Business Reasons Encourage Upgrade to Windows 7

Forrester has found that the will help companies improve networking and security and ultimately cut costs. Some features that Forrester recommends IT departments prepare for include:

DirectAccess, which lets remote workers connect to corporate networks without the use of a VPN; BranchCache, which speeds up access to networks in remote offices that are away from corporate headquarters; BitLocker To Go, an extension of the BitLocker hard-drive encryption feature introduced in Vista that will now protect removable devices like external hard drives and USB thumb drives; AppLocker, which aims to protect users from running unauthorized software; and federated search, which promises to simplify access to data across local and remote networks.

Improved Client Virtualization Can Accelerate Deployment Plans

Windows 7 ships with Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode, which provide the ability to run apps not yet compatible with Windows 7 in an XP-compatible virtual machine.