considerably long periods of waiting without new developments and features—which is something that simply won’t work in today’s fast paced world.

In today’s rapidly changing tech environment where robust security, deployment, and management capabilities are very necessary in order to address different operational challenges, customers need systems that don’t take years to adapt. The new Windows as a Service format is designed to deliver smaller (but equally significant feature updates) twice a year to help address these challenges and issues. Windows have since announced these update schedules around March and September of each year—well spaced to ensure coverage of pressing tech issues.

In the past, Microsoft would typically release technical previews of the new product versions near the end of their development process. With Windows 10, new features will be delivered to the Windows Insider community as soon as possible — during the development cycle, through a process called flighting — so that organizations can see exactly what Microsoft is developing and start their testing as soon as possible. This way, organizations and users can see exactly the kind of developments they can expect and even start their testing (and training) as soon as possible. This also provides a way for Microsoft to receive feedback from users and organizations in the course of the entire development process, enabling them to make adjustments as soon as they gather feedback rather than waiting for issues to be discovered after the product’s release. Builds go through extensive internal testing and design and development process before ever being released to the Insider Program.

Mike Rana is the Chief Technology Advisor of Orion Network Solutions. Orion Network Solutions specializes in providing Computer Installation, Maintenance, and Consulting services along with 24x7 help desk services for small and midsize companies.