1.2 Compare and contrast features of Microsoft Windows versions- manual

Question 1

• Windows 7

Answer 1

Windows 7 • Released October 22, 2009 • Mainstream support ended January 13, 2005 • Extended support until January 14, 2020 • Very similar to Windows Vista •

Maintained the look and feel • Used the same hardware and software • Increased performance • Updated features • Libraries, HomeGroup, pinned taskbar Windows 7 Starter • Built for netbooks • No DVD playback or Windows Media Center, no Windows Aero, no Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), no IIS Web Server

• No enterprise technologies • No Domain connection, BitLocker, EFS, etc. • Only a 32-bit version, maximum of 2 GB of RAM Windows 7 Home Premium •

Question 2

• Windows 8

Answer 2

• Windows 8 • Available October 26, 2012 • New user interface - no traditional “Start” button

Question 3

• Windows 8.1

Answer 3

• Windows 8.1 • Released October 17, 2013 • A free update to Windows 8 - not an upgrade • Mainstream support ended January 9, 2018 • Extended support ends January 10, 2023 Windows 8/8.1 Core • A basic version for the home - x86 and x64 versions • Microsoft account integration • Login to your computer and all of your services
• Windows Defender • Integrated anti-virus and anti-malware • Windows Media Player • Play audio CD and DVDs Windows 8/8.1 Pro •

The professional version • Similar to Windows 7 Professional / Ultimate • Full support for BitLocker and EFS • Full-disk and file-level encryption • Join a Windows Domain • Support for IT management • Group Policy support • Centralized management of Windows devices Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise

Question 4

• Windows 10

Answer 4

Windows 10 • Released on July 29, 2015 •A single platform • Desktops, laptops, tablets, phones, all-in-one devices • Upgrades were free for the first year • Integration with Microsoft account • Microsoft OneDrive backup

• Windows Defender • Anti-virus and anti-malware • Cortana • Talk to your operating system Windows 10 Pro • The business version of Windows • Additional management features • Remote Desktop host • Remote control each computer • BitLocker • Full disk encryption (FDE) • Join a Windows domain • Group Policy management Windows 10 Education and Enterprise •

Question 5

• Corporate vs. personal needs

Answer 5

The main point to note here in the corporate vs. personal section is that users may practice in a corporate like environment but almost no corporate environment will run with a user-level of security practice.

The corporate domain is run much stricter and needs to maintain a certain standard of administration and security practice for legal purposes. Users may want to have high-tech corporate level equipment and software, but it is not required.

Question 6

• Domain access

Answer 6

Domain access • Authenticated under a domain controller, access with a central database allows Windows users to register and network with user accounts, computers, printers and other security “principals”.

• The average user can join 10 computers to a domain • Auto setup as workgroup but not as robust as an account with Domain access

Question 7

• Bitlocker

Answer 7

• BitLocker • Full Disk Encryption (FDE) • Everything on the drive is encrypted • Even the operating system • Home and business use • Especially on mobile devices

Question 8

• Media center

Answer 8

Media Center • Started and stopped within the Windows 7 OS • A means of using multiple devices (TV, computer, laptop, etc..) within the Windows space

• Still able to utilize Windows Media Center but doing so will void the warranty of the device

Question 9

• Branchcache

Answer 9

BranchCache • Enterprise feature set for remote office support

• Allows computers at a local branch to cache data from a file or web server on a WAN
• Data can be cached either on client computers, in distributed cache mode, or on a local server in a hosted cache mode • Two versions: ◦ Host machines that caches files ◦ Local server that caches files

Question 10

• EFS

Answer 10

EFS (native to NTFS) • Data confidentiality • Encrypt important information • Encrypting File System • Protect individual files and folders • Built-in to the NTFS file system • Encrypting File System on Microsoft Windows

• Provides filesystem-level encryption ◦ Transparent for user and any applications ◦ Strong key security; tolerant to dictionary based attacks

◦ All encrypting/decrypting processes are performed in kernel mode, excluding risk of leaving key in paging file, from where it can be possibly extracted

◦ Provides data recovery mechanism, which is valuable in business environment, organizations can restore data even if the employee who encrypted the file leaves the company/organization

Question 11

• Desktop styles/user interface

Answer 11

Work • Standard desktop • Common user interface • Customization very limited • You can work at any computer
• Home • Complete flexibility

• Start Menu🡪Type: Control Panel🡪Upper right-hand corner: View By🡪Category | Large Icons | Small Icons ◦ 🡪 Category 🡪Appearance and Personalization🡪 ▪ Taskbar ▪ Ease of Access – For those administrators who manage devices for individuals with certain function limitations ◦ Right Click on Main Home Screen🡪 Personalize🡪Can adjust display preferences here ◦ Right Click on Main Home Screen🡪Display settings (almost like the display applet of Windows 7 but not quite)