Windows 8.1 preview

As many Windows users are well aware, Microsoft made available beneficial to download last week a public customer preview regarding Windows 8.1.

But what about those wanting/needing Windows 8.1 Enterprise, the version regarding Windows 8.1 that -- like its Windows 8 predecessor -- will be available toward those with enterprise volume licensing agreements with Microsoft?

The Windows 8.1 Enterprise Preview isn't available toward testers yet. Microsoft officials are saying that it will be "in the coming weeks."

Once the Enterprise preview is available, users running Windows 8 Pro, Windows 8 Pro with Media Center furthermore Windows 8 Enterprise will be able toward move toward it, according toward an article at TechNet.

As Microsoft officials disclosed previously, Windows RT furthermore Windows 8 users who opt toward test the 8.1 preview should expect they will have toward reinstall their applications (both Metro-Style furthermore Win32 ones) when moving toward the final build regarding 8.1 later this summer/fall once it has been released toward manufacturing.

Here's Microsoft's reminder, from a posting at the Springboard Series blog, about that fact:

Microsoft also released late last week some other enterprise-focused tools that may help those installing the Windows 8.1 preview:

• Windows Assessment furthermore Deployment Kit (ADK) beneficial to Windows 8.1 Preview, which includes new versions regarding Windows PE, the User State Migration Tool, the Application Compatibility Toolkit, furthermore many other core deployment tools.
• Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2013 Preview, the tool allowing enterprises toward automate the creation furthermore deployment regarding Windows 8.1 furthermore earlier OSes.
• System Center 2012 Configuration Manager R2 Preview, which adds support beneficial to Windows 8.1 OS deployment, software distribution, furthermore more.
• Beta availability regarding two Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) products that will support the Windows 8.1 preview: User Experience Virtualization (UE-V) 2.0 furthermore Application Virtualization (App-V) 5.0 SP2.

In other public preview news, Microsoft also made available recently a preview regarding its Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials small-business server furthermore the Windows Server Essentials Experience server role beneficial to the Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard furthermore Datacenter edition. (The new server role runs in a virtual machine at Windows Azure.) The Server 2012 R2 Essentials server can be downloaded here.