Microsoft launched its Windows 10 Anniversary Update a few weeks ago, and the massive Windows 10 benefits for end-user computing (EUC) just got even bigger.
Windows 10 was the catalyst for what we in the EUC industry waited for years to finally achieve. Windows 10 is such a big deal for our industry, because it practically eliminates the need for desktop and mobile silos in IT. You don’t need one silo for Windows PCs, another for mobile and another for apps. All of this comes together in one management structure with Windows 10.
We here at VMware call this unified endpoint management (UEM). What that means is a single, dynamic operating environment for ALL devices and ALL apps, with security and identity deeply integrated throughout it all. Windows 10 is a huge part of that next-generation unified architecture.
Here are the three game-changing Windows 10 benefits for UEM.
1. Cost/Complexity of Apps & Patch Management
I recently read an exciting Forrester Consulting report, commissioned by Microsoft. Here’s what the analysts had to say when it comes to Windows 10 management costs:
“Windows 10 requires less IT administration time to install, manage and support. … IT administrators estimate a 15% improvement … adding up to $44,226 to $147,420 saved per year.”
It’s not just changing the operating system (OS) to Windows 10 that gives the cost savings. It’s the combination of using new enterprise mobility management (EMM) technology to manage your devices.
Think of all the inconsistencies in Windows today: the manufacturers, driver and application
packages. Our customers consistently say that with the old way of managing its desktop fleet, they needed one full-time admin for every few hundred desktops. Specifically, think about application distribution and patch management. Even with all the sophistication in app distribution and patch management software, there is continued uncertainty and unpredictable delays.
Ultimately, the traditional systems management architecture was never designed to cater for the perimeter-less mobile world we work in today. Windows 10 EMM standardizes all of this fragmentation into a standard API layer to create a single and more reliable way to interface with the device.
Now that admins can manage ALL devices—including Windows machines—in a single unified solution (like VMware AirWatch), we’re looking at one admin for several thousand devices! EUC teams can shift focus from day-to-day management to delivering better user experiences, improving security and ultimately enabling a more productive workforce. With that in mind, I estimate that a modern UEM architecture can boost savings 3-4 times than Windows 10 alone.
[Related: Survey Reveals What IT Really Thinks about Windows 10]
2. Next-Generation Security
When it comes to UEM and security, Windows 10 and VMware are, as I like to say, better together.
Leveraging Windows 10’s identify and authenticate capabilities, AirWatch, featuring VMware Identity Manager, enables one-touch access to all your apps and a new conditional access framework. The goal is to ensure that the right users and devices are accessing the right resources securely.
Here’s the big takeaway: Windows 10 enables us to unify the way we approach security across the entire EUC fleet. The way we log into and access information is the same for desktop and mobile—and that’s HUGE, for both battling cyber threats and vastly improving end-user experience.
[Dive into this in more detail in this excellent blog in our Redmond Series, Windows 10 Security Features Built for the Digital Workspace.]
3. Vastly Improved End-User Experience
Users want choice, simplicity and privacy. The Windows 7 world gave them none of those. Devices were locked down for work use only—all for the sake of security. Windows 10 changed
all that. User experience is now a fundamental piece of how the OS was built.
If you’ve made the switch to Windows 10 in your personal life, you know what I’m talking about. At work, the user experience is even better—and the biggest surprise is: the security interface actually makes it better.
With Windows 10, we have a universal experience and access to all our Microsoft productivity apps on any device. Now, that’s a game-changer. Instead of having to go back to our desktop to create a Word doc, edit an Excel spreadsheet or access One Drive, we can do it on any device anywhere. Add on integrated identity solutions, like Identity Manager, the user experience is even better.
Next-gen security protocols secure corporate data and enable experiences like single sign-on and biometrics for easy and fast access to everything. Productivity realized.
It Doesn’t Stop There
True UEM doesn’t stop with Windows 10. VMware is investing in enabling true unified endpoint management for real-life use cases.
How is your EUC team using Windows 10 as a game-changer in your enterprise? Share your insights and feedback in the comments below.
