Congratulations to Microsoft as Windows 7 has reached an important milestone with its “release to manufacturing” (RTM), which means it is on its way to becoming pre-loaded on new hardware or a box on a retail shelf. In addition to a sleek interface and a number of new features, this new operating system  continues the maturation of the client virtualization and also makes use of AMD innovations.

There are a lot of neat features in Windows 7 that should please consumers.  If upgrading from Windows XP, the most noticeable difference for most users will be the new Aero interface. In addition to the rich graphics and intuitive design, there are features built in such as Aero Snap and Aero Clip that allow users to compare windows side by side, or quickly look at inactive windows without minimizing the entire desktop.

If you’re an IT Administrator, there are also features that can make your life a bit easier. If upgrading to Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 (which also announced RTM this week), a new feature called DirectAccess will allow you to manage remote PCs over the internet. And this same feature will allow your remote users to access network resources such as file servers and intranet sites without having to go through a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection. 

And speaking of remote users, if you are a mobile user who is looking to squeeze every minute of battery life out of your notebook, Windows 7 comes with a number of advanced power management features designed to help you realize power savings whether you are doing email during a layover or watching a movie on a long flight.

But, maybe one of the coolest features in Windows 7 is support of Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode. With XP Mode, Microsoft has built in client virtualization technology that makes it easy to install and run Windows XP applications directly from a Windows 7-based PC, allowing users to enjoy the benefits of Windows 7 while maintaining support for legacy applications. Whether those applications are children’s educational games or Line of Business (LoB) applications for the enterprise – Windows XP mode is easy to install and use.

To run Windows XP Mode you will need to have a processor with hardware-based virtualization capabilities. All currently shipping AMD CPUs, with the exception of very low-end AMD Sempron^TM processors, include AMD-V ^TM a hardware-based virtualization technology needed to support XP mode.

Just remember that when using Windows Virtual PC (XP mode), you are essentially running two separate operating systems on your computer.  If you don’t lock down that Virtual PC instance, you risk exposing your entire computer to a number of security risks. So remember to apply patches, turn on the Windows firewall, Windows Defender and install anti-virus software.  In other words – whatever precautions you used to lockdown your Windows 7 environment?  Take those same precautions for your Windows XP instance.

Microsoft has made a number of optimizations for the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environment. Notable is an enhanced version of the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) that allows for remote video playback in Windows Media Player 7, multi-monitor support and the ability to print local, without having to install drivers on the server. AMD has worked closely with Microsoft to deliver highly optimized virtualization platforms. Keep in mind that a senior Gartner analyst has predicted that the fastest growing server workload running in the data centre over the next two to three years is going to be the desktop.

In addition to virtualization, AMD has provided very strong support in the graphics arena. In fact, AMD just announced the release of the company’s first WHQL-certified ATI Catalyst^TM graphics drivers for Windows 7 RTM this week. We’re excited for the new OS here at AMD. How about you?

Matthew Kimball is a Product Marketing Director at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.