Introducing Windows 8.1 For IT Professionals

Introducing Windows 8.1 For IT Professionals

by Ed Bott
Released October 2013
Publisher(s): Microsoft Press
ISBN: 9780735684270

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Book description

NOTE: This title is also available as a free eBook. It is offered for sale in print format as a convenience.

Get a head start evaluating Windows 8.1 - with early technical insights from award-winning journalist and Windows expert Ed Bott. Based on the Windows 8.1 Preview release, this guide introduces new features and capabilities, with scenario-based advice on how Windows 8.1 can meet the needs of your business. Get the high-level overview you need to begin preparing your deployment now.

Preview new features and enhancements, including:

  • How features compare to Windows 7 and Windows XP
  • The Windows 8.1 user experience
  • Deployment
  • Security features
  • Internet Explorer 11
  • Delivering Windows apps
  • Recovery options
  • Networking and remote access
  • Managing mobile devices
  • Virtualization
  • Windows RT 8.1

Publisher resources

View/Submit Errata

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Acknowledgments
    2. About the author
    3. Errata & book support
    4. We want to hear from you
    5. Stay in touch
  2. 1. An overview of Windows 8.1
    1. What is Windows 8.1?
      1. Support for new device types
      2. User experience
      3. User accounts and synchronization
      4. New apps
    2. What’s new for IT pros?
      1. Security enhancements
      2. Deployment and migration
      3. Manageability
      4. Virtualization
      5. Under the hood
    3. Windows 8.1 installation and upgrade options
  3. 2. The Windows 8.1 user experience
    1. Introducing the Windows 8.1 user experience
    2. The Windows 8.1 desktop
    3. Customizing the Start screen
    4. Managing the user experience
  4. 3. Deploying Windows 8.1
    1. Windows 8.1 editions at a glance
    2. Assessing compatibility
    3. Choosing a deployment strategy
    4. Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit
      1. Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT)
      2. Deployment and Imaging
      3. Windows Preinstallation Environment
      4. User State Migration Tool
      5. Volume Activation Management Tool
      6. Windows Performance Toolkit
      7. Windows Assessment Toolkit
      8. Windows Assessment Services
    5. Microsoft Deployment Toolkit
      1. Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2013
      2. System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager
    6. Windows To Go
      1. Who should use Windows To Go
      2. Preparation and requirements
        1. Hardware requirements
      3. Management and security
        1. User state virtualization
        2. Active Directory integration
        3. Group Policy management
        4. Enabling BitLocker security
      4. Windows To Go workspace creation
  5. 4. Security in Windows 8.1
    1. Assessing the threat landscape
    2. New hardware, new security capabilities
    3. Securing the boot process
    4. Securing the sign-in process
    5. Blocking malware
      1. Windows Defender
      2. Internet Explorer 11
      3. SmartScreen and phishing protection
    6. Securing data
      1. Device encryption
      2. BitLocker Drive Encryption
      3. Remote business data removal
  6. 5. Internet Explorer 11
    1. The two faces of Internet Explorer in Windows 8.1
    2. What’s new in Internet Explorer
    3. Deploying and managing Internet Explorer 11
    4. Compatibility changes in Internet Explorer 11
  7. 6. Delivering Windows Store apps
    1. What is a Windows Store app?
    2. How Windows Store apps work
    3. Distributing a Windows Store app
      1. Publishing an app to the Windows Store
      2. Distributing apps within an enterprise
    4. Managing Windows Store apps
  8. 7. Recovery options in Windows 8.1
    1. Using Windows Recovery Environment
    2. Customizing Windows Recovery Environment
    3. Refresh and reset options
      1. Refresh Your PC
      2. Reset Your PC
    4. Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset
  9. 8. Windows 8.1 and networks
    1. What’s new in Windows 8.1 networking?
    2. Mobile broadband support
    3. Changes in the Wi-Fi user experience
    4. Connecting to corporate networks
      1. VPN client improvements
      2. BranchCache
      3. DirectAccess
    5. IPv6 Internet support
  10. 9. Virtualization in Windows 8.1
    1. Client Hyper-V
    2. Desktop virtualization options
    3. Application virtualization
    4. User Experience Virtualization (UE-V)
  11. 10. Windows RT 8.1
    1. What Windows RT 8.1 can and can’t do
    2. Office 2013 RT
    3. Connecting to corporate networks
    4. Access to data
  12. 11. Managing mobile devices
    1. Mobile device management strategies
    2. System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager
    3. Windows Intune
    4. Workplace Join
    5. Work Folders
    6. Web Application Proxy
    7. Device lockdown (Assigned Access)
  13. About the Author
  14. Copyright

Product information

  • Title: Introducing Windows 8.1 For IT Professionals
  • Author(s): Ed Bott
  • Release date: October 2013
  • Publisher(s): Microsoft Press
  • ISBN: 9780735684270