Windows XP and desktop management : Important benefits

In addition to Active Directory integration, security, ease of installation, and cost benefits, Windows XP Professional offers many other benefits.

You manage Windows 2000 and Windows 2003 domains using tools loaded into a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) window. You can access these tools over the network directly or over the Internet via Internet Information Server. Windows XP Professional also includes the MMC and therefore can use server and domain management tools. Thus, Windows XP Professional can serve as a client-based network administration workstation.

Windows XP Professional supports two remote connectivity tools: Remote Assistant and Remote Desktop. Remote Assistant allows a help desk operator to view the desktop of another system over the network. If the user needs more than just oversight, the remote help desk operator can take control of the user's desktop and perform operations and activities. Remote Assistant allows the help desk staff to support a greater number of users without geographic restrictions. Remote Assistant eliminates the need for help desk personnel to physically transport themselves to the user's work area to provide technical assistance. Users can use Remote Desktop on a remote client system to access and control their LAN client system in a way similar to that of Terminal Services. With Remote Desktop, a traveling user connecting into the office LAN over a VPN can perform any task on their LAN-based client system. The monitor, mouse, and keyboard of the remote system are used to control the LAN system as if you were sitting at your LAN client. It's like being able to take your primary client's mouse and keyboard with you as you travel.

Offline Files is a mechanism that enables mobile users to take network resources with them when they are disconnected from the LAN. Offline Files caches a copy of selected network files onto the local hard drive of the mobile client system. Access to Offline Files occurs in the exact same way as if you were still connected to the LAN. Once the system is reconnected to the LAN, Offline Files has an intelligent synchronization manager that prevents data loss and ensures that the latest version of a file is always available.

The Windows XP Professional Help and Support Center offers numerous ways for end users to obtain help, documentation, or information on how to perform specific activities. The Help and Support Center can access Microsoft's Web site to retrieve updated or new information.

System Restore is a recovery mechanism that enables administrators to roll back a system to a previous state. You can configure System Restore to automatically record a restoration file before and after any significant system change, such as software installation, patch application, driver update, and so on. With System Restore, returning a system to a previous state is easy and fast.

Windows XP Professional attempts to minimize application problems by supporting execution environments from previous versions of Windows and DOS. Known as Application Compatibility, any software product designed for a previous version of Windows can be launched in such a way that it operates in a simulated environment of Windows 95, 98/SE, NT 4.0 (SP5), or 2000.

Windows XP Professional natively supports wireless networking. Expanding the flexibility of your work environment is effortless when wireless network connections are used. Windows XP Professional is fully capable of taking advantage of wireless networking and imposing strong security on wireless communications.

Windows XP Professional is a solid network client for any organization with a Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2003 Server Active Directory network. Migrating client systems to Windows XP Professional is a wise business decision based on cost, security, and capabilities.

Most PC vendors offer the option to pre-install Windows XP Professional on newly purchased client systems. Upgrading existing systems to Windows XP Professional requires some planning and testing, but ultimately the effort will be greatly rewarded. Windows XP Professional offers a clean and smooth upgrade path from Windows 98/SE, Windows Me, Windows NT Workstation 4.0, and Windows 2000 Professional. Systems running Windows 95, Windows 3.1, any server version of Windows, or any evaluation version of Windows requires a fresh installation -- you cannot upgrade directly to Windows XP Professional.

Windows XP Professional requires the following minimal system requirements:

• 233 MHz Intel or compatible CPU
• 64 MB RAM
• 1.5 GB hard drive space
• Super VGA (800x600) video display capability
• CD-ROM/DVD drive
• Keyboard
• Mouse or other pointing device

• 500+ MHz Intel or compatible CPU
• 128 MB RAM
• 10 GB hard drive space

When making the decision to migrate to Windows XP Professional as your standardized client operating system, you should consider one final aspect: users. Users need to know how to use a system before they can be productive. Fortunately, even though Windows XP Professional offers numerous benefits and features not found in previous versions of Windows, its basic operation and functions are not significantly different from Windows 98 or Windows 2000. Users with experience on Windows 98 or Windows 2000 are able to immediately leverage their existing Windows expertise onto Windows XP Professional. After a few minutes of learning the layout of the Start menu, users will be more productive on Windows XP Professional clients than they were on Windows 98 or Windows 2000 systems. After only a few days of working on an updated client system, most users will be able to take advantage of the enhanced features, programs, and capabilities of Windows XP Professional.

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