Windows 10, Windows Server and System Center Technical Preview

Yesterday Microsoft announced the new name and some of the features of the next version of Windows, called Windows 10. Windows 10 will bring a lot of new features for enterprises and also consumers. It will make switching between touch and non-touch inputs a lot easier and will make you a lot more productive. Microsoft brings Windows to a whole range of devices and is talking about releasing one product family, one platform and one store for the next version of Windows. This doesn’t mean to have one single UI but you will find the same core everywhere.

Windows 10 will bring a lot of new features such as:

• Start menu: The familiar Start menu is back, but it brings with it a new customizable space for your favorite apps and Live Tiles.
• Everything runs in a window: Apps from the Windows Store now open in the same format that desktop apps do and can be resized and moved around, and have title bars at the top allowing for maximize, minimize, and close with a click.
• Snap enhancements: You can now have four apps snapped on the same screen with a new quadrant layout. Windows will also show other apps and programs running for additional snapping and even make smart suggestions on filling available screen space with other open apps.
• New task view button: There’s a new task-view button on the taskbar for quick switching between open files and quick access to any desktops you create.
• Multiple desktops: Create desktops for different purposes and projects and switch between these desktops easily and pick up where you left off on each desktop.
• Find files faster: File Explorer now displays your recent files and frequently visited folders making for finding files you’ve worked on is easier.

Check out the Introducing Windows 10 – the best Windows yet

Today Microsoft is releasing the Windows 10 Technical Preview and also the Technical Preview for System Center and Windows Server.

Some of the cloud innovation features Microsoft will release with the Technical Preview of System Center and Windows Server::

• Infrastructure upgrades: Rolling upgrades for Hyper-V clusters to the next version of Windows Server without downtime for your applications and workloads. This includes support for mixed versions as you transition your infrastructure.
• Networking:  New components for our software-defined networking stack that enable greater flexibility and control, including a network controller role to manage virtual and physical networks.
• Storage: New synchronous storage replication that enhances availability for key applications and workloads plus storage Quality of Service to deliver minimum and maximum IOPS in environments with workloads with diverse storage requirements.
• Remote Desktop: Enhanced application compatibility with OpenGL and OpenCL support.
• Identity and Access Management: New scenarios to reduce the risk profile of administrators with elevated rights, including time-based access with fine-grained privileges, and new application publishing capabilities.

You can download the latest version of the Windows 10 Technical Preview on the Windows Preview Site

And you can get the Technical Preview for System Center and Windows Server from MSDN or test it directly in Microsoft Azure.