Windows Vista, a major upgrade of the Windows client OS, is now generally available. The next release of the Windows Server OS, Windows Server 2008 (formerly code-named Longhorn) is due to be generally available in late 2007 or early 2008.

In general, Microsoft hopes to release Windows versions more regularly than has been the case in the past, by reducing the kinds of dependencies among major projects that delayed Windows Vista and SQL Server 2005. For this reason it appears that the next version of the Windows client, Windows 7 (product name to be announced later), will be a minor release like Windows Server 2003 R2 than a major release like Vista or Windows Server 2008.

Difficulties in shipping major Windows versions have also affected the company’s release of Windows service packs, which deliver integration-tested packages of bug fixes as well as support for new hardware. For all but the most current versions of Windows, Microsoft will release fewer service packs than it has historically; instead, it will rely on Windows and Microsoft Update to provide customers with access to both critical security and high-priority bug fixes.

This section covers Windows client and server OSs, Windows Server feature packs and add-ons such as the Automated Deployment Service (ADS), and products such as Services for Unix that support interoperability with Windows. It does not cover embedded OSs (such as Windows CE) or device platforms (such as the Server Appliance Kit), or consumer products such as Windows XP Home and Media Center Editions.

The next major Windows release will be Windows Longhorn, a client-only release due in late 2005 or early 2006. The next major server OS release will not come until 18 months after Longhorn, but in the meantime Microsoft will continue to update the server OS with separate “feature packs” and will enhance products such as Services for Unix that support Windows interoperability.

Windows Client

In 2004 Microsoft will release a service pack for Windows XP that goes beyond bug fixes to make major changes to security configuration and delivers some new features. The next full Windows release will be Longhorn, a client OS release currently planned for late 2005 or early 2006.

This section covers Windows client and server operating systems including Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Longhorn client, and Windows Longhorn Server.

This section does not cover embedded operating systems (such as Windows CE) or device platforms (such as the Server Appliance Kit), or consumer products such as Windows XP Home and Media Center Editions.

The next major Windows release will be Windows Longhorn client, due in 2006. The next major server OS release will not come until six to 12 months after Longhorn, but an update with some new features is due in late 2005.

Windows Client

On the client side, Microsoft continues to focus on Windows XP SP2, which has many characteristics of an interim release. Microsoft has pushed out the next full client release (Longhorn) to the first half of 2006, but the product could slip beyond that date. However, the company has also announced that it will fully support Windows XP for at least two years beyond the release of Windows Longhorn client; full support was previously due to end in 2006.

Five Windows products are of primary interest to enterprise customers:

• Windows—the Windows client OS for devices with an AMD or Intel x86 or x64 processor
• Windows RT—the Windows client OS for devices with an ARM processor
• Windows Phone—the Windows client OS for smartphones with an ARM processor
• Windows Server—the Windows server OS for servers with an AMD or Intel x64 processors
• Internet Explorer (IE)—the Windows browser.

In addition, Microsoft has two computer hardware products of interest to enterprises:

• Surface RT, a hybrid laptop-tablet with an ARM processor, a multitouch monitor, and a removable keyboard, which runs Windows RT
• Surface Pro, a hybrid laptop-tablet with an x64 processor, a multitouch monitor, and a removable keyboard, which runs Windows 8.

Customers need to track the status of Windows software and Windows-based devices in order to plan for the deployment and maintenance of desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and servers as well as the deployment of other server products, such as SQL Server and Exchange, which have dependencies on specific Windows versions and service packs.