Executive Summary

A first service pack (SP1) for both Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2, the current Windows client and server OSs, was generally available in Feb. 2011. Since their joint general availability in Oct. 2009 both OSs, which share common key files, have been remarkably stable and reliable. Therefore, SP1 contains fixes to address compatibility, performance, reliability, and user experience bugs; security updates previously released through Windows Update; minor changes to existing features; and two new server features.

According to Microsoft, Windows 7 has been well received by consumers and businesses, and many organizations have already started Windows 7 deployment projects. Three factors are driving these deployments: many organizations did not deploy Windows Vista, and these organizations do not want to continue to use Windows XP as it is at the end of its supported life; there is a new version of Office—Office 2010—which means an organization can refresh users’ desktop OS and applications together; and finally, there are some additional benefits for remote access and branch offices that deploy both Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.