Windows 8 Pro: Worthwhile Features to Know

Understanding Windows 8 pro is easier when the main points are organized clearly. This guide brings together the essential details and practical considerations.

Last month, Microsoft announced that Windows 8 will have 3 versions: 2 for PC based on x86 processor and 1 based on ARM chip for tablet, named Windows RT.

The PC version is divided into 2 categories: Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro, similar to Windows XP with 2 versions, Home and Professional. Meanwhile, Windows Vista and Windows 7 have 6 versions: Home Basic, Starter Edition, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate.

Windows 8 will be a consumer version, similar to Windows 7 Home Premium. Windows 8 Pro - compared to Windows 7 Professional or Enterprise, has more features for encryption, virtualization, computer management and domain connectivity. Therefore, Windows 8 Pro is for technical enthusiasts and IT (IT) professionals.

Windows 8 Pro is also considered a Windows 8 Enterprise edition, if you add computer management tools only for large companies that want to buy a lot. Microsoft has not provided pricing information for Windows 8.

Most proprietary features on Windows 8 Pro, including security, network and virtualization, are the technologies that IT professionals use every day. If you plan to upgrade, you can only upgrade to Windows 8 Pro from Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate.

Here are 5 outstanding features in Windows 8 Pro:

BitLocker and BitLocker To Go

BitLocker hard drive encryption feature was introduced in Windows Vista Business to protect data when the computer is stolen or lost. The Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate versions, with their extended features, are called BitLocker To Go to protect data on mobile devices such as USB drives. Both of the above mentioned features are available in Windows 8 Pro. BitLocker and BitLocker To Go provide full encryption for the entire drive and only the administrator can enable / disable this feature.

Link domain names and apply policies to groups

Linking domains and applying group policies are very important features for administrators, but users often don't care. Domain linking will allow administrators to use Windows 8 Pro to access Active Directory, where administrators have already set up security policies and manage computers through Group Policy. Through the use of Active Directory, administrators can check passwords and specify a user as a system administrator or regular user.

Client Hyper-V

Hyper-V client, virtualization technology, allows users to create virtual machines. For the first time, Windows 8 Pro has a version for Windows clients. Previously, Hyper-V technology was available on Windows Server.

Windows 7 Enterprise, Professional, and Ultimate versions use similar virtualization features, called Windows XP mode, to allow users to run older XP applications on Windows 7 through Microsoft virtualization. However, Hyper-V Client is a virtualization tool much more powerful than XP Mode and also runs well on Windows 8 Pro.

Boot from VHD

Boot feature from VHD (virtual hard drive), introduced in Windows 7 Business and also available on Windows 8 Pro, allows IT administrators to create virtual drives to test good applications for Check the operating system beta without affecting the actual operating system performance. However, installing VHD is not a virtual machine, so it can limit the overall performance of the computer.

Remote Desktop

Remote computer control function is nothing new on Windows. Both Windows 8 and Windows RT support Remote Desktop in the client. But when needed to attend remote sessions, you'll need Windows 8 Pro or Enterprise.