Microsoft is a globally renowned company known for providing user organizations with various kinds of cloud applications which later makes the process of computing solutions way simpler. The company has had several versions of Windows Embedded for a long time. The initial versions include the Windows NT which presented complex applications through a simple user interface. While those embedded systems are still a large part of the Windows business purview, the latest generation comprises Windows 10 IoT. In this blog post, we will discuss Windows IoT Enterprise pricing and features in detail.
This new generation is capable of linking the smallest devices to restaurant management kiosks to the Azure Cloud. The Windows 10 IoT platform can be broadly categorized into the following:-
- Windows IoT Core
- Windows 10 Enterprise
The Windows IoT Core comprises the IoT solutions that are designed to be focused on small systems or single-board computers. On the other hand, large-scale systems are to be tackled by the Windows IoT Enterprise.
Windows IoT Enterprise Pricing And Features
Meaning and its uses for organizations
Windows IoT Enterprise is a complete version of Windows Enterprise and its use cases include the following:
- Leverage the existing knowledge in developing applications with Windows IoT Enterprise
- IoT solutions can be kept secure in this platform and
- The platform allows the devices to be interconnected which drives real business insights.
Explanation of the pricing structure of Windows IoT Enterprise:
Under Windows IoT Enterprise pricing structure, it allows the user to create, deploy and scale IoT solutions faster on a trusted operating system which consists of known development and management tools. These devices can be seamlessly connected with the Azure Cloud through the use of Azure IoT.
The pricing structure of Windows IoT Enterprise is not exactly steady or fixed as the service is sold exclusively through Microsoft partners. These partners are provided with the opportunity to leverage their Windows IoT development knowledge and skills, which allows the user to build secure and connected Windows IoT solutions. If a selected organization wishes to work with one of the distributors of Microsoft, the user would need to select a distributor from the list provided based on region.
This list consists of the necessary contact details of the distributors which can be used to get in touch with them directly to get further details.
Essential features:
The essential features included within the Window IoT Enterprise can be categorized in the following manner:-
- Developing tools – The user has the opportunity to accelerate the time taken to market IoT projects by beginning Windows for IoT projects in the right direction. To derive this benefit, the proper developmental tools need to be selected based on the organizational needs, resources and objectives. The existing knowledge of the developers needs to be put to use for building management tools with the help of tools like Visual Studio. This implies that the user organization has the freedom of building complete IoT solutions for the business from the very first day.
- Trusting the operating systems – The user organization can create more secure IoT solutions which can be built over 1 billion active Windows smart devices. The devices of the user company can be protected with enterprise-grade security already built-into Windows for IoT. In addition to this, a predictable experience can be achieved with Device lockdown. The presence of the Zero Trust approach with the security model in this context is also helpful as it adapts to modern IoT environments.
- Building intelligent IoT solutions using Azure IoT – Finally, the user company has the opportunity to simplify device-to-cloud connection through the Azure IoT open cloud protocol support which provides an out-of-the-box experience to the user. In addition to this, reactive, proactive and cognitive applications can be built through the use of Azure AI and Azure Cognitive Services. The solutions can be enhanced with AI at the edge using cloud-managed Microsoft services.
Beneficial aspects of Windows IoT Enterprise:
The benefits of choosing Windows 10 as the IoT platform can be stated as follows:-
- Windows 10 IoT allows the user organisations access to Microsoft Azure IoT Services.
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning are beneficial features of Windows 10 IoT.
- Cloud computing capabilities make the platform very useful.
Security aspects:
In the contemporary world of digital transformation, the increased deployment of IoT solutions has brought to light that the current methods of securing and managing these devices need to be improved. In this context, the Zero Trust Security model is of great significance. This security system is incorporated in Windows IoT Enterprise which assumes a breach and treats every access attempt as an open network access attempt. So, the devices stay secure within the platform to a greater extent.
Benefits of connecting Azure IoT with Windows IoT Enterprise:
The benefits reaped by the user organization by connecting Windows IoT Enterprise with Azure IoT can be categorized in the following manner:-
- The integration creates a secure channel that enhances communication which allows the sending and receiving of data from IoT devices through a secure channel.
- The Device update feature for IoT Hub provides the easy deployment of updates which keeps all IoT devices up to date and secure.
- IoT application development is made simpler through full integration with Azure Event Grid.
Difference between Windows 10 IoT Enterprise vs. Windows 10 IoT Core:
While Windows IoT Core and Windows IoT Enterprise seem quite similar, there is a lot of difference between the two platforms. These differences can be enumerated as follows:-
- It is a binary equivalent to the standard Windows Enterprise. Microsoft has incorporated all the IoT characteristics in both versions but there are some configuration differences between them.
- On the other hand, the Windows 10 IoT Core is best described as the smallest version of the Windows 10 editions that helps in leveraging the usual Windows core architecture.
Both these platforms are designed to enable user organizations to build low-cost devices with very few resources.
Azure consultation with EPC Group
The EPC Group is one of the leading Azure consulting partners in the market currently. The group consists of a team of skilled experts who are dedicated to helping their clients to use the cloud with guidance. The company is a Gold certificate partner of Microsoft which implies that the training programs designed by EPC Group are one of a kind and focused on helping their clients manage their cloud workloads with ease.
The experts have more than two decades of experience in customizing training programs and lectures that when combined with round-the-clock customer support provide the required skill to assess the digital signs of cloud excellence. The EPC Group is thus one of the best choices for consultation partners which can help the user organizations to recognize the advantages of Windows IoT Enterprise within the Azure Cloud platform.
Conclusion
The Windows IoT Enterprise pricing model provides the user organizations with a complete platform to perform powerful and robust computing and create intelligent edge solutions. Rather than integrating disparate security and cloud capabilities from various vendors, Windows 10 IoT can be used as it consists of built-in security features and Azure IoT integration. As the Windows 10 IoT Enterprise is a part of the Windows 10 family, it can be rightly considered as the most secure Windows ever. Apart from this, Windows IoT Enterprise is a complete version of Windows 10, it delivers on the expectations of manageability and security.
