Windows 10 Pro for Workstations is coming: find out everything you need to know and avoid paying extra
This Autumn Microsoft is rolling out Windows 10 Pro 64 for Workstations: an OS variation that’s optimised for professional users. This isn’t just a vanity update, with the new features covering a range of areas that are a boon for hardware that has to support critical workloads.
Specifically, the new features include support for:
● Up to 4 Physical CPUs
● Massive memory (up to 6 TB)
● SMB Direct/RDMA capable network cards
● Persistent Memory (NVDIMM) and Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA), so you can blast through file transfers and advanced workloads
● Creation of Resilient File Systems (ReFS) volumes so that data is mirrored to multiple drives, while being monitored and repaired if degradation is detected
But there’s more! The actual Windows 10 Pro Workstation OS has two variants, depending on how many cores the Xeon or Opteron processor has. If the machine has five or more cores, you’ll see the somewhat excessive description ‘Windows 10 Pro 64 for Workstations Plus’ on your Bill of Materials (BOM), whereas if it’s under five then it will be loaded with the standard Workstations OS. These are just name changes based on configuration differences, so the features above still apply to both.
Specifically, the new features include support for:
● Up to 4 Physical CPUs
● Massive memory (up to 6 TB)
● SMB Direct/RDMA capable network cards
● Persistent Memory (NVDIMM) and Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA), so you can blast through file transfers and advanced workloads
● Creation of Resilient File Systems (ReFS) volumes so that data is mirrored to multiple drives, while being monitored and repaired if degradation is detected
But there’s more! The actual Windows 10 Pro Workstation OS has two variants, depending on how many cores the Xeon or Opteron processor has. If the machine has five or more cores, you’ll see the somewhat excessive description ‘Windows 10 Pro 64 for Workstations Plus’ on your Bill of Materials (BOM), whereas if it’s under five then it will be loaded with the standard Workstations OS. These are just name changes based on configuration differences, so the features above still apply to both.
As part of the update, Microsoft are requiring all hardware manufacturers to ship any Intel Xeon or AMD Opteron machines with the Workstation OS by the 1st of October. However, if you’ve ordered from Westcoast recently then you may have noticed that HP have already started doing this — this is to make the transition as smooth as possible and catch any potential issues early.
Keep in mind that the launch of the new OS doesn’t mean end-users are strictly tied into it: they’ll still have access to the popular Windows 7 downgrade until October 2018. For those of you who are already selling machines that would qualify for the OS that don’t currently have it, there will also be an upgrade option available in October.
It’s not all good news though, because a price rise also comes along with the change in OS. This will be between £70 and £200, however for the more price-conscious there are still some workstation part codes that use the ‘classic’ Windows 10 Pro OS. These naturally haven’t been affected by the price increase and are also ideal for customers that don’t currently have any need for the added features in the Workstation OS — a word of caution though that these models are discontinued and therefore quite limited in terms of stock, so make sure you give us a call to snap them up sooner, rather than later.
Keep in mind that the launch of the new OS doesn’t mean end-users are strictly tied into it: they’ll still have access to the popular Windows 7 downgrade until October 2018. For those of you who are already selling machines that would qualify for the OS that don’t currently have it, there will also be an upgrade option available in October.
It’s not all good news though, because a price rise also comes along with the change in OS. This will be between £70 and £200, however for the more price-conscious there are still some workstation part codes that use the ‘classic’ Windows 10 Pro OS. These naturally haven’t been affected by the price increase and are also ideal for customers that don’t currently have any need for the added features in the Workstation OS — a word of caution though that these models are discontinued and therefore quite limited in terms of stock, so make sure you give us a call to snap them up sooner, rather than later.
There may be some initial confusion around the new OS, which is why it’s important to keep your customers informed and make sure you’re asking the right questions, because it’s also an opportunity to bring new customers to a workstation, such as the HP Z440 by exploring their needs for a high performance device. Once you’ve qualified their eligibility you can move onto the benefits of a new device with the Workstation OS, focusing on the additional functionality around data protection, flexibility and performance. Finally, you can offer relatable examples where a high performance device with Windows 10 Pro for Workstations really provides a difference, such as with CAD professionals (compute-intensive software), data researchers (processing big data) and graphic design professionals (protecting intellectual property), to name just a few.
Whether you want to know which devices best utilise the new OS, or if you’re looking for more information on how to prepare your customers for the changes, Westcoast can help — so don’t hesitate to call your Account Manager to explore the wealth of options available.
Whether you want to know which devices best utilise the new OS, or if you’re looking for more information on how to prepare your customers for the changes, Westcoast can help — so don’t hesitate to call your Account Manager to explore the wealth of options available.
0118 912 6000
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