What is Windows Autopilot white glove? The new Windows Autopilot white glove process, which lets IT technicians, partners, and even OEMs pre-provision devices before they are delivered to the user. Using this process, all device configuration tasks, including apps (machine-targeted or user-targeted), certificates, and policies, can be completed in advance, making it so that when…
Today, many companies are moving or seriously considering the move to Modern Device Management (or Modern Management) as their next step of their Digital Transformation Journey. Most considering the move, have already completed their Windows 10 migrations and are looking for efficiencies to their deployment workflows. Having said this, I get asked on a daily…
Modern EUC Infobits: April 2019 – News you can Use! There is so much change in the End User Computing space at the moment that many of us need help and guidance navigate the Workforce Transformation Journey. The change is not only about Windows 10 or Modern Provisioning but about the entire End User…
Today is April 8, 2019, and with 280 calendar days ( less than 195 working days) away from the Windows 7 End of Support deadline, many organizations are realizing that they need a strategy in place for those devices that, for whatever the reason is, are not going to make the cut to Windows 10.
Microsoft OneNote was released to the public in 2003 so it has been around for a very long time… As of late a very common questions which there is a lot of confusion Why does Microsoft have multiple versions of OneNote and what are the differences? Microsoft OneNote is a note-taking program for free-form information gathering and multi-user collaboration. It gathers…
Modern EUC Infobits: March 2019 – News you can Use! There is so much change in the End User Computing space at the moment that many of us need help and guidance navigate the Workforce Transformation Journey. The change is not only about Windows 10 or Modern Provisioning but about the entire End User…
Microsoft Office is a widely used product suite which includes tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Project, Publisher, Access, and OneNote. It has been around since 1988 and has gone through many versions, each of which has a specific support cycle with defined dates. All versions of Microsoft Office products before Microsoft Office 2019…
A short 26 minute video overview of why modern device management with Microsoft Platform including Microsoft Intune, Windows Autopilot and Dell Technologies Services offering.
Yep – you heard correctly! No more Semi-Annual Channel Targeted (aka CB) or Semi-Annual Channel Broad (aka CBB) releases! Although this is not a new topic (John Wilcox gave us a heads up back in May 2018) the Semi-Annual Channel(SAC) Targeted release (formerly known as CB or Current Branch) will be fully retired after…
Modern EUC Infobits: February 2019 – News you can Use! There is so much change in the End User Computing space at the moment that many of us need help and guidance navigate the Workforce Transformation Journey. The change is not only about Windows 10 or Modern Provisioning but about the entire End User…
One of the most common questions I am asked during Small-Medium Business (SMB) customer calls is why should I move from Windows 10 Pro to Enterprise. The simple (but not complete) answer is: The primary reason is because of the security features included in Enterprise. Baseline functionality for both versions include:
UPDATE February 2021: Microsoft announced that the next version of Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC will be released in the second half of this calendar year (2H21) and will carry a 5-year support lifecycle, instead of the 10-year lifecycle supported with previous version. Full Microsoft announcement post here. Now that Windows 7 is less than a year…
As I go around customers talking about Modern Provisioning, a common questions during the session is: What do I need to give Windows Autopilot a try? How do I test it? What are the requirements? How do I get started? You can take Windows Autopilot for a test drive with little effort and no need…
Modern EUC Infobits: December 2018 – News you can Use! There is so much change in the End User Computing space at the moment that many of us need help and guidance navigate the Workforce Transformation Journey. The change is not only about Windows 10 or Modern Provisioning but about the entire End User…
This post was inspired by a tweet from VMware’s COO Sanjay Poonen (part of Dell Technologies) It is simply amazing how much the End User Computing space has changed in the last four year… For many of us in the industry the way we were managing PC devices needed a radical change. We…
Microsoft published a guidance document (and associated video series) to help customers migrate to the Modern Desktop. The Modern Desktop refers to Microsoft’s bundled product suite called Microsoft 365 which includes: Windows 10, Office 365 and Enterprise Mobility & Security (See my Microsoft 365 Explained blog post ) Microsoft’s guidance includes 8 steps:
A couple of days ago, Microsoft announced that new Office icons will be rolling out to across all platforms over the “next few months” starting with mobile and the web…
Title: Understanding Modern Provisioning Date Presented: November 29, 2018 — 8:00a Abstract Content Today’s End User Computing environment has changed considerably in the past few years. Modern OS, cloud-based management systems, end-user expectations, security, the blurring of work/personal lines have all radically changed the way corporate data and devices need to be managed. In this…
Many businesses (especially large ones) have been using Windows Server Update Service (WSUS) with Software Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) or similar system to manage Windows updates to the end-point devices for a very long time. However many do not have a formalized process to update the O/S on their devices. For the past 3 years…
After a long wait, Microsoft has started once again to roll out Windows 10 v1809 (October 2018 Update) starting November 13. Originally released on Oct 2, 2018, Microsoft paused the roll out after issues were reported and confirmed a week later (October 9) Software is available via the Software Download Center (via Update Assistant or the…
Great article by my colleague at Dell EMC, Colin Sainsbury on Application Testing and Management in a Windows 10 world. Preparing applications for migration is a multi-faceted challenge and with the introduction of Windows as a Service, it needs to be revisited for each Windows 10 version upgrade. The stages required to complete one…
Great graphic on The Evolution of the Employee
A common question I receive often has to do with Office ProPlus: What is Office ProPlus? Does this include Office 365? How is Office ProPlus different than Office 365? What are the benefits? Short answer:
PowerShell script that uses WMI to retrieve properties needed by the Microsoft Store for Business to support Windows AutoPilot deployment. https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/Get-WindowsAutoPilotInfo/ Thank you Michael Niehaus! For more information see: Technet Blog Post Gathering Windows Autopilot hardware details from existing Devices Overview of Windows Autopilot | Microsoft Docs Deploy Windows 10 Enterprise for new devices with…
From an end-user computing point of view, Microsoft Ignite 2018 did not disappoint this year. Although Windows 10 was not the primary focus , deploying, managing and maintaining Windows devices using the entire Microsoft platform was definitely top of the billboard, and in particular Microsoft 365. Many announcements were made around the Modern Workspace. …
Microsoft Ignite 2018 has come to a close. 5 days of total immersion for the 25,000 IT Pros who attended the Orlando conference. Attendees and speakers are heading home tired, energized, and every emotion in between. By all I hear from friends – this year was a fantastic one! Thank you Microsoft – Exciting…
Today Microsoft officially announced a new service: Microsoft Managed Desktop or MMD. Although it was known Microsoft was working on this, no official word or announcement has been published until now. We believe that MMD will be an option that allows organizations to fundamentally shift how they think about and manage their IT. Through MMD,…
Just a few of days ago (Sep 6, 2018) Microsoft announced Windows 7 Extended Support Upgrade (ESU) where businesses can now pay to extend Windows 7 Security Updates Beyond January 14, 2020. (See summary of announcement here ) Although pricing was not revealed, the blog post announcement, authored by Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President for…
Update: Windows 7 Extended Support Update Packages Pricing There was a very significant announcement that was made public today. Summary of announcement:
I wanted to write something about a question I get often asked: What is the pricing and the differences between the different versions of Microsoft 365. Microsoft has a variety of productivity and security management offerings that small to medium-sized and large enterprise customers may consider when upgrading their desktop and device infrastructure, each bringing…
onth – or so, I try to find a short list on Windows 10 related topics which would be of interest to you and specially your customers. Please feel free to share below items with your peers and customers! Windows 10 represent a great opportunity to change the way customers deploy and manage devices, however…
Workspace transformation is gaining lot of momentum at the moment. At its core, it is about letting users access data and applications securely anywhere anytime. Enabling users to quickly provision their devices is only part of the story. Request applications so they can quickly securely access the data without the large bureaucracy associated with IT…
Microsoft announced with a new service bundle called Microsoft 365 a few months back . Until recently there was some confusion as to what actual products and features was included in it.. I found this great explanation by Aaron Dinnage which explains many details in his blog post: Unpacking Microsoft 365 Here is my…
Lots of change in the EUC space these days! — The reason for this blog is a specific question I received : Customer is looking for application modernization services. They would like their .exe apps converted to be able to work in the Windows Store for Business as a part of their AutoPilot/Intune project. Short…
As of today, we sit at less than 18 calendar months from the end of Windows 7 Extended Support. A couple of weeks ago in the Microsoft Partner Conference in Vegas, Microsoft provided some context to the opportunity ahead for partners by giving the numbers of installed Windows 7 devices around the world… A summary of…
I always start my Windows 10 conversations with the statement: There are two parts to any Windows 10 project: Getting to Windows 10. Maintaining Windows 10 This article is all about “Getting to Windows 10”. All of us have been to customers that have not yet officially started their Windows 10 projects or they are…
Windows 7 End of Extended Support date: January 14, 2020 : Days Remaining to migrate your PC fleet: Total Calendar Days: 569 / Business Days: <395 Call to Action: Ask your customers: How are you doing with your Windows 10 adoption ? Will you be fully migrated by the end of 2019? Effectively it is less than 18…
h – or so, I try to find a short list on Windows 10 related topics which would be of interest to you and specially your customers. Please feel free to share below items with your peers and customers! Windows 10 represent a great opportunity to change the way customers deploy and manage devices, however…
With the popularity of Modern Device Provisioning using Windows Autopilot or AirWatch, using a “Generic Image” (Microsoft OS without OEM added-value software added) as the baseline OS is a very common practice. I have been asked multiple times if a generic image (ISO from Microsoft) contains any bloatware. – The short answer is NO. It…
Every month, I try to find a short list on Windows 10 related topics which would be of interest to you and specially your customers. Please feel free to share below items with your peers and customers! Windows 10 represent a great opportunity to change the way customers deploy and manage devices, however it also…
Late last night (Novermber 14), Michael Niehaus posted a blog titled: Progressing Windows as a Service in which informed the Windows 10 community that Microsoft will be extending the End of Support for Windows 10 v1511 until April 2018 (previously announced for Oct 1, 2017): To help some early enterprise adopters that are still finishing their transition…
Every month, I try to to find a short list on Windows 10 related topics which would be of interest to you and specially your customers. Windows 10 represent a great opportunity to change the way customers deploy and manage devices, however it also represents a big challenge for many customer. We continue to visit…
Below you will find a short list on Windows 10 related topics which would be of interest to your customers. Windows 10 represent a great opportunity to change the way customers deploy and manage devices. It also represents a big challenge for many customer. We can help them in this journey to Modern Device Management! …
Windows 10 version 1511 will no longer receive security or quality updates after October 10, 2017. What this means? After October 10, 2017 Windows 10 version 1511 will no longer receive security or quality updates! Why is this important? Because many customer began to deploy Windows 10 and may have no plan to update these…
Windows 10 is about just about 2 years old ( 1507 Threadstone 1 was released on July 29, 2015) , and even though it was short of the 1 billion devices originally targeted by this time, the ~500 million or so is a tremendous achievement. It has been the fastest Microsoft OS adoption in history. …
Windows 10 is about just about 2 years old ( 1507 Threadstone 1 was released on July 29, 2015) , and even though it was short of the 1 billion devices originally targeted by this time, the ~500 million or so is a tremendous achievement. It has been the fastest Microsoft OS adoption in history….
When we discuss the continuous update model of Windows as a Service, one of the first questions that pops out is what would be the impact of not keeping up with Windows-as-a-Services updates. Although it has been stated by Microsoft a number of time, we now have a clear written statement from them on the impact. …
Now it becomes real! When Discussing the continuous update model of Windows as a Service, one of the first questions that comes out is: What would be the impact of not keeping up with Windows-as-a-Services updates? Although it has been stated by Microsoft a number of time, we now have a clear written statement from…
I’ve been using these for a while, but posting here for as I am constantly updating them. Hope these help! The Windows 10 from video sessions I mentioned would be useful are (all from Microsoft Ignite 2016): – Key Note by Brad Anderson: The session name was: “Protect & Manage Your Digital Transformation” (It is…
Summary: Microsoft’s Windows 10 new delivery and update cycles will drive significant change in the current enterprise application compatibility testing and verification operational processes. These processes will need to be done on an ongoing basis as opposed to being done prior to large OS migration projects. Enterprises will need to quickly adjust to this new…
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If you have not seen the latest (January 27, 2017) Microsoft Tech Summit video from Michael Niehaus you are missing a lot ! Enhance Windows 10 deployment: What’s new with Windows 10 deployment? It is a wealth of information on current releases but also lots of insights on best practices as well! One particular item…
Many people ping me on a weekly basis wanting to know what Microsoft’s Windows AutoPilot is and understand what it means or if they can use it right away.. Microsoft and other vendors are marketing as the new zero-touch deployment experience. This is what I tell them:
Socrates and more recently Einstein were very right… “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” It is incredible how true this little 13 word phrase has shaped my life.
I am constantly asked by customers about the Microsoft Telemetry and what it collects – Privacy is a big topic everywhere, and data-driven design (think Tesla!) can be difficult to explain… This short segment video interview with Ed Bott explains the 4 types / layers of Telemetry: Video: Telemetry explained: Interview with Ed Bott Additional…
Looks like the next version of Windows 10, dubbed Creator Update – will include a Legacy BIOS to UEIF in-place migration tool. This is very good news for enterprises out there, as it is a difficult hurdle to overcome when doing in-place updates. The Creators Update will also include a feature to help organizations that…
In my work I have a lot of conversations on the topic of Workspace Transformation, Modern Provisioning. Modern Device Management Unified Endpoint Management, Modern Application Delivery and Modern Desktop. There is so much change in this field right now [ with many more to come ] that it is challenging for most enterprises to keep…
This is what started it all — A rant on my own experience… What a pain! – I manage 3 different WordPress blogs, 5 different twitter accounts, 3 Tumblr blogs and 3 Facebook pages. Each of those channels had a different topic and audience. Every time I need to do something, I have to log…
For those of us using OneNote and Groove, there was an announcement made today that would very much interest you… 1) Groove will becomes SharePoint Workspace 2) OneNote and SharePoint Workspace now a part of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010 More info at: Microsoft Office 2010 Blog
By Jorge Pereira and Sean Kennedy, Kennedy Consulting Originally published as a white paper for Kennedy Consulting on December 2006 Desktop management has remained largely unchanged over the past few years. Application provisioning and management (delivery, installation, configuration, auditing, and updates) is at the core of the challenges associated with desktop management. In the past,…
