1. Selecting Windows Vista Editions
The most logical first
choice in planning a Windows Vista deployment is to decide which edition
or editions of Vista are to be used. With Windows 2000 and XP there was
not much of a decision to be made — if you wanted to simply operate in a
domain environment, Professional was the only choice. Vista makes this
choice more complicated by offering several editions, but for most
environments the choice will still be very clear. The key to making this
decision is having a basic understanding of the differences.
For most
organizations, only the Enterprise and Business editions will be a
logical choice. That said, it is always good to be familiar with the
real differences so you can make meaningful recommendations and defend
any decisions made as to the edition to be deployed.
All editions support a
maximum of 4GB of RAM on 32-bit systems. On 64-bit systems, Basic offers
support for 8GB, Home Premium lets you work with 16GB, and the
remaining Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions boast support for
128GB or more. With such a larger number of features available in the
various editions of Windows Vista, it paints a clearer picture to state
what you do not get with each edition. The list provides a quick summary
of the features not included in each edition of Windows Vista:
Features not included with Windows Vista Ultimate: None—that's why it's the ultimate.
Features not included with Windows Vista Enterprise:
Features not included with Windows Vista Business:
Features not included with the Windows Vista Home Basic and Windows Vista Home Premium editions:
Support for two processors
Backup limitations including support for ShadowCopy or image-based system backup/recovery
File system encryption
Desktop deployment tools
Policy based QoS networking
Rights Management Services (RMS) Client
Control over installation of device drivers
Network Access Protection Client agent
Pluggable logon authentication architecture
Integrated smart card management
BitLocker drive encryption support
Support for worldwide interface languages or simultaneous installations of multiple user interface languages
Subsystem for UNIX-based applications
Virtual PC Express
Windows Ultimate Extras
Small Business Resources
Windows fax and scan
Wireless network provisioning
Full support for Windows Mobility Center (thought it does provide partial support)
Ability to join a network domain
Remote desktop client support (though it cannot serve as host)
Group policy support
Offline files and folders support
Client-side caching
Support for roaming user profiles
Support for folder redirection
Ability to install IIS
In addition to the preceding items, the following additional features are also missing from Windows Vista Home Basic:
Support for scheduled backups or for the backup of files to a network device
Aero user interface (glass, live thumbnails, dynamic windows, and so on)
Themed slide shows
Windows
Media Center (recording television, Xbox extensions, HD Movie Maker,
and DVD maker) Note: Home Basic does provide Windows Movie Maker (just
not the HD version)
Premium games
It is limited to 5 SMB peer network connections (vice the 10 supported by the other editions)
Tablet PC support
Windows Slideshow feature
Windows Meeting space support is limited to "view only"
PC-to-PC synchronization
Network projection
Presentation settings
1.1. Vista Home Basic
Windows Vista Home Basic is
the base code from which all other editions are built. It includes the
new Windows Vista kernel and most security enhancements. Home Basic does
not include the ability to join a domain. It also lacks most other
features that would be useful mostly in business environments. Although
this may make a suitable operating system for average home users, it has
no place in a business environment.
1.2. Vista Home Premium
Windows Vista Home
Premium includes all of the features of Home Basic and includes some
additional features. One additional feature is the Aero interface, which
gives us the glass-like interface and Flip 3D. On the more useful side,
Home Premium includes support for tablet PCs, Windows Meeting Space,
Scheduled Backup, DVD Maker, Windows Media Center, and additional games.
Although these features make the operating system more fun and a little
more useful, Windows Premium still lacks the ability to join a domain
and other useful business features. In short, the Home editions should
be used at home.
1.3. Vista Business
When using Windows
Vista for business use, Windows Vista Business should be the first
edition considered. Business Edition includes most all of the features
of Home Basic but includes many additional features targeted at business
customers. The following partial list of features that Vista Business
contains makes it a more suitable choice in most organizations:
Ability to join a domain
Ability to apply Group Policies
Remote Desktop
Offline Files and Folders
Tablet PC support
Encrypting File System
Complete and Scheduled Backup
Windows Meeting Space
Windows Fax and Scan
Multiple physical processor support
Volume, OEM, and Fully Packaged Product licensing options
Windows Vista Business also includes some more nonbusiness
features, such as the Aero interface and additional games. In addition a
very small number of home features, such as Parental Controls, are not
available in Vista Business. This edition is targeted at general
business use and is the edition of choice unless additional features of
Vista Enterprise or Vista Ultimate are required. Though there are some
features missing, such as BitLocker Drive Encryption, the features that
are included make the Business Edition a good choice for fixed desktops
and workstations (particularly since it is not likely that you will need
full drive encryption for these systems).
NOTE
The features
listed in this section simply document what is included in the editions
of Windows Vista. This does not mean that you must install such
features. The Windows Vista installation is customizable at a very
granular level so that you may eliminate those elements of the setup you
do not wish to include (games, for example).
1.4. Vista Enterprise
Windows Vista
Enterprise Edition is based on Vista Business, but includes features
that some organizations may require or find useful. This edition is
available exclusively to Microsoft Software Assurance customers, which
may eliminate it as an option for some smaller companies. The features
included in Enterprise Edition include all of those listed for Business
Edition plus the following:
BitLocker Drive Encryption
Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications
License includes the host and up to four virtual machines
Ability to support multiple languages
Volume licensing only
Depending upon your
needs, any of these features may require you to move to the more
expensive Enterprise Edition. Probably the most compelling feature of
Enterprise Edition is the BitLocker Drive Encryption (also available in
Vista Ultimate Edition) which makes this edition more suitable for
portable systems. For test lab environments, the license to run four
virtual machines without having to purchase additional licenses can
actually lower the licensing costs of Enterprise to below those of
Business. Before excluding Vista Enterprise from your options, be sure
to consider the advantages and potential cost savings associated with
the virtual machine licensing.
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If you are a Software
Assurance customer, you may be entitled to some free licenses. For each
Windows Client License covered under Software Assurance, you are
entitled to one Windows Vista Enterprise upgrade license. The following
Volume Licensing programs are eligible for this benefit:
For more on the Microsoft Software Assurance program see www.microsoft.com/licensing/sa/default.mspx
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1.5. Vista Ultimate
Windows Vista Ultimate
is pretty much what it says. The Ultimate edition includes all the
features from all of the other versions. It includes all of the features
from the Home editions as well as the features from Business and
Enterprise editions. Although this may sound like the best option for
the organization desiring the best of the best, it has one
characteristic that will exclude most organizations from using it. Like
the Home editions of Vista, it is not available with volume licensing.
The result will be that each computer must have a unique product key
entered after installation, which somewhat offsets the advantages of
automating deployment. Also consider that some of the features included
in Vista Ultimate are simply unnecessary or undesirable in a business
environment, such as Windows Media Center or Parental Controls. You
could, of course, remove the features you don't want from the
installation of Windows Vista Ultimate, but for the most part this would
mean stripping the most expensive edition down to appear as Business or
Enterprise. One feature that could be desirable for some organizations
is Windows DVD Maker, but it is hard to argue this feature is worth the
price and trouble. Consider third-party tools, such as offerings from
Roxio or Ulead for such features, if desired.
1.6. Other options
In addition to the
major editions above, Microsoft has also provided a few additional
options. For example, Microsoft has provided a Windows Vista Starter
edition for markets that are not classified as high income (high-income
markets include the United States, Canada, the European Union,
Australia, Japan, and New Zealand). It is a low-cost version of Vista
which can only run a limited number of processes. This edition is not
appropriate in a business environment and won't be available to most
markets.
The other variant you may
encounter are the N editions of Windows Vista. Due to legal issues in
Europe, Microsoft also offers editions without Media Player included.
These editions are identical to the standard editions above except the
missing Media Player application and the addition of an N after the
edition name. Unless your corporate policy requires an N edition of
Windows, it is a simple process to remove Media Player from the
installation or even block its use by using Group Policy.
2. Choosing a Deployment Type
The deployment of
Windows Vista could be a great opportunity to establish a new and
improved desktop. Others may feel they have their computers just as they
should be. Your assessment of your current environment will likely be a
key factor in deciding if an upgrade or a replacement is best for your
organization. Other factors including the receipt of new computer
hardware can also have an impact on how you plan your deployment of
Windows Vista. Key deployment types covered here include:
Replace
Upgrade
Refresh
New computer
2.1. Replacing computers
If you are replacing a
computer, user data will need to be collected and stored in a temporary
location. The new computer can be imaged with your customized image of
Windows Vista beforehand in a staging area, but data restoral is
typically performed on location (when the computer has been physically
placed on a user's desk). It is a common scenario to replace only a
fraction of the computers on a network on a rolling schedule. As such, a
network often has new, old, and older systems which benefit from a
cascading deployment. Power users get the newer (more powerful)
computers, and their computers are reimaged and used to replace
computers in the next tier of users. Finally, the oldest computers are
expired or allocated to dedicated uses such as Internet kiosk stations.
2.2. Upgrading computers
As an alternative to
migrating to Windows Vista, computers running Windows XP SP2 (or Windows
Vista) may be upgraded to Windows Vista in-place. An upgrade retains
your applications, files, and settings as they were in Windows XP SP2.
Business and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista may only be applied as
an update to Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Tablet PC. When
moving from home editions, Windows 2000 and even Windows XP Professional
x64 require a clean installation and cannot be upgraded in place.
Upgrades are typically
discouraged as the introduction of a new operating system is an ideal
chance to perform clean-up, employ lessons learned, and get a clean
start. Regardless, applications need to be tested for compatibility.
Performing an upgrade does not make incompatible software any less
likely to exhibit issues.
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The upgrade process
will fail on target computers that have users logged on by using Remote
Desktop sessions so be sure no such connections are active before
initiating an upgrade.
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2.3. Refreshing computers
A refresh entails backing
up user data and settings, installing a fresh Windows Vista image and
then restoring user data and settings. Of course, this is a simple
definition as there is much to be done including customizing the Vista
image and addressing licensing and application needs.
2.4. Deploying new computers
Not so much a type of
deployment, this scenario is in fact identical to that of a computer
replacement. However, it is important to mention that new computers are
often being shipped with OEM installations of Windows. So Windows Vista
may well arrive installed and ready to go. However, unless you are a
large organization with an arrangement with the manufacturer to provide a
custom configured image, few corporate networks will accept the OEM
installation as is. Often extra applications and promotional shortcuts
are delivered with such systems. Therefore it is recommended that new
computers arriving with Vista already installed be well scrutinized
before accepting the provided image for use in your production
environment.
