When it comes to choosing an operating system (OS) for your business computers, your choices are myriad. Some organisations use Linux; others go with Apple's Mac OS X. The vast majority, however, use Microsoft Windows. But there are, of course, lots of different versions, Windows 10 being the latest.
Which one is right for you?
Well, if you're anything like the majority of small- and medium-sized businesses, the answer is Windows 10 - the Pro edition particularly. As well as all the advantages of home versions, Windows 10 Pro offers some exclusive features that make it ideal for SMEs, and it's also the version that Microsoft will be supporting long term.
Not convinced? Here are just a few reasons why you should consider upgrading your business to Windows 10.
As things stand, Windows 10 is not the most widely used of Windows versions; that honour goes to its predecessor, Windows 7.
This presents something of a problem - not just for Microsoft but for all businesses who are still using this operating system. Windows 7 is set to reach end-of-life status on 14th January 2020, and after that date, Microsoft will stop offering extended support – meaning no more security patches. Without those, anyone still running this OS could be vulnerable to attack.
If your business is still using Windows 7, it’s well worth considering an upgrade, sooner rather than later. And if you’re one of the millions of people still using Windows XP in the workplace, you need to do it as soon as possible. That went end-of-life on 8th April 2014!
Only available in the Pro and Enterprise editions of Window 10, BitLocker is a huge plus for businesses. With this built-in encryption tool, you can entire drives, so anyone who wants to access the data on the drive will need the password to unlock it. Without that, all the data on it will be unreadable.
This is a particularly important feature, in light of the upcoming GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) deadline on 25th May 2018. Under GDPR, which is designed to protect the personal data of individuals in the European Union, there are a number of operational requirements - and encryption is chief among them.
Considering that fines for non-adherence to GDPR could be as high as 4% of annual turnover, BitLocker provides a major step in the right direction.
Perhaps the most cynical form of malevolent software, ransomware seems to be permanently hitting the headlines. After gaining access to users’ computers, hackers go about encrypting important information or even whole drives. They then demand payment to unlock the data, which is practically impossible to do without the right encryption key.
Companies and organisations frequently cough up the cash too, so it’s no wonder ransomware seems to be gaining in popularity.
Thankfully, Microsoft’s new controlled folder access feature should help to stop hackers in their tracks. Part of the Windows Defender Security Center app, it allows only authorised applications to access files in particular folders. Any other apps that try to access these folders are blacklisted, and the user is informed about the attempt.
Online storage solution OneDrive is a great way to keep your files backed up and synchronised with your own computer. Place files in your PC’s OneDrive folder, and they’ll be uploaded to your online OneDrive account. Upload things to your OneDrive account, and they’ll automatically be downloaded to your PC.
But what if you want to free up some space on your PC? Well, your PC’s OneDrive folder is a good place to start – thanks to Files On-Demand. Rather than deleting files completely, you can just remove them from your computer, but they’ll stay uploaded to your OneDrive account. You’ll still be able to see where they’re located and get previews, and when you need the files in question, OneDrive will get them for you from the cloud.
At TMB Group, all the business computers and laptops we sell come with Windows 10 Pro preinstalled, and this same version of the OS also comes bundled as part of the new Microsoft 365 offering. If you’d like to know more about Windows 10, the upcoming GDPR deadline or Windows 7’s end of life, please get in touch at info@tmb.co.uk or call us on. Already a TMB customer? Just talk to your account manager, and they can tell you everything you need to know.