With the introduction of Windows 10, Microsoft is launching Windows Update for Business, which provides new capabilities in Windows Update designed for end-user devices within businesses. Windows Update for Business will provide:
- Distribution rings, where IT can specify which devices go first in an update wave and which ones will come later.
- Maintenance windows, where IT can specify the critical timeframes when updates should and should not occur.
- Peer to peer delivery, so IT can enable to make delivery of updates to branch offices and remote sites with limited bandwidth very efficient.
- Integration with existing tools like System Center and the Enterprise Mobility Suite.
Windows Update for Business is free for Windows Pro and Windows Enterprise devices as part of Microsoft’s intelligent cloud and is now available through the Windows 10 Insider Program. As companies roll out Windows 10, Microsoft recommend segmenting Windows devices and consider the best updating approach for each class of device, and then start a pilot of Windows Update for Business with end-user devices.