Windows Vista February CTP

The release of Windows Vista February 2006 CTP build 5308 provides, perhaps, a final private glimpse inside the new Windows operating system before the software goes into public beta later this spring. This release is, however, almost exclusively geared for the enterprise customer, with many new features tucked deep inside the operating system. The ability to deploy Windows Vista in large corporate environments is crucial to the software giant's success, so the delivery of new tools necessary to customise and roll out secure copies of Vista to hundreds of workstations is the cornerstone of the February CTP build 5308.

New network administration tools

To assist large corporations in rolling out Vista to hundreds of workstations, Microsoft has made enhancements to the XImage tool and Windows imaging technologies, allowing IT staff to create Vista images that span multiple CDs, and then edit those images (for example, in the case of new Windows Updates or Service Patch rollouts). Along with that is the Windows System Imaging Manager (SIM), which allows IT staff to edit and configure custom XML components offline within a system image, detailing specific configuration instructions to a desktop PC during Windows Vista installation.

Working with the next-generation servers, code-named Longhorn, Microsoft also enables IT staff to deploy remotely over a network, giving staff yet another option. The User State Migration Tool 3 includes encryption capabilities for secure migrations, as well as XML-scripts for enterprise-wide installations.

Microsoft has also made enhancements to the Group Policy Management Console, allowing an IT administrator to create different policies for different users using the same machine, for example, within libraries and schools. Expanded policy settings now include printers, troubleshooting and diagnostics, power management, Internet settings, Internet protocol security (IPsec) and firewall settings. New policy settings also control removable storage devices across an enterprise. This allows IT administrators to control what types of devices can and cannot be installed on a given workstation. Settings also allow for specific read/write access, so that USB flash drives can't be used to import malicious code or to copy proprietary software.

End-user features

There are two new end-user features worth noting in build 5308: Windows Welcome Center and Windows Sidebar/Gadgets. For more details on the end-user features, see our screenshot gallery for Windows Vista February CTP.

Welcome Center: At first, this feature seems innocuous: a screen that pops up upon boot and informs you of any pending actions necessary for the continued smooth operation of your operating system. However, there's controversy in that Microsoft has also made it possible for OEMs to advertise in the white space. By default, the Welcome Center is the first thing you see when you turn on Windows Vista, but you can easily disable this feature if you don't want the adverts.

Windows Sidebar/Gadgets: Now you can run mini-applications like Mac OS X users currently do. Windows Vista allows you to add 'widget-like' programs to display the time in different countries, the weather outside your door, or news and sports feeds -- right on the desktop.